Product collection functions of rotary table accumulators (RTA) and small conveyors can be combined. Functions can include product inspection and similar activities at an end station on the line as well as a staging point for the next step in the production process. The Uni-Mate® family, which bundles an accumulation table conveyor and RTA with indexing capability, is a good fit for collecting sensitive parts in long unattended runs.
Product collection scenarios include unattended machine operation during business hours, or lights-out operation after business hours. There’s often an additional need to protect completed product so it’s not damaged while it accumulates.
In temporary buffering or surge control scenarios, parts or final products can progress and feed into a diversionary mini conveyor or area of a conveyor. This is helpful when the main line stops periodically, when product needs to be redirected to a workstation for alternate actions, or when product delay is needed to prime downstream operations to receive product.
Production lines with bottlenecks can pump out product at capacity uninterrupted, by including surge stations along the way. By incorporating Mini-Mover RTA with the stationary fence option, this can temporarily pause the downstream progress, so product already plugged downstream is given time to clear the line. This can help to trim costs caused from operator intervention, line stoppage and loss in throughput time.
