Author: kryan

push pull conveyor

Streamlined Value: Get the Most Bang for Your Buck with the Push-Pull Overhead System

Posted on | by kryan

The Push-Pull Overhead Conveyor system offers more benefits than a traditional monorail powered system. Push-Pull is a power & free conveyor that powers carriers through a process area at a constant speed, most commonly a paint line, and will deliver carriers to manual push areas. These manual push areas are typically unload, load or manufacturing cells.

push pull conveyor

A Push-Pull power & free system is simple, accessible and relatively low-tech; a single drive can power carriers through the process with a simple standard control panel. This, along with manual push for multiple spurs, offers great flexibility for managing fabrication and loading areas. This type of system will significantly reduce the overall project cost.

push pull conveyor system

At Richards-Wilcox Conveyor, we can help you understand how these technologies will impact your production line. Then, we create custom solutions and integrate them into your facility.

We use engineering expertise, along with digital simulations that help you see how specific design decisions could affect your overall environment, to help you determine the right machinery, technologies and layout for your factory.

While we specialize in the most fundamental component of the modern factory, the conveyor, we have a holistic understanding of the factory environment and our clients’ various industries. We leverage that knowledge to help you not only build a better factory for today, but evolve your business for the rapidly changing world of tomorrow.

Learn more about Richards-Wilcox Conveyor’s century of innovation—and discover how we can help you create a smarter factory today.

material handling and fabrication

Factors to Consider When Choosing a Material Handling Conveyor

Posted on | by kryan

material handling and fabrication

At first glance, choosing a material handling conveyor might sound relatively simple. However, there are several important factors that you need to take into account from the cost of the equipment, the material you want to handle, and the type of operation you would like to run. In addition, you should also be aware that there are several material handling challenges and choosing the right material handling conveyor can alleviate them.

When you consider all these aspects properly, you’ll know that you’ll have the best custom material handling solution for your needs. But what are the things you should consider? In this post, we’ll answer this question in detail.

Material

When choosing a material handling conveyor, the type of material you’re planning on handling is perhaps the most important consideration. This means, to choose the most effective material handling conveyor, you’ll need to consider and understand:

  • The state of the material.
  • What the composition and particle size of the material is.
  • How flowable the material is.
  • How abrasive the material is.
  • The temperature and moisture content of the material.

These aspects will shape the custom material handling solution you choose and will give you peace of mind knowing that you’ve chosen the right solution based on your unique needs and requirements.

Operation

Apart from the type of material you plan on handling, how you want to handle it is also an important consideration. In other words, you should take into account the type of operation you’ll be running. Here, you’ll determine whether your operation is:

  • Conveying. Conveying simply means transporting the material from one point to another.
  • Feeding. Feeding is more intricate and requires that the material be fed into the system at pre-determined rates.

No matter what your specific requirements are, certain conveyors work better for certain types of operations.

Cost

Understandably, you’ll also consider the cost of the conveyor. However, this is not as simple as choosing the most affordable option due to budget constraints or choosing the most expensive because you want better quality. When choosing the most affordable conveyors, you might pay more in the long run on maintenance or lose income when the equipment fails. Conversely, you might feel that you’re not getting your money’s worth when going for the most expensive conveyors if it’s not the right fit for your needs.

Ultimately, to choose the right material handling conveyor, you’ll need to find the balance between your budget, the cost of the equipment, and what your return on investment will be. In other words, you should consider the value you’ll be getting. Fortunately, material handling manufacturers like Richards-Wilcox Conveyor can help you assess your needs and what solution will be best suited to you.

Maintenance

Your material handling conveyor will inevitably need maintenance. It has mechanical parts that need to be inspected and maintained regularly in order to ensure efficiency. If not, it could have a negative impact on your revenue and business. With this in mind, you’ll need to consider the maintenance requirements when choosing a material handling conveyor.

In addition, while the cost of the equipment is the initial investment, maintenance also carries a cost component that you’ll need to consider.

Environment

When choosing a conveyor, you’ll also consider the work environment you plan on using it in. This is simply because the environment might dictate what equipment you need. For instance, if there’s the potential for fires or explosions, you’ll need special equipment. Likewise, when your employees work closely with the equipment, there are some health and safety concerns you should consider as well.

Footprint

Finally, you should also consider the footprint of the conveyor. You’ll have to consider the size and design of the conveyor as well as the space you have available. Understandably, you want to make the most efficient and effective use of the space you have.

