We have just updated the labeling system to give each conveyor a unique serial number. Customers can refer to the serial number in case they need spare parts for their conveyors. All they have to do is call us and quote the unique serial number printed on the label.

Replacement parts can be shipped straight away eliminating long delays trying to figure out what is needed. We identified a need for this in the market a long time back and have implemented a serial number system a few years back. We have now updated the ID labels to also show information regarding the type of conveyor, basic measurements, and motor configuration, project number and build date. All those identifiers help us to clearly identify which replacement parts the customer is after. It is a very rare event that a conveyor breaks down but if one of our conveyors does it can mean thousands of dollars of lost production time. We therefore recommend that the main wear parts like timing belts are kept in stock and maintenance personnel has them on hand.  Reordering new parts is made very easy with the new ID labeling system. It is also worth noting that each conveyor is now delivered with a printed manual which has all the operating procedures as well as maintenance schedules printed. All our conveyors are CE compliant and this fact is shown on the ID label as well as in the manual.  We are trying very hard to be ahead of everyone else, making an investment in our systems a big win for our customer.

When operation any piece of machinery operators must make sure that they are run in a safe manner to make sure no harm is done to anyone. Zero workplace injuries must be the ultimate goal. Some manufacturing machinery can be automated in a way so that human interaction is not needed. In that case the machine can be completely guarded with an enclosure. The interaction between humans and the machine in general operation in this case is impossible or at least diminished and therefore a safe work environment is given.

Belt conveyors are often a piece of manufacturing machinery that cannot be guarded off completely. They are often used in a way where workers come in contact with them directly.  This is one reason why belt conveyors must be designed and built to the highest relevant safety standards. Off course these safety standards are different depending on which country these conveyors are built in and to which standards they have been made. In general it can be said that developed countries have high safety standards in place where as others have none at all.

As an operator of conveyor equipment or any machinery an employer has the duty to implement them in a safe way. Local laws must be adhered to. It is important to understand that in most cases the responsibility for the safe operation of machinery lies first and foremost with the employer.

It is for this reason that it is often the best and safest way for manufacturing companies to source their belt conveyors from local companies which build their products to all the safety standards required in that area. Another alternative is to source them from a highly industrialized country with high safety standards and then make sure the conveyors meet the local requirements.

In general, belt conveyors have two areas of safety issues. The first would be around the motor and pulley drive assembly. A high quality conveyor unit will have this area completely guarded. The other area are pinch points that mostly arise around the drive and idle rollers as well as any other pinch points.  This is mostly a problem area that cannot be completely eliminated. Pinch points can mostly be reduced to a minimum but remain to a certain point.

There may also be issues arising by incorporating a conveyor with other pieces of machinery. If for instance a conveyor mounts to a static sorting table then a new pinch point will arise between the conveyor and the table.

This is where a risk assessment has to be conducted by the company. Basically, all the equipment has to be studied in its current setup. Problem and safety hazards have to be eliminated and areas that cannot be eliminated totally must be minimized to a reasonable and manageable amount.  Remaining risk areas have to be identified. Staff must be trained accordingly so they can safely operate the equipment.

It must be said at this point that this is a general guide and that local laws must be considered when implementing any machinery.

When implementing a conveyor in your manufacturing process for transportation of goods of any kind there are many factors to consider.  We here at Robotunits specialize in conveyor technology. Even more important is the fact that we also specialize in lean manufacturing principles and consider specific manufacturing situations to build a truly efficient conveyor solution for any given situation. The technical knowledge of conveyors combined with the latest lean manufacturing principles allows us to advise our customers with the absolute best solution.  At the end of the day, the conveyor is just a part of the overall manufacturing process. We work hand in hand with our customers to determine all variables and provide them with solutions that make their manufacturing process more efficient. This means we look at already existing surrounding machinery and build a conveyor system accordingly.

By considering all those important steps we can truly help you to achieve a more efficient manufacturing process and increase your bottom line profit!

When purchasing a conveyor to improve performance of the manufacturing process many companies just look at the price. It should be obvious that other factors like quality of components used, overall quality and availability of replacement parts need to be considered. It is in the event of a breakdown that things can get expensive if you can’t get production going again quickly. Of course we recommend that you keep some usable spares in stock to get you up even quicker.

All conveyors manufactured by Robotunits are given a serial number. Should a rare breakdown happen we know instantly what specifications your conveyor unit was built to. Just call us and quote the serial number of the conveyor and we help you to get you up and running again quickly. We keep all usable parts in stock and can send them to you instantly. No time wasted trying to figure out what you need. All third party components like motors and belts are sourced from world-class companies, which can also provide replacement parts straight away.

When integrating a conveyor or any piece of machinery for that matter into a production facility it is of upmost importance to get a high quality product. It simply does not make sense to save a few dollars on an inferior product that will let you down sooner or later. Just imagine a conveyor breaking down causing production to stop completely until the unit is fixed. It could cost you thousands! Just like with your car it is also very important to service your conveyors correctly and within the specified intervals. You should also have the critical spares on hand to reduce downtime to an absolute minimum should there be any problems with it. We supply a conveyor manual with every unit that leaves our premises. Together with a lot of other important information you will find the serial number, maintenance schedule as well as exploded drawings of the conveyor belt. All though we are confident that our conveyors will function in extreme circumstances we strongly recommend that you follow the maintenance schedule and have some critical spares on hand. Prevention is always better the cure! The maintenance is very basic and requires only a few minutes of your time every few months. As for critical spares, you probably will not need them but if you have them on hand a rare breakdown will be fixed in no time.

If you have one of our conveyors you will have gotten a manual with it outlining the maintenance schedule, critical parts list as well as a lot of other important information that will keep your conveyor running for a very long time. You can download the manual here.

So your next conveyor project is around the corner and you have to start thinking on what type of Belt you want to use. There are many considerations to take into account. Weight, surface area and material of the product, total weight of goods on the conveyor at any one time, speed of transport, roller diameters, safety issues, technical variables, external factors and other things have to be considered.

We generally start with the product size and weight in mind. Heavy products and goods with sharp edges may have to go with a modular belt.  That’s because modular belts are abrasion resistant and slippage between belt and rollers is not possible.

Everything else should be ok with a fabric type belt. Again, we start with the product that needs to be conveyed in mind. Depending on the product we can choose from standard PVC belts, Food-grade, Oil resistant, high temperature and many other specialized belt options. On top of that the size of the rollers may influence the type of belt to use.  Knife-edge conveyors need a very thin belt so that the belt can run around small diameter rollers. If you need cleats on the conveyor then larger rollers are required as the size of the cleats determines the size of the rollers.

As you can see there are many variables to consider. At Robotunits we specialize in building conveyors which means you can rely on us in working out those details. All we need from you to get the ball rolling is some basic information. Fill out the questionnaire here and let us work out the rest.