Successful installation leads to further work
September 1st 2004

Some years ago Würth UK, stockist of construction fittings and automotive components, awarded a contract to Keymas to supply the controls and integrate a materials handling system to improve the efficiency of its distribution chain.

The relationship has continued and the system has been enhanced to accommodate operational changes.

An initial project was installation of an automated power roller accumulation conveyor system with optical recognition coding to transfer plastic boxes throughout the warehouse and into packaging and despatch areas.

Creating the brain for the system, Keymas installed a PLC that received signals from trackmounted sensing equipment and controlled the routing of containers via drive units, 45° in- line transfers and pneumaticallyoperated stops. The final packing operation was achieved using indexing belt conveyors to automatically feed an in-line strapping machine.

More recently, Keymas was asked to consider Würth’s requirement for a zero pressure accumulation conveyor line.

Keymas suggested upgrading and enhancing an existing lineshaft using its latest control circuitry for the control of 24V brushless motorised rollers. Each conveyor zone requires one motorised roller and sensor, both of which are linked to the new generation logic control board via quick connections. Each board is then plugged into the adjoining zone circuit board to communicate zone status and create zero pressure accumulation.

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