As the world embraces Industry 4.0, manufacturing and distribution operations are becoming more streamlined and efficient. Finishing lines are no different, as automation revolutionizes the industry.

With so many moving parts in any operation, it’s important that the finishing line receives the same attention and strategy as the rest of the production and manufacturing process.

The Importance of the Finishing Line

Manufacturers need to be fast and lean to remain competitive in the current environment. A finishing line can be used for wet spray painting, powder coating, dip lines, cleaning and pretreatment, and more. As such a versatile element in your conveyor system, it is a large factor in how efficient your entire system is.

Conveyor belt technology is at the heart of these operations. These systems play a critical role in transporting products and materials from one point to another. When strategically operated, conveyor belt technology helps to increase productivity and optimize the distribution process.

Tips for Maximizing Your Finishing Line

With technology and the use of space in mind, consider the following top tips for maximizing your finishing line.

1.   Reduce material handling costs

Profit is the end goal in most businesses, and efficient finishing line conveyor systems help to boost profit by lowering expenses associated with material handling costs. Finishing line conveyor systems use automation to transport and sort materials, reducing manual labor costs for repetitive tasks.

Conveyor belt systems also help to free up space in the warehouse or factory by removing bulky storage solutions. Instead of relying on pallet racks and bins, conveyor belt systems use space efficiently, helping to reduce the demand for space and the overhead cost associated with it.

2.   Optimize conveyor design

Various finishing lines require different design elements. Make sure you choose the best finishing line conveyor system design to meet your needs. Whether you need large-scale robotics systems or simple paint line conveyors, it’s important to choose a system that offers flexibility, reliability, and customization.

For example, standard (monorail) systems are a simple and cost-effective solution for straightforward processes as the system follows a single path. These can be installed manually or by a continuous chain, such as safe-rail, zig-zag, or inverted zig-zag for batch paint systems. A chat with our expert team will guide you in the right direction.

Power & free systems are other options for finishing line conveyor systems. Overhead power & free conveyors offer flexibility to adjust to operational needs. With the option to operate at different speeds, divert to multiple locations, and provide part-tracking analytics, these systems are versatile and help to maximize the finishing line productivity.

3.   Incorporate automation

There are many different benefits to incorporating automation into your finishing line, all of which promote efficiency. Automation helps to reduce labor costs by training robots to perform mundane, repetitive tasks, freeing up manual labor that is better suited elsewhere. These robots work for longer hours with less risk of injury. Robots are reliable and consistent, producing fewer costly errors.

Robotic finishing systems use various tools and techniques to automate processes, saving time and money. For example, sensors and automated controls ensure that the conveyor system operates efficiently and that products are transported smoothly from one process to the next.

Consider how automated conveyors are revolutionizing paint applications. Automated paint finishing systems use robotic arms with servo motors integrated into conveyor systems, improving precision and flexibility. With sensors and robotics to assist the process, businesses experience less waste, greater flexibility, and improved production volume compared to manual capabilities.

4.   Think vertically

Conveyor systems are often thought of in horizontal terms, but they can be even more effective when installed vertically. Rather than rely on horizontal systems to move items along a flat plane, vertical systems send products up and down, efficiently using the space. Taking advantage of vertical space cuts down on expensive overhead linked to renting larger spaces.

Overhead conveyor applications utilize the open space above to transfer items and materials, freeing up valuable floor space and reducing the need for a possible expansion.

Vertical design can also be incorporated by rethinking vertical transport units (VTU). Innovative VTUs are supported on all four sides, resulting in a robust mechanical design. By using an electric servo to control the VTU positioning, the movement is smoother and quicker. Finally, the servo stops the conveyor deck more precisely at multiple positions, which assists with accuracy.

5.   Extend conveyor life

If you want to maximize your finishing line, you need to keep downtime to a minimum. One of the most effective ways to achieve this is to keep your finishing conveyor systems in tip-top shape. Wear and tear occurs in many ways, and maintenance is imperative.

To keep your conveyor on track, lubrication should be applied appropriately, a schedule of chain conveyor maintenance should be followed, and the manual should be studied to understand specific maintenance needs better. By conducting regular and preventative maintenance, the system will keep operating smoothly and keep pace with a radically changing world. Any questions on how to properly maintain your conveyor? We’re here to help!

Maximize Your Finishing Line with Richards-Wilcox Conveyor

At Richards-Wilcox Conveyor, we’ve created flexible, modular, and automated systems designed to last. Whether you’re looking for a standard monorail system for a simple process or a power & free system that offers unparalleled flexibility, we’ve got you covered.

If you’re ready to get started on a new conveyor project — or give an existing project an overhaul — we’d love to hear from you. Contact our team today!

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.

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?

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”

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

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.

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.

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.

If you’re looking to improve the productivity of your conveyor system, there are a few key things you can do to make a big difference. These tips will help you get the most out of your conveyor from integrating robotics to increasing speed and adding accumulation.

1. Robotics Integration

One of the best ways to improve conveyor productivity is to integrate robotics into the system. Robotics can automate many of the tasks associated with running a conveyor, from sorting and loading to unloading and packing. This can free up your employees to focus on other tasks, and it can also help to improve accuracy and efficiency.

