The conveyor expert has witnessed the change where processors require more integration of belt conveyors into fully automatic cells incorporating product orientation; singulation and counting prior to presentation to assembly machines.

The days of offering a simple belt conveyor to transfer parts from the moulding machine to a stillage have virtually disappeared, claims Fowler. As a result, UPM has established a product testing area in conjunction with 3D software to simulate the customer's production environment.

This advancement works to prove the viability of a solution and allows UPM to offer a performance guarantee based on equipment performing to the agreed specification. In the event of any issues arising, UPM then supplies labour and parts to remedy the situation totally free of charge.

Such tailor-made solutions require more sophisticated control systems which may cater for: vision; barcode reading product positioning; interfacing with robots and orientation requiring PLC programming, allowing an operator single point use of a complete cell with data capture to a central PC.

Systems integrator

Fowler endorses this change in demand from moulders, to the extent that UPM is now classed as a system integrator. The infrastructure caters for total turnkey projects, as demonstrated by a project for Lindal Group in Mexico.

Each moulding machine has an under press reversing reject belt conveyor to operate via the machine SPC control. This ensures only good products are transported via swan neck belt conveyors to high level conveyors which minimises floor area occupied. Then, they move through a firewall to assembly/filling lines with over capacity storage facilities, subject to high level detectors.

Should the reject parameter from the SPC be energised, the under press conveyors reverse the transportation of  potential rejects to a holding bin, ensuring only good product is transferred to the GIMA assembly machines.

Total versatility of operation is provided for all products from injection moulding machines to be transferred to the fully automatic assembly and packaging machines. This is completed without any manual involvement. Its achieved by the incorporation of multi-way diverters which are based on the special conveyor design,  developed by UPM which resulted in the business being awarded A Queens Award for Innovation.

Probably the most significant reason for this change in trend, according to Fowler, is due to companies becoming leaner and no longer having in-house facilities to design and integrate a fully automatic production cell – hence the need to utilise companies such as UPM which offers a free-of-charge service involving an initial assessment of the application and by virtue of prior experience, established over 40 years of serving the food processing and packaging sector, can offer proposals complete with 3D layouts as an overlay of existing equipment to prove the principle and to ensure the transfer of produce through the production sequence.

Logically this is a sensible approach to solving a production problem as the processor has its expertise in food processing, and companies such as UPM focus on product handling. The processor then has peace of mind that UPM will satisfy all criteria for the efficient operation of the system based on a performance guarantee.

There are a multitude of reasons for these changing trends according to Fowler, not least of which is the need for trouble-free 24/7 operation and zero maintenance which are vital in countries such as Kenya but equally due to the lack of skilled personnel available in the UK.

Automation is key to improving efficiency, which in turn leads to the increase in profitability; the increases in costs for manual operations allows processors to consider fully automatic cells as an economically viable solution.