Advanced Manufacturing Magazine - Tomorrow's ideas at work today
Focus on: Material handling and conveyor systems Material handling Medium rate sorter
The new sorter is designed with a pivoting arm diverter and integral vertical belt drive to offer a variety of divert configurations for conveyor sorting systems. It can be configured as a single side or bi-directional sorter. The sorter is easily integrated into belt or roller conveyor applications and can be easily retrofited to existing systems. The advanced modular design has a compact configuration which assures quiet operation and quick access for maintenance, according to Siemens Dematic. The sorter is activated by controls which can be housed within the unit or remotely. It can also be activated by photo eye, PLC or manually. For more information, go to www.siemens-dematic.us/ma. Conveyor systems Belted system offers true-zero-contact accumulation FKI Logistex introduced its new belted Accuzone accumulation conveyor, the latest in its lineup of 24-volt Accuzone conveyors. The new belted Accuzone technology accumulates products at more than a 15-degree pitch, enabling easy accumulation on inclines and declines. By combining belted technology with Accuzone's conveyor system, the new belted system provides a system for handling products that would typically be difficult to handle on a standard roller conveyor, since packages can reliably start and stop, and package sliding is eliminated. The belted Accuzone system allows for conveying rates of up to 30 cartons per minute and carton weights of up to 75 pounds in flat zones, according to the company. Visit www.fkilogistex.com/automation for more information. Conveyor systems Low profile magnetic conveyors
The conveyors are completely sealed, self-lubricating and provide dependable, maintenance-free performance, says the company. Prab manufactures magnetic conveyors for scrap removal and / or parts handling, as well as hinged steel belt, oscillating and pivot belt conveyors. It also makes and installs complete metal-stamping scrap handling systems. Visit www.prab.com for more information. Conveyor systems Conveyor secures and separates items
Pallets are often found in different shapes and sizes, depending on the application. Typically, pallets are small containers attached directly to the conveyor. They are ideal for applications requiring items to be separated from each other, or for applications needing additional assembly further down the line. Dorner's conveyors are all made to order, so building the pallet option, or making modifications to other Dorner conveyor platforms is simple, says the company. For more information, check out www.dorner.com. Material handling Compact vacuum pick-up pen
The VPP511-110 is supplied with a full assortment of vacuum cups and tips and is a great for applications involving fine placement, dispensing and soldering work. Go to www.ijfisnar.com for more information. Material handling Destacker uses magnetic levitation technology
The system will handle steel and aluminum blanks at very high rates of speed with high payloads - up to 300 lbs. The system also offers fully automatic end-effector changeover in between die changes. ATR-Strothmann manufactures linear and rotary robotic components and systems used in a variety of material handling applications, including: sheet metal stacking / destacking, part and pallet racking and stacking, linear and gantry robots for transferring parts, and machine tool load and unload systems. Go to www.strothmann.com for more. Material handling Miniature vacuum pumps for limited space applications
The JV Series Mini vacuum pumps feature thermoplastic construction, weigh 16 grams and measure 1" x 1.69", allowing them to be mounted close to the pick-up point, thus speeding response time and minimizing air consumption, says the company. Capable of achieving a 24" Hg vacuum with either 0.5 or 0.74 scfm flow rates, the pumps are available with or without a silencer, and with two different flow rates. The pumps are moisture resistant and operate from -10C to 80C. For more information, go to www.anver.com. Material handling Horizontal assembly carousel for kitted components
The carousel is a system of horizontally rotating shelves suspended from a guide rack. In a kitting application, this carousel is used to store items that, when combined to form a kit, are used in the final assembly of a product, says Remstar. In operation, several assembly stations are arranged around a continuously moving carousel. Personnel remove items from pre-defined shelves and add them to another shelf that has been allocated to the kit in progress. The carousel transports the partially completed kit to the next workstation where more components are added. Check out www.remstar.com for more information. Material handling High density lightweight pallet
The Structo-Cell pallet was designed and manufactured for a wide range of warehousing, distribution and pooling applications. It is used to move, store and distribute product within a single operation or entire supply chain. Molded as a one-piece, double face pallet, it provides the hygienic properties demanded in pharmaceutical and food applications. According to Orbis, it features seamless interface with conveyors; smooth contoured edges and corners for easy handling; and a static load capacity of 30,000lbs / dynamic load capacity of 4,000 lbs. Go to www.orbiscorporation.com for more information. Conveyor systems High speed vertical conveyor
The conveyor's unique platform design consists of simple, lightweight interlocking molded polymer flights with steel connecting pins, lifting at a maximum speed of 118 feet per minute; and it can be tweaked for up, down or reversible operation. Standard safety features include 24V DC control, a current sensing relay which shuts down the conveyor if overloaded, and totally enclosed shroud-type tunnel guards, says the TKF. Go to www.tkf.com for more information. Simulation software Simulate your material handling ideas
With the software's 3D, object oriented environment, users can develop powerful models of their processes that not only give them accurate results, but also enable the user to use the model for presentation purposes. Flexsim also provides a unique 3D presentation environment. 3D models, slides, text, graphs and charts are integrated into the Flexsim package, according to the company. The software's 3D animation uses OpenGL standard and will import any standard 3D formats. This will enable the user to develop models that truly reflect the process and illustrate the proposed changes. See www.flexsim.com for more details and a free evaluation version.
To submit your new product ideas for consideration in our AMT Showcase, please email our editor John Tenpenny at: |
The Pivot Arm Sorter, new from Siemens Dematic, offers positive, medium rate carton sorting with throughput rates between 30 and 74 cartons per minute depending on conveyor speed and carton size, according to the company.
Prab, Inc. says its new standard duty magnetic conveyors are low profile, and can fit in where others don't. 
Dorner Manufacturing Corp.'s new Pallet Option 3200 Series conveyors are great for securing or separating items on a conveyor for further assembly or processing, says the company.
A new industrial, high-power vacuum pick-up pen is foot-switch controlled for handling delicate components, such as work on circuit boards, according to I& J Fisnar Inc.
ATR-Strothmann's new MagShuttle series SRE 2/300 Linear Induction Motor shuttle and lifter has been ordered for use in a DaimlerChrysler destacking system. The company says it's the first destacking system in North America to use linear induction motor shuttle technology - much like high speed magnetically-levitated trains.
Anver, Corp. introduced a new line of air-powered, miniature, in-line venturi vacuum pumps that it says are ideal for end-of-arm tooling and limited space applications.
Remstar says its progressive horizontal assembly carousel can improve productivity and assembly throughput in operations using kitted components.
ORBIS Corp. now offers a high-density polyethylene, 40" x 48" pallet that combines fire safety with a durable plastic construction, resulting in a lightweight and high-performance product, according to the company.
Designed to handle cartons and other smooth-bottom loads up to 50 lbs, TKF's VALU-LIFT vertical conveyor is a four-strand, continuous lift, light-duty conveyor with a patented platform designed for high-speed operation, says the company.
Flexsim Software Products, Inc's new Flexsim 2.6 3D, object oriented software gives customers the ability to easily and accurately simulate their processes in manufacturing, material handling, warehousing and supply-chain.
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