What is more, integrating robotics into your conveyor system can help to improve safety as well. By removing the need for employees to be in close proximity to moving parts, you can reduce the risk of accidents and injuries.

Robotics integration may sound like it takes away jobs, but oftentimes, adding the assistance of robotics can help to create new positions that wouldn’t have existed before. For example, positions may be created to manage and oversee the robotic system itself.

2. Consider Increasing Speed

Increasing the speed of your conveyor can also help to improve productivity. Obviously, the faster your conveyor moves, the more product it can handle in a given period of time.

Of course, you don’t want to sacrifice safety in the name of speed, so it’s important to make sure that your conveyor is able to operate at the increased speed without putting employees at risk.

3. Add Accumulation

If your conveyor system doesn’t already have accumulation, adding it can be a great way to improve productivity. Accumulation allows your conveyor to stop and start as needed, without losing product.

This can be a huge help when you need to make sure that each product is properly sorted or positioned before it continues down the line. It can also help to reduce the risk of product damage, as the product is less likely to be jostled when it’s not moving.

4. Try an RFID Reader System

Adding an RFID reader system to your conveyor can also help to improve productivity. RFID stands for “radio frequency identification,” and it can be used to track products as they move through the conveyor system.

This information can be used to improve the efficiency of your system by ensuring that products are properly sorted and routed. It can also help to reduce the need for manual product tracking, which can free up your employees for other tasks.

5. Diverting & Merging

If your conveyor system handles a lot of products, you may want to consider adding diverters and mergers. Diverters allow you to send products down different paths, which can be helpful when you need to sort products or send them to different areas. Mergers, on the other hand, allow you to bring two or more conveyors together, which can help to increase the capacity of your system.

Both of these additions can help to improve the productivity of your conveyor system by increasing the amount of product it can handle.

6. Training and Maintenance

Another important factor to consider when trying to improve conveyor productivity is training and maintenance. Your employees need to be properly trained in how to use your conveyor system, and they also need to be aware of its capabilities and limitations.

Conveyor systems require regular maintenance to keep them running smoothly. This may include tasks such as lubricating moving parts, checking for damage, and troubleshooting any issues that arise.

By properly training your employees and keeping your conveyor system well-maintained, you can help to improve its overall productivity.

7. Consider What Works for You

When it comes to conveyor productivity, there is no one-size-fits-all solution. The best way to improve productivity is to consider what will work best for your specific operation.

For example, if you have a large operation with a lot of products to move, you may want to consider adding an accumulation zone to your conveyor. This will allow your conveyor to store products until there is enough space to move them, which can help to improve the flow of your operation.

If you have a smaller operation, you may want to focus on increasing the speed of your conveyor. This can help to move products through your operation more quickly, and it can also help to improve accuracy.

Conclusion

There are a number of other ways to improve conveyor productivity, but these are some of the most effective. By increasing speed, adding accumulation, or integrating robotics, you can make a big difference in the efficiency of your system.

A Busy Future for Pharmaceutical Distribution Needs a Conveyor that’s Built to Keep Up

Pharmaceutical distribution systems have been getting some due attention lately. With the current demand fueling industry projections distributors are upgrading. Is it time for you to think about upgrading to a Richards-Wilcox conveyor?

The world of pharmaceutical distribution comes with its own set of requirements. A conveyor designed for cleanliness and accuracy is exactly what pharmaceutical distributors need.

A Richards-Wilcox conveyor is an ideal solution for the needs of pharmaceutical distributors. Our systems use the power of robotics and automation to ensure the greatest accuracy and output. Richards-Wilcox engineers our conveyors to meet the specific needs of the client. These systems meet and exceed the highest standards of material handling equipment cleanliness.

Our material handling solutions come with automatic control systems. Tracking, switching, diverting, merging color typing and more. The user can have all these systems automated to their requirements.

Industries know our systems for their accuracy and dependability. We will introduce every possible variable to the system to show you just how flexible it is.

Systems Built Specifically to the Needs of the Distributor

It is safe to say that most pharmaceutical needs for conveyor systems center on material handling and distribution. This is true when it comes to medicine and the components that make them. Some pharmaceutical distributors may have production uses for applications like producing equipment.

We cannot overstate the importance of taking all the clients’ needs and challenges into consideration. When designing a customized conveyor system, we engineer every detail.

If space is an issue, high-density storage is the best way to maximize what you are working with. Combine this with a side-by-side conveyor to make the most of your floor space.

Our systems also support many load and unload points. Overhead systems using your building’s airspace and floor space provide options. What challenge is your space dealing with? Our team can help you to make the best of it, without shutting down the show for months.

High Output Low Downtime

In the world of manufacturing, accuracy is crucial. Pharmaceutical distribution is certainly no exception. We design our systems to operate smoothly to maximize output. The goal of maximizing output involves minimizing downtime. To do this we design our machines with intelligence built-in.

Richards-Wilcox designs its systems to cut wear on components. This makes troubleshooting and servicing them as efficient as possible. We build our conveyors to cut downtime. We build them intuitive and accessible: reducing how often systems need maintenance work.

With Richards-Wilcox, you get 125 years of experience, dedicated engineering and in-house simulations. This means the downtime is minimal and the benefits are exponential. The whole world is watching pharmaceutical distribution: it is time to produce.

Get in touch today and let us build you the best possible conveyor system