For a packaged snack food manufacture looking for savings on space and money, a new multiple lane tabletop conveyor system incorporating a four-to-one merge for cartons was the ultimate solution. Developed by Multi-Conveyor, the system, over 930 feet of conveyor in all, incorporates four lanes of pneumatically actuated clamping devices and blade stops that control the traffic of four rows of product—merging them seamlessly down to one lane for delivery to a palletizing system.

The clamps and blade stops operate automatically by sensing product backup in each lane while in production mode, or they can be closed prior to product arrival when a predetermined stoppage in the line is necessary. Electronic sensors determine backup conditions, detect product presence at the devices and notify when the devices are clear for actuation. Sensor feedback dictates product release and line conditions.

The entire solution includes an integrated tabletop and modular plastic belt conveyors, five single-lane incline and two double-lane decline spiral conveyors and high-friction decline belt conveyors. This arrangement gives the customer the overhead conveyance to allow access to floor level machinery. The solution also includes a four-lane vertical divert to deliver cartons to either of two case packers or the four-to-one combiner.

A video of the application in progress can be watched here.

 For more information: Multi-Conveyor,  800-236-7960, e-mail info@multi-conveyor.com, www.multi-conveyor.com.