nnrnnnrnnnThere’s more to many modern conveyors than just some rollers and a belt. Conveyor equipment is machinery as like any other, requiring regular maintenance to work its best. Whether you’re trying to keep an old conveyor system as long as possible before replacing it or being proactive in keeping a newer system shiny and new, the following are universal best practices to keep your belts moving and gears turning.nnrnnnrnnnNote: Any maintenance or inspection of a conveyor or other industrial equipment should be done by trained, qualified professionals with power off and all proper lockout/tagout procedures in place.nnrn

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Ensure proper use of all conveyor systems.

rnnnThis should go without saying, but conveyor misuse is an extremely common cause of damage and premature wear. Make sure that conveyors aren’t being overloaded or run at too-high speeds; this can lead to overstress of the system’s gears, motors, and more.  In general, units should be used as designed and described by the manufacturer.nnrn

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Make sure all maintenance and repairs are performed by trained personnel.

rnnnConveyors are specialized machines, and require someone who knows what they’re looking at to diagnose and maintain. Hire qualified maintenance employees rather than relying on untrained opinions from line workers or other employees.nnrnnnrn

Maintenance should be regularly performed.

rnnnThis means sticking to a schedule, and working down an established checklist. Checks should be performed regularly, as often as possible.nnrnnnHere’s a good sample checklist for a general conveyor system:nnrnnnnn

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• Visual check – look for obvious wear, damage, or unusual equipment behavior.

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• Ensure all safety guards and covers are in place.

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• Cleanliness check – make sure dust, dirt, debris, and other accumulations are cleared from the surface of the conveyor.

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• If any belt misalignment has been observed by workers or inspectors during operation, be sure to correct the tracking to its intended position. Depending on the system, belt alignment may have to be performed while the belt is in motion; be sure to observe all necessary safety precautions as laid out by the manufacturer and OSHA.

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• Check any pneumatic components are operating at proper pressure levels.

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• Check motor for proper function. Excessively hot motors should be replaced, as this is an indication of strain.

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Keep good records.

rnnnAny time there’s an inspection or repair, anything observed or replaced should be meticulously detailed in company records. This will help identify patterns that can lead to better routine maintenance and better use of equipment for the best performance down the line.nnrn

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The manufacturer knows best.

rnnnAt the end of the day, no one knows how to take care of a conveyor system better than the people who designed and manufactured it. Maintenance should be performed per the manufacturer’s recommendations and instructions, with due consideration for individual use.nnrnnnrnnnIf you’re in the market for new, custom conveyor systems, mk North America is a worldwide leader in belt, roller, pallet, and other conveyors for a variety of material handling applications.nnrnnnrnnnrnnnrnnnrnnnrnnnrnnnrnnnrnnnrnnnnn

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All your controllers can be now operated with one unitnnThe features include: supporting both program controllers and position controllers,nneasy-to-use design combining a 3.5″ full-color touch panel and keys,nnprograms/data can be saved to SD cards, and more!nnrn

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• Keyboard testing – LCA8. 4 stack on the end of an 5 axis robot. Tests Keyboards at very big Consumer Electronics Company. 100 % test. We win because of the 8 mm pitch – the low mass – Soft-Land and programmable force with feedback. Definitely a “Tech Niche”/. 1000 unit project.

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• Cardboard testing – Inline measurement of Cardboard thickness and strength. Verifies box specifications. Programmable change for many box types – done on the fly. No competition, another SMAC Tech Niche. Europe sales > 500 LAL95s. Now technology moving to the US.

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• Pin Height Check – LCA25 carried by LCS50-050. Customer injection molds many Electrical parts for cars. Must check height of ALL pins. Used a ball screw with pneumatic LVDT. Too slow – short cycle life – LVDT repeatability poor due to impact. SMAC wins due to higher speed – soft land – much longer cycle life. Customer has put SMAC 2 axis stations on many fixtures. Since this is auto new products are continually coming up so steady customer. Another Tech Niche.nn

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• Measurement of key dimensions on steering wheel Hydraulic pump. SMAC wins over an LVDT system. More accurate – faster. SMAC is up to 10 wins a month now overall LVDTs.

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• Wire Stripping – stripping 32 gauge wire. Programmable Position and force control are key. Air cylinder required constant readjustment.