Fortunately, a conveyor systems and engineer specialist like Richards-Wilcox Conveyor can provide you with invaluable information and assistance to ensure you get the most efficient system based on the space you have available.

Find the Right Material Handling Conveyor with Richards-Wilcox Conveyor

Choosing the right material handling conveyor will ensure that you achieve your throughput goals and that your processes are as effective and efficient as possible. Hopefully, this post helped illustrate the aspects you should consider when choosing a material handling conveyor.

To learn more about custom material handling solutions, get in touch with Richards-Wilcox Conveyor. We are specialists in conveyor systems engineering and we focus on creating custom solutions that meet the needs of our valued customers.

assembly line conveyor systems

Assembly Line Challenges and How to Solve Them

Posted on | by kryan

assembly line conveyor systems

As a manufacturer, your business depends on your assembly line. It helps you serve your customers better by providing the high-quality products they want and expect. Selling these products, in turn, ensures that you generate consistent revenue. So, it makes sense that you want your assembly line to be as efficient and reliable as possible.

Unfortunately, at some stage, you’ll face some assembly line challenges that could impact your output and, as such, your revenue. Fortunately, many of these challenges can be avoided or solved relatively quickly. And when they are, your assembly line can be up and running as fast as possible.

Lack of Maintenance

Lack of maintenance is a major problem that can lead to reduced output and significant maintenance and repair expenses when equipment breaks. A lack of maintenance can be for a variety of reasons from a lack of skills to deal with modern equipment to budget constraints.

There are a few simple solutions to this challenge. For example, monitoring systems allow you to monitor your assembly line constantly, which allows you to identify any issues before they become significant enough to cause complete breakdowns. Likewise, the right equipment can also play a role. For instance, Richards-Wilcox Conveyors’ range of assembly conveyor systems are reliable and require less maintenance. In turn, this ensures more productivity.

Decreased Efficiency and Productivity

Another major challenge is decreased efficiency and productivity. This can be a result of wear and tear, which then reduces output. We’ve already mentioned that monitoring and using the right equipment can be effective strategies to eliminate these challenges.

Another cause, however, is unbalanced station workloads. These lead to bottlenecks in the system that not only decrease efficiency and productivity but could also lead to reduced quality. The main cause of these imbalances is a lack of visibility over the system and improper planning.

As a result, the solution is, to a large extent, proper planning. At Richards-Wilcox Conveyor, we engineer custom assembly line solutions that are engineered for maximum speed and efficiency, taking into account the customer’s budget and space constraints.

Low Product Quality

When your assembly line does not perform optimally, you’ll inevitably face product quality issues at some stage. As mentioned earlier, all these issues stem from improper planning. Fortunately, they can be eliminated if you follow the right process from the start.

At Richards-Wilcox Conveyor, we design assembly line conveyor systems that are best suited to your factory’s unique needs, and our design process starts with proper planning. This gives you a system that’s optimized for productivity with a layout that facilitates the smooth transfer of products from one point to the next and allows for easy loading and unloading.

Also, during the design process, conveyor simulation is a crucial component. The purpose of this is to demonstrate the system’s operation, identify any potential issues, and fine-tune the design before installation. This allows us to explore different designs while at the same time, saving you time and money.

Long Changeover Times

By now, you know that market trends evolve consistently, and, with this evolution, the demand for products changes. As such, it’s crucial that you understand this evolution and you’ll need to adapt your offering based on what the market expects. At other times, especially with advancements in technology, all or part of your assembly line should be replaced.

Either way, this will require a changeover. Unfortunately, for many manufacturers, this takes up too much time. In turn, this leads to reduced output. Conversely, because this takes so much time, manufacturers avoid changeovers altogether, which then leads to inventory overproduction.

The solution is proper planning and taking the right approach to changeovers. For instance, you could implement your assembly line in such a way that it’s not necessary to shut the entire system down during a changeover or utilize long weekends to minimize downtime. At Richards-Wilcox Conveyor, we focus on understanding your unique needs and can incorporate the necessary measures to reduce changeover times into your design.

Human Error

Finally, you should never discount human error when it comes to the efficiency and reliability of your assembly line. In fact, it could be one of the most common challenges you’ll face.

Eliminating this hinges on two aspects – incorporating more automation and improved training. With automation, you’ll eliminate manual tasks, which, by design, reduces human error and training gives your team the tools they need to be more efficient and productive.

