Case packing starts with conveying stacks of corrugated blanks into the case former, or to a manual forming operation. Formed cases may be accumulated and conveyed to manual, robotic, or machine case packing stations using a special empty case cable conveyor. These are available in steel or aluminum.
Packed cases are conveyed through case sealing and labeling stations on various types of conveyors depending on case type and size, throughput requirements, system layout, and cost considerations. Then to storage, trucks for case shipping, or to unitizing/palletizing for unit load storage or shipping.
Cases are conveyed on several different types of conveyor such as:
Belt Conveyors
Mostly used for transportation, special flow control applications, such as brake belts for precise starting and stopping, and high speed sorting with 30 or 90 degree diverts. They are painted mild steel construction. The conveyor beds that support the belt come in slider bed and roller bed construction. Conveyors can be straight or curves, level or incline-decline. The level conveyors are available in PVC belts, wire mesh, and plastic mattop, while the incline-decline use rough-top PVC belts.
Live Roller Conveyors
Used for accumulation and transfer flexibility. There are four drive styles available: narrow flat belt, lineshaft, motorized rollers, and medium duty chain driven (CDLR). Painted mild steel construction, with galvanized rollers, available in widths of 12” to 36”. Accumulation is either “minimum pressure” or “zero pressure”. The latter is accomplished with “zone” controlled beds, either with sensing rollers or electronically. Zones normally range from 18” to 36” in length.
Gravity Conveyors
Wheel conveyors are available in painted mild steel, galvanized, and aluminum frame construction. The wheels are approximately 2” in diameter, galvanized or aluminum. Conveyor widths range from 12” to 24”, with wheels in 8 to 24 per foot, depending on frame width.
The 138 roller (1.4” dia.) conveyor is available in 12” to 24” widths, and roller centers from 1.5” to 12”, in galvanized or aluminum frames and rollers. Maximum load capacities are 50# per roller for steel, and 35# for aluminum. Rollers set high in the frame.
The 190 roller (1.9” dia.) conveyor is in widths of 12” to 36”, with roller centers from 2-1/4” to 12”, in painted mild steel frames with steel rollers. The 190 roller is normally 16 gauge, but also available in 12 and 9 gauge. Maximum load capacity is 240# per roller for the 16 gauge, and 300# for the 12 and 9 gauge rollers. Rollers can be set high or low in the frame.
Various case conveyors in use
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