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• Insertion – cap insertion on Fire extinguisher. Programmable Force and feedback on position achieved. Another example of SMAC’s ability to do work and verify the success.

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Case History – Aggressive Launch Date? No Problem!

rnnnrnnnWhen a leading automotive manufacturer came to mk North America with a problem, mk went to work right away to design and engineer a solution for them. They were looking to assemble both front and rear car doors for their newest model. The solution required a combination of mk’s GUF-P 2041 Flat Belt Conveyor for the interior panel and mk’s VersaMove Plus Pallet Conveyor System for the exterior door assembly.nnrnnnrnnnrnnnnnrnnnnnnnrnnnrn

Two parallel assembly lines were designed and built to process the left-side doors and right-side doors simultaneously with five Model GUF-P 2041 Flat-Belt Conveyors approximately 36” wide by 46” long to fabricate the interior panels. The interior panels are then delivered to two parallel  mk VersaMove Plus SRF-P Over/Under Accumulating Roller Chain systems. Each VersaMove System is seventy feet long and includes seven work stations before the doors are removed for final assembly and the empty pallet enters the elevator to be lowered and returned for the next set of doors. Each system transports seven pallets, supplied by mk, and doors that weigh up to 140 pounds each and are 30” wide by 47” long.  Included in the system are precision stop & locate fixtures and lift & tilt features.nnrnnnnnnnrnnnThe entire system was designed, assembled, tested and shipped in 10 weeks ready for the customer to integrate their controls. mk North America delivered a combination of platforms from their standard designs with elements of the solution tailored to the customer’s unique requirements to meet their aggressive launch date.nnrnnnrnnnrnnnBetter products. Better solutions.nn

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Lean Manufacturing & Kanban

rnnnrnnnLean philosophy in manufacturing and production originated with the Toyota Production System in Japan, and emphasizes the elimination of waste and the maximization of efficiency, effort, and value. Specifics vary from industry to industry and company to company, but broadly speaking extraneous activities and materials are eliminated, while those left behind are streamlined as much as possible.nnrnnnKanban is a lean production technique whereby inventory levels are regulated based strictly on demand, eliminating problems caused both by inventory deficits and surpluses. In a Kanban system, when a product or material runs low, an employee takes a reorder card to a manager (the word Kanban in Japanese translates literally to “signal card” or “signboard”), who then procures or produces a replacement amount based on internal need or current market demand. These days a computerized system is more likely to be used than literal cards (sometimes referred to as e-Kanban), but the system’s effects are the same as ever: improved material and work flow, optimization of floor space, reduction of obsolete inventory, prevention of over-production, and prevention of surpluses or stock-outs of production materials.nnrnnnThe Lean Enterprise Institute recommends five key implementation steps for lean material handling in manufacturing and production, in a system that owes much to Kanban philosophy:nnrnnnnnnnrnnnnn

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• Develop a plan for every part. Keep a detailed database of materials and parts, with essential information such as part numbers, specifications, suppliers, rate of usage, storage location, and more as may be necessary.

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• Maintain a central parts market. Keep parts stored in a central location instead of throughout facilities where tracking and picking will be more difficult.

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• Design efficient delivery routes. Parts should be delivered as directly as possible from storage to work or shipping stations. Delivery aisles, conveyance methods, and personnel should all be clearly laid out.

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• Implement pull signals. The classic Kanban card described above is a perfect example of a pull signal, but other signals may be used as long as they are effective and adhered to consistently.

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• Always strive to improve the system. Systems should be regularly monitored and audited to identify issues, work out solutions, and brainstorm improvements.

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Kanab Carts & Material Handling Racks

rnnnrnnnmk North America offers several products that can aid manufacturers and production facilities in implementing an effective lean approach. With mk’s extruded aluminum framing, customized shelving, racks, work stations, carts, and more can be easily built and rearranged as evolving production requires.nnrnnnKanban racks can be built to your exact specifications, either as versatile shelving for central parts markets as outlined by the Lean Enterprise Institute above, or card racks for classic Kanban cards. Storage carts and material shuttles can be created with high load capacities, fixed or adjustable shelving, bin racks, and a variety of casters in order to facilitate effective delivery routes. Customized industrial workstations can fulfill multiple lean functions at once, serving as storage racks, transfer carts, and ergonomic work surfaces while occupying a minimum of floor space.nnrn