The Bottom Line

Hopefully this post helped illustrate some of the common assembly line challenges you’ll face. More importantly, we hope that you now have some idea of how to solve them. To learn more about our range of solutions to these challenges, including our monorail conveyor systems and enclosed track conveyors, and how we can make your assembly line more efficient, get in touch with Richards-Wilcox Conveyor today.

batch systems conveyor

Manual vs. Automated: What’s the Best Powder Coating Line for You?

Posted on | by kryan

batch systems conveyor

As powder-coating applications take the finishing industry by storm, clients are coming to Richards-Wilcox Conveyor for help designing, integrating and reconfiguring their own finishing lines.

These clients have a lot of questions about powder coating. But there’s one we’ve been hearing more than any other:

“When designing a powder-coating line, should I invest in a manual batch-type system or an automated line?”

The answer isn’t as clear-cut as you might think. In fact, it all depends on your workflow, your volume, your budget, and your floorspace.

Let’s take a closer look.

Manual Batch-Type Systems vs. Automated Lines

For those who don’t know, a manual batch-type system is the more hands-on variety of powder-coating production line. In batch systems, operators begin by manually preparing parts, moving items from one device to another using carts or a manually operated conveyor. Once a batch of parts is ready, it is then coated and cured.

As the name suggests, an automated line automates this process. Rather than using human labor to prepare batches of parts, an automated conveyor system continuously moves individual parts through the entire process, from prep and drying to application, curing and cooling.

So, which is better: manual batch or automated?

The truth is that neither system is inherently better—both have their benefits and drawbacks. One is more efficient, while the other is more flexible. One is more expensive, while the other is more labor-intensive.
How do you find the right system for you? Start by considering these four factors.

batch vs automated system

#1: Volume & Regularity

In general, automated lines are best suited to coating higher volumes of parts, as long as those parts have consistent sizes and shapes. If you’re coating thousands of similarly sized parts per shift, automated is probably the right fit.

Batch systems are typically slower than their automated counterparts, but they’re also more versatile. While automated systems must be reconfigured to account for irregularly shaped parts, manual systems don’t. It may be more efficient to go manual if you’re working with lower volumes of irregular parts.

#2: Floorspace

Manual systems typically require fewer components – for example, one oven can be used to both dry and cure parts – which makes them a good fit for businesses with limited floorspace.

However, just because you’re tight on space doesn’t mean an automated line is impossible. Richards-Wilcox Conveyor has worked with clients to make automated lines fit in surprisingly limited spaces.

#3: Speed

Manual batch systems are generally slower than automated. If your powder-coating system outpaces the manufacturing process, then that may not be an issue. But if your powder coating process is delaying output, then you may need to speed things up with automation.

Automated lines can be designed for rapid throughput, creating a constant flow of parts to keep pace with other manufacturing processes. If you need speed, go automated.

#4: Budget

Manual batch-types systems are typically seen as the budget-friendly alternative to automated lines. The upfront cost of manual systems is significantly less; and although they require more human labor, their maintenance costs and operating costs are often much lower.

Then again, the relative efficiency of a system all depends on the other three factors we listed here. If your system is operating at full capacity, producing thousands of products per shift and keeping pace with your other manufacturing processes, an automated line may be necessary to help you meet production goals.

batch vs automated system

We’ll help you identify and design the optimal system for your finishing line.

Whether it’s a smaller manual operation or a large-scale automated line, Richards-Wilcox can create a system that maximizes your efficiency and helps your business achieve its goals.

From designing layouts and installing conveyors to integrating robotics and automation, we leverage decades of experience and key partnerships to create the right solution for your needs.

Learn more about our work with finishing line systems.

material handling conveyor system

Material Handling Challenges and How to Solve Them

Posted on | by kryan

material handling conveyor system

Individuals in the manufacturing and storage space know how intricate the system of processes, machinery, human input, and algorithms are. All of these things work together in fascinating ways to ensure continuity of production and output. However, when it comes to material handling, the available equipment and solutions all have incredibly focused roles in handling, transportation, and storage.

Material handling involves getting products and raw materials from one point to another as efficiently as possible. If there are any material handling inefficiencies, then it’s almost impossible for organizations to reap any profits. Therefore, we have compiled some of the most common material handling challenges and how to solve them in this blog. When done properly, the handling of products runs smoothly and utilizes the available storage space to an organization’s maximum potential.

