An integrated material handling system involves various activities related to the handling and transfer of components, assemblies and finished goods. It uses different types of material handling conveyor and equipment. The primary objective of using such an automated handling system is to ensure that the material is safely delivered to the desired destination at the right time and at minimum cost. An integrated system helps facilitate the smooth operation of all material handling equipment – some of it manual, some semi-automated and some fully automated. It also permits and encourages the continuous flow of materials throughout the entire process/plant.
Our integrated material handling solutions connect all conveyor systems, equipment and software in order to support various aspects of the production cycle, such as storage and retrieval, welding, machining, painting, assembly and testing. By connecting all these components, a well-engineered integrated system can help increasing the efficiency and productivity.
Our integrated material handling systems are:
- Fully integrated end-to-end automated solutions
- Layout and application specific customised solutions
- High throughput and high efficiency focused solutions
- Ergonomic & operator friendly
- Compliant to safety standard & programmed with all safety interlocks
- Controlled, monitored and visualised through central PC / SCADA / IoT
Floor Based Material Handling Conveyor
We design and build different types of floor conveyors based on the application requirement. These include slat conveyors, chain conveyors, roller conveyors, and belt conveyors. These conveyors are typically used for transferring the parts over long distance. They are also used for heavy parts and parts with difficult geometries. They play a major role in increasing the efficiency, quality and productivity. They eliminate operator fatigue and improve the safety of the overall plant operations.
Overhead Material Handling Conveyor
Our overhead conveyor systems move the material using the typically unused overhead space in a factory or warehouse. Thus they help in saving valuable floor space. An overhead conveyor can move parts in a straight path, around a curve and along a vertical rise/fall. Overhead conveyors use a single track or rail. They can be manually pushed, motorised or power and free conveyors. They use very little energy in moving the parts over long paths. It is a very versatile conveying solution and can be used for various applications.
Power and Free Conveyor
The power and free conveyor is one of the most flexible and versatile material handling conveyor solutions. It can be an overhead conveyor or floor conveyor. The power and free conveyor facilitates the buffer and accumulation of parts. Automatic routing of the components, module-wise segregation and rejection is also possible. Such an conveyor also allows for speed changes based on the process requirement.
Tow Conveyor
Our tow conveyors are ideal for mobile trolleys, dollies and carts. These component carriers are locked in the towing chain, which moves them from one point to the next. The tow conveyor typically runs in a loop with the component being loaded and unloaded on the carriers at defined stations. They are typically used for painting, assembly and testing. The conveyor can be located in the floor, flush with the floor or overhead. It is suitable for long distance and high frequency moves. The carriers typically move along a fixed path and in a batch.
Pick and Place Gantry
We build overhead gantry robot and pick and place machine for various applications. These applications include machine loading and unloading, part transfer, palletising and changing component orientation. The gantry robot or the pick and place robot reduce handling damages, operator fatigue and the space requirement. At the same time, they increase the overall productivity and efficiency. They are extremely useful for high-speed transfer over long distance and multiple stations. Our systems ensure perfect gripping of the parts and precise positioning.
Electrified Monorail System (EMS)
An EMS is an electric monorail system that carries parts individually to each workstation. It is an overhead rail-bound means of conveyance with individually driven carriers, which move independently on the rail system. The vehicles are supplied with power and control signal via collector wires on the carrier rail. The motorised carriers with on-board control travel independently while coordinating with the other carriers and the overall system. The use of an electrified monorail system (EMS) is the obvious choice when it is necessary to interconnect large spatial distances or even different buildings logistically.
Auxiliary Equipment for Material Handling Conveyor Systems
An integrated material handling conveyor system requires a lot of auxiliary handling equipment. Depending on the plant/line layout a number of such systems might be required. They play an important role in the integration of the handling system ensuring maximum automation and minimal manual intervention. Some of our most commonly used auxiliary equipment include:
- Lift Tables – Match level differences or for lifting of components to defined levels
- Shuttles – Transfer the components and assembly from one line or station to another
- Turn Tables – Change the direction of component flow or the component orientation
- Turn-Over-Devices – To rotate the component to provide access to the other faces
- Flippers – Flip the component on their axis and prepare for the next station