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Custom Power Conveyors for Your Packaging System

Custom Power Conveyors For Your Packaging System

As we have stated on several other occasions, power conveyors systems are really the heart of any automatic packaging system.  The speed and automation of the individual packaging machines would be wasted if not for the power conveyors used to efficiently move bottles from one packaging phase to another.  In addition to standard straight line power conveyor systems, there are several different types of specialty, or custom designed, conveyors that can greatly benefit a packaging line.

Indexing Conveyors 

Indexing conveyors are used to move accumulated containers into a single row, which are then pushed onto a take away conveyor and presented to packaging machinery such as rinsing machines, liquid fillers, capping machines and labeling equipment.  Though the indexing conveyor could be used at any point on a packaging line, these power conveyors are normally used at the front end to initially line up, index and present bottles to the main packaging system conveyor.  Indexing conveyors use adjustable rail slides that allow the machine to work with different bottle sizes.  An operator of the indexing conveyor would set the rail slides for the bottle being run and then normally unload bulk bottles onto a loading table and into the lanes created by the rail slides. Use of the indexing conveyor adds speed to the process of presenting containers to the packaging system main conveyor. 

Serpentine Conveyors 

Serpentine conveyors move single rows of product in a zig-zag pattern through a packaging system.  Most often, serpentine conveyors will be used to accumulate product on a packaging system for any number of reasons.  Containers may be accumulated for hand capping in a facility with low to medium production.  Some companies may use an accumulating conveyor to gather product that has been filled, capped and labeled and is ready for packing.  The compacted rows of this power conveyor will run in opposite directions, making the conveyor extremely useful where space is limited.  In addition to accumulation, the serpentine conveyor may be used to cool certain products on a packaging line.   

Cooling Conveyors 

Cooling conveyors are used to allow hot fill products the time necessary to set or cool before moving from the filling process to the next packaging line phase.  For example, candle wax must be heated before it can be run through a liquid filler.  Moving the hot product immediately to a capping machine, labeler or other packaging equipment can cause issues.  Caps may not seal correctly or labels may crinkle from the heat.  Cooling conveyors extend the time between packaging phases to avoid these issues.  These unique conveyor systems may be manufactured as a straight line conveyor with a large belt width or as a serpentine conveyor, discussed above.  Cooling conveyors can also come equipped with fan cooling systems to expedite the cooling, or settling, process.  

Curved and Inclined Conveyor Sections

Sometimes the production space that can be used for a packaging system is simply not what you would call ideal.  Other equipment, boxes, crates, pillars and any number of other obstructions or necessities can mean a straight line packaging system is out of the question.  Of course, an automatic packaging system can take on any shape that it wishes, assuming that the belt conveyor system can get the bottles to each packaging machine.  For twists, turns and bumps on a packaging line, curved and inclined conveyor sections can solve a lot of problems.  For example, a horseshoe packaging system can use two sections of curved conveyor to move products around the "U" shaped design.  An inclined conveyor can be manufactured to raise products or cases to a specific level for a specific job.  For instance, empty boxes may be elevated from a box erector to make packing of product more convenient.  
 
Of course, these are only a few of the specialty and custom conveyors available from Liquid Packaging Solutions. Our conveyor systems can always be manufactured to meet your individual leads. If you have a unique conveying dilemma, our packaging specialists will work with you to arrive at a unique conveying solution! Give us a call today, toll free at 1-888-393-3693.