Material Handling Challenges

Analogous Storage System

One of the most common problems in material handling is failing to account for the diverse materials. If there is no flexibility or diversity in your storage, then you will find that you often run out of space. You want a system that can handle a full variety of your materials and storage systems that can hold your specific materials without wasting any space.

Minimal Research

Times are changing and with these changes come new and innovative ways of doing things. A wise man once said, “the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over again and expecting different results.” Ensure that you constantly research new developments rather than relying solely on what you already know. You can engage material handling specialists to help you identify areas of improvement which are often overlooked.

Honeycombing

This is one of the biggest challenges that organizations deal with when it comes to material handling. Picture a honeycomb in a beehive, there are usually spaces all over. Honeycombing happens when organizations don’t fully utilize the space in their storage units. This is usually a costly mistake because apart from wasting precious space, it also hinders the seamless movement of personnel.

Lack of Scalability

All organizations that get into business primarily seek to make profits and expand. Despite this, most companies lack an effective long-term plan and end up scrambling in the eventuality that business booms. When business is booming, it means that there’s more effort and more energy needed to meet customer needs. Organizations often set themselves up for disaster by failing to plan and then rushing to try to handle the new demands.

Too Much Contact

For effective material handling, you want your workers to deal with each material for as little time as possible. No matter how skilled your personnel is, the goal is minimizing costs and raising efficiency. The less time your workers spend moving or processing materials that can be automated means more time for them to focus on other jobs that require their skills. In material handling, effective time management is often the difference between making profits or losses.

How to Solve Material Handling Challenges?

Process Automation

In a flowing factory, automation using conveyors is a game changer for process and productivity. Manual labor usually works at a much slower pace than machinery resulting in a lot of money spent and can even risk the health of your employees every so often. Richards-Wilcox conveyors are built with redundancy and repetitive decision-making in mind to ensure efficiency and ease of use. Our conveyors are cost-effective and seamlessly integrate into your production line. In addition, the set-up is completely customizable to whatever material type you handle.

Consistent Processing Speed

Another way to overcome the challenges of material handling is to ensure a steady speed of processing goods and materials in your entire system. If one of your systems or processes is too fast or too slow then you will notice problems with overflow or backups. This can cost you precious time and even lead to delayed deliveries. Our conveyors ensure a consistent speed throughout to enable the handling to move like clockwork.

Efficient Use of Space

Most organizations don’t plan their storage arrangements or try out different layouts. As a result, they often settle for sub-optimal storage systems with a lot of wasted space. With proper planning and equipment, organizations can utilize all the space from the floor to the ceiling. Overhead space can also be used to move materials using overhead conveyors. Just ensure that it’s completely safe because falling materials can be dangerous.

Frequent Inspections and Maintenance

A large part of handling challenges in material handling is conducting preventative maintenance. Frequently inspect your systems and machines and fix any problems you come across before they become big issues. These inspections and maintenance can help you avoid breakdowns that halt the entire operation and often cost a lot to repair.

Conclusion

The way an organization’s material handling system operates can be the difference between making profits and incurring losses. Richards-Wilcox Conveyor is a master of conveyor systems engineering. We specialize in engineering systems and creating custom material handling solutions.

Our conveyors are ideal for various material handling equipment situations. If you would like to streamline your material handling and ensure maximum efficiency, contact Richards-Wilcox Conveyor today!

powder coating

Why the Finishing Industry is Betting Big on Powder Coating

Posted on | by kryan

powder coating

Driven by technological advancements, external pressures, and opportunities to enter new markets, many producers are switching from liquid paint to powder coatings. Let’s take a look at why this switch is happening and what you should know about powder.

What is UV-Curable Powder Coating?

UV-curable powder coating is an alternative to liquid paint. Applied using an electrostatic spray gun and finished with high-powered UV light, powder is used in a wide range of industrial finishing applications, on products ranging from plastic car parts to wooden patio furniture.
Thanks to its low curing temperature, powder coating can be used on substrates that liquid paint cannot—just one of the many differences between the two.

powder coating

Powder vs. Paint

In terms of the performance and look of their final products, powder coating and liquid paint are comparable. Some newer powder formulations have even outperformed liquid in chemical- and weathering-resistance.

At the same time, there are some major differences between the two.

