Huge Labor Savings for Powdered Metal Presses

Just in: Here’s a report from a major Powered Metal parts manufacturer. This user is currently using the Mini-Mover Rotary Table Accumulators (RTAs) at presses for the powder metal process. Each press is capable of producing about 6-10 parts per minute depending on part configuration. The user has about ten (10) similar machines running automatically, now with just one (1) operator in total.

The RTA units allow a huge reduction of operators needed to unload the parts off the machines which helps us keep labor costs down. Another reason is that is that the accumulators prevent heavy part-on-part contact. The parts coming out of the machine are fairly soft and brittle. If they make too strong of contact with one another they become damaged or broken. So the table helps reduce the likelihood of that contact occurring.

Two main factors led this manufacturer to buy the Mini-Mover RTA over some of the others that were considered:

1. Simplicity and Open Design. The open design makes the table easier to work around. When we need to make adjustments on the machine, we used to have to move the tables or conveyor belts out of the way. Because the area under your table is very open it allows us to work around it and leave it in place which was a must have feature requested from the machine setup personnel. Time and hassle saver on their part.
2. Replacement of Inefficient Non-Mini-Mover Units. They user had several old accumulators already, and most are built with an enclosed table top that allows powder to accumulate under the table top between it and the frame. This put strain on the motors and burned them out quickly if they were not cleaned very frequently. The free spinning table on the Mini-Mover RTA allows that powder to just fall off the side of the table onto the floor rather than building up. This makes the Mini-Mover solution much easier to maintain and keeps the motor from getting overloaded.