The Benefits of Accumulation Conveyors
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Accumulation conveyors are an important part of many manufacturing and assembly conveyor lines. Accumulation conveyors provide many much needed services, beyond moving product from point to point.
What is an Accumulation Conveyor?
Accumulation conveyors, to put it simply, accumulate product. Most commonly used to support picking and packing applications, accumulation conveyors create a temporary buffer zone between products moving up or downstream.
The Benefits of Accumulation Conveyors
When integrated correctly, accumulation conveyors can:
- Create a helpful buffer zone between processes that require different lengths of time to complete.
- Establish cooling and drying zones. Accumulation conveyor systems allow you to control how long items should cool / dry for.
- Allow operators to oversee multiple stations at once. Strategically timing production flows at specific intervals gives operators the chance to move in-between work areas.
- Create an efficient queue for feeding products through machines on the production line. This is useful for both last in, first out (LIFO) and first in, first out (FIFO) applications.
- Can decrease the footprint of a conveyor line
Additionally, some sources say accumulation conveyors can increase throughput by up to 30%
What are the Different Types of Accumulation Conveyors
There are many different types of accumulation conveyors, and they can be broken down into two major categories - zero pressure or standard.
Zero Pressure Accumulation Conveyor System
Zero pressure accumulation conveyor systems work on the principle that product needs to be stored on the conveyor line, however the product cannot touch. in these instances, "zoned conveyors" are the ideal solution. With zoned conveyors, there is one conveyor or one conveyor section per product. Traditionally, these conveyors are drive roller conveyors, but in truth they can be any conveyor platform.
Standard Accumulation Conveyors
In applications that have no requirement on whether or not products can touch, a so-called "standard accumulation conveyor" is acceptable. Many different conveyor types can take on this role.
Types of Standard Accumulation Conveyor Systems
The best accumulation conveyor for your application is going to vary based on a lot of different parameters — most importantly, WHY is an accumulation conveyor needed. Does the process require FIFO or LIFO? Are there floor space restrictions? How many products need to accumulate?
Some examples of accumulation conveyors are:
Visit Accumulation & Storage Conveyor Solutions page to see examples of the various types of conveyors and to learn more.
Wondering if an Accumulation Conveyor is Right For You?
mk North America offers a wide variety of accumulation conveyor solutions. Not sure what you need? No problem! Customizing your ideal solution is what we do best. If you're serious about controlling flow and improving productivity, then don't wait--contact us today.