For one, powder coating can be applied to a variety of non-metallic substrates that liquid cannot. While liquid formulas often require extreme heat to cure, powder coating can cure at a relatively low temperature. Therefore, powder can be applied to materials that cannot withstand ultra-high temps, such as wood composites and plastic. Today, producers are using powder coatings in a variety of non-metallic substrates such as MDF, HDF, glass, gypsum fiber board, ceramics and plastic.

Another advantage of powder coating is the speed and efficiency of its curing process. While liquid paint often takes minutes to cure, powders can be cured in less than 10 seconds using UV light. Thanks to its quick curing, systems that use powder can move faster, produce more, and consume less energy along the way.

A Changing World

powder coat finish

In today’s climate, arguably the most important difference between powder and liquid paint is that powder is seen as a sustainable alternative. In general, powder coatings produce less waste and toxins. Meanwhile, producers are working towards making powder part of a “true circular economy” by reprocessing powder waste and formulating resins from recycled materials.
While not everyone agrees on the relative sustainability of powder vs. liquid formulations, what really matters is that many governments and corporations have reached the consensus that powder is more sustainable. As a result, shifting regulations and corporate commitments are pressuring producers to switch to powder, and those pressures will likely intensify in the years to come.

Recap: Should You Use Powder?

powder coating

While some producers will continue using liquid paint for the time being, many are switching to powder. That’s because powder is:

  • More flexible: Thanks to its low curing temp, powder coatings can be applied to a variety of wood composites and other non-metallic substrates. For those in the finishing business, using powder can open up entire new markets, such as plastic vehicle components and wooden home furniture.
  • More efficient: Powder coating’s low-temperature curing process takes less time and consumes less energy.
  • More sustainable: As governments and corporations pressure producers to use more sustainable processes, using liquid paint is increasingly costly and cumbersome. A system that uses powder coatings may have greater longevity.

Want to Bring Powder Coating to Your Production Line? We’ll Make It Happen.

Richards-Wilcox Conveyor has partnered with a wide range of producers to design, install and integrate finishing applications, including powder coating. From designing layouts to integrating robotic applicators, we leverage decades of experience and partnerships with the best in the business to create smarter, safer, more efficient solutions.

To get started, submit a contact form or call us at 800-253-5668.

For more technology that’s revolutionizing the finishing industry, read our blog How Automated Conveyors are Revolutionizing Industrial Paint Application or take a closer look at Richards-Wilcox’s Finishing Line Conveyors.

material handling and fabrication

Conveyor Design Considerations for Material Handling

Posted on | by kryan

When you want the highest levels of efficiency in your operations, it’s crucial that you use the right conveyor system. However, finding the right conveyor system that helps you achieve this and meets your reliability and performance expectations can be challenging.

But how can you eliminate these challenges? In this post, we’ll look at this question in more detail and discuss the vital conveyor design considerations for material handling that you should take into account.

material handling and fabrication

Material

The first key consideration is the material you want to convey. In this respect, there are several aspects that you need to consider that will, ultimately, influence the custom material handling solutions you choose. These aspects include:

  • The form or state of the material.
  • The composition of the material.
  • The material’s particle size.
  • The flowability of the material.
  • The abrasiveness of the material.
  • The material’s temperature.
  • The moisture content of the material.

Operation

When considering the operation of the material handling conveyor, you’ll first need to consider the function of the conveyor. In other words, you’ll have to consider what you want the conveyor to do, whether it’s conveying or feeding. You’ll then also consider the performance requirements of the conveyor.

When considering the performance requirements, you’ll typically look at aspects like the amount of material you want to convey, the time in which you need to convey it, and the demand for the material at each drop-off point.

When considering the operation of the conveyor, you’ll also need to decide which parts of the system should be automated in order to make the system more efficient.

Environment

The next key consideration when designing a material handling conveyor is several environmental factors. These factors relate not only to the environment necessary to convey the material, but also includes health and safety considerations.

As such, these aspects include the humidity and temperature of the environment and the impact of vibrations on the environment. You should also take into account if there are any open sources of ignition, the possibility of a flammable or explosive atmosphere, and the presence of any corrosive vapor.

Space

Space can have a significant impact on the conveyor’s design and the space you have available for the system can dictate, to a large extent, several of the design considerations. As such, you’ll need to consider the distance you’ll need the material to travel, as well as any height and length constraints you face.

