Factory renovations involve a lot of work, including design the conveyor system. When a manufacturing company is redoing its plant for expansion or an upgrade, the conveyor is one system that must be adjusted to suit the new parameters. Professional conveyor design services are required to provide functional, durable and reliable systems. The design process has to factor in the specific applications of a factory like the kind of loads the system will move, the weight and available space to install it. An independent conveyor design company will identify the needs of a manufacturer and customise the conveyor accordingly.

The Design Process

Constructing a conveyor system, perhaps as part of a company’s Automated Material Handling Solution, is not easy, and the design stage is a critical one in the process. Engineers start by defining the environmental conditions. They have to consider the atmospheric conditions of the factory, the sanitation requirements and room temperature, among other aspects that dictate the most appropriate conveying system to install. Experts will also look at the layout of the factory to get the correct parameters.

Engineers then use different analysis techniques to determine which systems to implement. Conveyors are available in various types, and these include:

• Belt conveyors
• Trolley conveyors
• Pneumatic conveyors
• Reciprocating vertical conveyors
• Flexible gravity conveyors

When picking a conveying system for a factory, designers have to factor in the budget that a company is willing to spend on the project. Each conveyor comes with individual costs of construction and maintenance. The return on investment expected from the system will also influence this decision. Some systems will increase productivity and efficiency more than others, meaning higher returns for a manufacturing plant. The operational systems of a specific production company and the labour modelling are other considerations.

Some conveyor designers conduct layout and equipment simulations before the final construction to guarantee that it will function as expected. Design simulations allow engineers to make adjustments to the design to counter any inconsistencies.

Design Considerations

Conveying equipment has to provide continuous flow, and this is a priority for any plan. The idle time on a conveyor should be non-existent.

In material flow systems, engineers must incorporate gravity flow to ensure that the conveyor allows seamless movements.

Another critical element of conveyor design is that there should be a minimum relation between the payload of the system and the dead weight.

Engineers should also focus on designing standard equipment that will provide room for adjustments when needed and should keep the investment low.

Engineers have to deal with several design specifications when planning the layout of a new conveyor system, and these are:

• Pulley diameter
• Belt power and tensions
• Motor
• Belt capacity, dimension and speed
• Control
• Roller diameter
• Shaft design
• Idler spacing

Qualities of a Good Conveyor Designs

A conveyor should be designed as a modular and scalable solution for your factory needs. It must cater to your current requirements and be flexible enough to accommodate future ones to facilitate growth. A reliably designed conveyor will reduce the cycle time of your production processes, therefore, increasing throughput and consequently, returns. Effective conveyor automation ensures that a factory spends less on human labour and minimises workplace injuries.

When fitting a conveyor during factory renovations, get experts to design the system for efficiency, reliability and safety.