An accumulation conveyor is used when goods need to queue or accumulate at a certain point. It differs from a roller conveyor as it includes sections that can be slowed down or stopped to allow goods to be collected. This is achieved through sensors and drive clutches. The roller conveyor is used when goods need to move from one point to another without interruption. The accumulation conveyor has individual zones that are created along the path of the conveyor, with each zone having two drive points. Stops are achieved using motion or pressure sensors.
An accumulation conveyor is a specialized material transport mechanism used in applications where goods require queuing or accumulation at one point in the transportation route. Similar in many respects to a conventional roller conveyor, the accumulation conveyor differs in that it includes mechanisms that allow sections of the conveyor to be slowed down or completely stopped to allow goods to be collected at that point. Usually, this is accomplished by breaking up the conveyor into short, individually operated sections that include sensors and drive clutches, allowing individual sections to be run, slowed down or stopped at will. This feature is commonly used in situations where palletizing, sorting, or taping operations require goods to pile up on the conveyor instead of constantly flowing.
Roller conveyors are material transport mechanisms commonly used in a variety of shipping facilities. This mechanism typically consists of a steel frame with a series of sequentially arranged cylindrical rollers within its outer members. Generally, the rollers are positioned so that they are in constant contact with each other. This allows a single driven roller to transfer its motion to all the rollers in the series, thus driving the entire conveyor. In this way, a load that has been placed on the conveyor at any point will be transported along the entire length of the conveyor on the moving rollers.
This arrangement works well in situations where goods need to move from one point to another without interruption for intermediate actions to be taken. Where these stops are required, however, an accumulation conveyor is typically used. These machines are, in many respects, similar to their conventional siblings with a continuous run of rollers along the length of the conveyor. The main difference between the accumulation conveyor and conventional types is a series of sections or individual zones that are created along the path of the conveyor.
A single motor typically drives the entire conveyor, with each individual zone having two drive points, one at each end of the section. The first point, which features a remote controlled clutch, drives that section and the final drive point is used to transfer the drive to the next section. In this way the entire accumulation conveyor is activated simultaneously with the possibility, thanks to the couplings, of stopping a specific section of the belt when required. Stops are achieved using motion or pressure sensors that are placed at strategic points along the conveyor’s path. This allows goods to be queued onto the belt at a predetermined point when actions such as loading, palletizing or taping of cartons are required.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