Cost

When designing a custom material handling conveyor system, cost is also a vital consideration as it plays a crucial part not only in the viability of the project but also in its return on investment. When it comes to cost, you have to consider what your main focus will be. Firstly, you can focus on the initial investment into the system.

This means your chief consideration will be on the initial capital required to design and install the system. Or you can focus on the long-term maintenance and operating costs of the system. Either way, it’s important to remember that these aspects are not mutually exclusive and what you’ll focus on depends on your specific needs, requirements, and budget.

History

The final consideration relates to the history of your existing conveyor systems if you have them. For example, the history will show you where you can make improvements to make the system more efficient. Moreover, if you’ve experienced reliability issues in the past, you’ll learn what design measures you can implement to eliminate these issues.

The Bottom Line

Hopefully, this post helped illustrate the key aspects you should consider when it comes to designing conveyors for material handling. If you want to learn more about these considerations and find the best conveyor for your needs and requirements, get in touch with Richards-Wilcox Conveyor. With over 125 years of experience in conveyor systems and engineering, we are material handling equipment manufacturers that can build you the best possible conveyor system.

automated conveyors

How Automated Conveyors are Revolutionizing Industrial Paint Application

Posted on | by kryan

automated conveyors

When it comes to automation, the most traditionally labor-intensive processes are the ones that stand to gain the most.

So why has painting been so slow to catch up? What recent advancements are changing that? And how can automated conveyor systems make your production line more productive and efficient than ever?

The Painting Paradox

In the world of industrial production, painting has long been a paradox.

On the one hand, it seems like a natural fit for automated conveyor systems, robotics and other Industry 4.0 technologies. Traditionally, painting is a labor-intensive process; in some facilities, employees must manually transport each product via forklift or wheel cart to a booth, then manually spray the product, drag it out of the booth to dry, and push it into a hot oven. All that manual labor makes the process slow and expensive—not to mention a potential safety liability, as employees must work in close contact with hot surfaces and machinery. Therefore, you would think these facilities would be eager to find solutions that would help them cut down on labor, right?

painting conveyors

Historically, that hasn’t always been the case. In fact, many businesses that paint products on an industrial scale have been slow to adopt the very technologies that would help them cut labor costs and achieve better production volumes.

Why? In many cases, it’s because painting is a delicate, exacting process that requires fine motor control and adaptive decision-making—capabilities that were, until fairly recently, beyond most automated technologies. And the equipment that could achieve this level of precision and flexibility was out of the price range of most operations.

Fortunately for these businesses, the technology has caught up to their needs, costs have dropped significantly, and a growing number of painting operations are now embracing automation. In fact, this technology is becoming so widely used that many businesses must adopt it simply to stay competitive.

More Than a “Fresh Coat”

painting conveyor

For painting applications, automated conveyor systems are more than just a “fresh coat” of tech. They transform nearly every step of the process.

Now, rather than a forklift or manual wheel cart, conveyor systems can transport products across a facility, freeing floorspace and reducing the need for labor. Meanwhile, robotic arms equipped with servomotors integrated into conveyor systems offer the precision and flexibility that was once only possible with human labor, and Richards-Wilcox’s innovative Conveyor Rotation system allows parts to be indexed on a rotating axis, helping facilities further automate their painting processes.

Businesses that paint products on an industrial scale have a lot to gain from automating their production line with conveyor systems. When implemented properly, these technologies can make your operation:

  • More efficient, allowing you to cut labor costs, reduce waste, and increase your available floor space.
  • More productive, increasing your production speed and volume, while reducing the probability of human error.
  • Safer, reducing the need for employees to be in close contact with hot surfaces and potentially dangerous machinery.

Transforming Omega’s Painting Process

robotic conveyor

One of our clients is now seeing the benefits of these technologies in action.

Omega Tool Corp, a global company that paints plastic vehicle components in their Canadian production facility, recently partnered with Richards-Wilcox Conveyor to help automate their painting process. Using simulations and in-depth knowledge of their workflow, our team designed and installed a highly adaptive solution. Thanks to sensors and robotics integrated into their conveyor, the system not only transports and paints products automatically, but adapts to different sizes and shapes of components as they come down the line.

For Omega, the payoff of integrating this technology has been huge—they have less waste, greater flexibility, and better production volume than they could achieve manually.

Their facility is real-world proof that automation can revolutionize the industrial painting process. Businesses just need the right partner to bring it to life.

