Setting Up Power Conveyors With Automatic Packaging Machinery

Manufacturing power conveyors can often seem like a simple, repeatable process. Line height for most systems rarely vary from the 34" or 36" standard. For most systems, conveyor belting will range from 4" to 8" wide, depending on the container type and size. While there are exceptions, probably ninety percent of the systems manufactured fall with the ranges noted above. However, even with similar conveyors, setting them up with different machinery can require different approaches.

First and foremost, power conveyor systems must be properly aligned on the production floor in order for machinery to perform properly. Once the system is in place, each section of conveyor must be checked to ensure that the equipment is leveled before the other packaging machinery can be rolled up to the line. If the power conveyor system is not leveled, it will become nearly impossible to acquire consistent, repeatable rinses, fills or seals.

Once the power conveyor system is level on the production floor, individual packaging machines can be rolled up to the line. At this point, the equipment must be aligned with the conveyor system. A misaligned machine will also result in inconsistent packaging. For instance, rinse nozzles and fill heads must align with bottle openings to efficiently perform their tasks. If the conveyor system allows for ingress and egress at different points - that is, it runs through the machinery at an angle - the first and last bottle may not be rinsed or filled in the same manner, which can wreak havoc with the individual machines, throwing off times, fill levels, fill volumes and more.

Similarly, capping machines like the spindle capper rely on the containers taking a straight path through the capping area. As each set of spindles is used to tighten down the cap, each set must also abut the cap correctly. Misaligned conveyors on a capping system can result in loose caps, cross-threaded caps or simply missing caps. The same is true of labeling machinery, with misaligned machinery often resulting in misapplied labels and wrinkled labels.

Though the first instinct with any of the issues mentioned above is to check the settings on the individual machine - be it rinse times, fill times, spindle or belt positioning or speed, the operators of packaging machinery should always start by checking the alignment of the conveyor system and the packaging machine. While such troubleshooting techniques are often overlooked, they can often present a simple solution.

For more information on Power Conveyors, visit our conveyors page. For troubleshooting help, contact the LPS service department toll free at 1-888-393-3693 or by email at david@liquidpackagingsolution.com.