How Richards-Wilcox Can Help Transform Your Industrial Painting Process

When it comes to painting applications, most facilities are just scratching the surface of what automation, robotics and advancements in conveyor systems can help them achieve. At Richards-Wilcox Conveyor, we help you integrate these principles and technologies in a way that makes sense for your facility, your workflow and your output goals.

From designing conveyor solutions for new facilities to integrating Industry 4.0 technology into existing lines, Richards-Wilcox helps you create a smarter, faster, safer and more efficient operation—one that’s ready to compete today and evolve for the rapidly changing world of tomorrow.

Learn more about our legacy of innovation or get in touch with Richards-Wilcox to learn what we can do for you.

servomotor

Pivotal Parts: How Servomotors are Powering Industry 4.0

Posted on | by kryan

servomotor

Today, servomotors are all around us. They open the automatic doors at your local grocery store, they lower the windows in your car at the press of a button, and they (hopefully!) make your next elevator ride feel nice and smooth.

While these examples are pretty simple, servomotors are also pivotal—literally—in the high-tech evolution of the factory environment. As facilities increasingly integrate robotics, automation, functional safety principles, preventative maintenance, and other Industry 4.0 concepts into their production lines, smart factories are using devices equipped with servomotors to be safer, faster and more efficient than ever.

In this blog, we’ll take a quick look at what makes servomotors unique, how they are being used in modern factories, and how Richards-Wilcox Conveyor can help you integrate smart technologies into your facility.

What are servomotors? What makes them unique?

servomotor

Servomotors enable robotic devices to independently perform applications that previously could only be done with human intervention.

Applying paint to car parts, distributing foods and medicine to containers, configuring the thousands of intricate components of an aerospace engine: all of these applications require a high level of precision, detail and flexibility. Until recently, most of them were beyond the capability of even the most advanced devices, requiring at least some human intervention. In recent years, however, the evolution of the servomotor, along with related computing and robotic innovations, has changed that, opening an exciting new chapter for robotics in the factory environment.

A servomotor is a rotary or linear actuator (a device that converts energy to motion) that can be moved to particular angles at particular velocities. Rather than a single part, a servomotor consists of a motor—a DC or AC, depending on the application—along with an output shaft and a controller equipped with sensors that allow for positional feedback.

The controller and its sensors are the key components. These parts allow the motor to ‘know’ precisely where it is positioned and to adjust automatically. That ‘spatial awareness’ is what makes this type of motor so uniquely capable. While other motors can produce power and determine their positions to a certain degree, servomotors bring a level of precision and adaptability that allows machines to not only match but outperform humans in the kind of applications that require fine-motor capabilities and ‘judgement calls.’

When combined with computers equipped with powerful algorithms, servomotors allow factories to create truly closed-loop systems, environments that automatically regulate themselves—no humans required.

Thanks to servomotors, applications that were once potentially dangerous, slow, tedious and expensive can be performed by robotic devices. That means a faster, safer, more efficient factory.

How are servomotors being used in today’s factory environments?

servomotor

As we mentioned above, servomotors are a critical component in robotic devices and automated systems, allowing for greater precision and efficiency while reducing the need for human intervention. Due to the rise of the smart factory, these devices have become so ubiquitous that they are currently used in nearly every manufacturing sector, from food and beverage to aerospace and automobiles.

At Richards-Wilcox Conveyor, we design, create and install advanced conveyor systems in factory environments. A key part of our job is incorporating robotics, automation and other Industry 4.0 technologies and concepts into factory environments, while using simulations and engineering expertise to ensure that every element is optimized for maximum safety and efficiency.

While servomotors have long been an important component in our clients’ facilities, we have recently seen a sharp rise in their usage, especially when it comes to painting applications.

A good example is our client Omega, a Canadian company that produces vehicle components.

As part of their manufacturing operation, Omega paints thousands upon thousands of plastic truck parts. As these parts move down the conveyor line, a programmed robot sprays the parts with a liquid paint. Sounds simple enough, right? Not exactly—these components have fairly complex shapes, and they come in a variety of models and sizes. In order to get the correct aesthetic and avoid wasting paint, the application device must apply the paint at precisely the right angle and make adjustments based on varying sizes and shapes.

Our engineers worked with Omega and machine manufacturers to design a solution that automated the process, using robotic devices equipped with servomotors. The result was greater precision and speed, and a more efficient factory environment. Rather than having to make manual adjustments to the machine controls each time a new size or shape of truck part came down the line, the servomotor-equipped robots are able to quickly adjust to new conditions.

Today, Omega’s factory has less waste, greater flexibility, and better production times—all thanks to servomotors.

Richards-Wilcox can help you integrate edge technologies for a smarter factory.

servomotor

Servomotors aren’t exactly new, nor are they considered an ‘edge’ technology in 2022. But they are pivotal in robotics, automation and other technologies and concepts that are transforming the modern factory.

At Richards-Wilcox Conveyor, we can help you understand how these technologies can impact your production line. Then, we create custom solutions and integrate them into your facility.

We use engineering expertise, along with digital simulations that help you see how specific design decisions could affect your overall environment, to help you determine the right machinery, technologies and layout for your factory.

While we specialize in the most fundamental component of the modern factory—the conveyor—we have a holistic understanding of the factory environment and our clients’ various industries. We leverage that knowledge to help you not only build a better factory for today, but evolve your business for the rapidly changing world of tomorrow.

Learn more about Richards-Wilcox Conveyor’s century of innovation—and discover how we can help you create a smarter factory today.

conveyors for finishing systems

Power & Free Conveyors for Finishing Systems

Posted on | by kryan

Power and free conveyor systems, also typically referred to as asynchronous conveyor systems, are built on a two-track system where one track is powered and the other is not. This offers several advantages. Possibly the biggest advantage is that it allows loads to travel at different speeds and loads can be started or stopped independently of each other.

This provides enhanced flexibility in finishing systems and can make production processes more efficient and improve product quality. In this post, we’ll look at Richards-Wilcox Conveyor’s range of power and free conveyor systems in more detail.

conveyors for finishing systems

The Richards-Wilcox Range of Power & Free Conveyor Systems

The range of power and free conveyor systems provide unparalleled flexibility for a variety of parts and processes. Let’s look at our range in more detail.

Twin-Trak Side-by-Side Conveyor

The Twin-Trak Side-by-Side conveyor system is the ideal solution if you have limited overhead space and need to free up space for other power and free equipment. It features weight capacities that allow you to carry loads of 10 to 1,000 lbs, and, with the system, you can switch into and out of the main line of travel more frequently. In addition, you’re able to build the system from existing Richards-Wilcox systems, which, in turn, brings about a cost saving.

With its features, the Twin-Trak system can help you increase throughput by eliminating typical wait time and optimize production by ensuring the right parts arrive at the correct operations in a continuous flow. This ensures that you improve your efficiency while, at the same time, maintaining product quality.

Over-Way Heavy Duty Over and Under Conveyor

With a carriage capacity of up to 2,000 lbs in a tandem configuration, the Over-Way Heavy Duty Over and Under conveyor system combines power and flexibility with a heavy-duty over under conveyor configuration. This is a result of its rugged design and the fact that it’s constructed of high-quality components. For example, its enclosed track ensures that no contaminants enter the system and protects the chain from dirt, abrasion, and solvents.

These features, combined with its state-of-the-art control systems, allow you to optimize production and ensure that the right parts arrive at the right operations at the right time. It also eliminates unnecessary production rehandling and manual transporting and maintains a full log of production information. This results in the ability to increase efficiency and maintain production quality.

Over-Way Inverted Floor-Mounted Conveyor

The Over-Way Inverted Floor-Mounted conveyor is the ideal medium-capacity solution in robotic finishing systems, and combines power and capability with the flexibility of floor-mounted systems. The system is available as modular components that are pre-welded at the factory and, as such, is easy to install, maintain, and change.

Despite its ease of installation, the system’s self-supporting structure is designed with an additional guide track that provides enhanced stability where position accuracy is critical, and it offers weight capacities ranging from 10 to 1,000 lbs.

The system is also designed to keep products clean and provides optimal ergonomics in that the work surfaces can be adjusted. Ultimately, by integrating processes typically serviced by multiple types of conveying equipment, it’s able to optimize production while reducing energy expenditure.

The Bottom Line

Hopefully, you’ve now learned more about our range of power and free conveyor systems and how they can help you make your finishing processes more efficient. To learn more about these systems, get in touch.

With extensive experience, our expert staff can help you engineer a finishing system based on your unique needs, requirements, and budget that will improve your production quality, make your operations more efficient, and help deliver higher quality products.