Leading UK conveying and automated handling specialist, Advance Automated Systems, supplied RPC Promens with an integrated conveyor solution, aimed at creating supply chain efficiencies for the storage of palletised stock at their Haltwhistle, Northumberland site.

The plastic products manufacturer’s requirement was to create a buffer solution to store pallets of stock on a mezzanine floor, whilst having the ability to move or call-off the pallets as and when required. The solution needed to factor in the lifting of pallet loads on to the mezzanine itself - other than by reach truck intervention - and a system to assemble the pallets in a queue and move them individually.

Advance’s engineers visited the site and submitted a proposal based on their SmartLine™ pallet handling conveyor system - equipment that is suitable for moving anything from empty single pallets up to 2+ tonne loads in simple transit or accumulation set-ups.

To provide independent drives on the conveyor itself, the proposal included using ‘smart motors’ from drive solution specialist Lenze (www.lenze.com), to move pallets individually within ‘zones’. The ‘smart motor’ allows the motor speed and ramps to be set precisely and easily by a smartphone app, meaning that the complete project comprising of 20 motors was solved with a single type, thereby simplifying the ordering, build and commissioning and drastically reducing the spares holding requirements. Further benefits are realised by the ‘quick on’ connection system allowing reduced site wiring time. The smart motor also has the added advantage of energy efficiency using the innovative VFC eco-energy saving function.

Advance’s turnkey proposal also included the installation of a heavyweight pallet lift from Nerak (www.nerak-wiese.co.uk). Nerak’s heavyweight pallet lifts are the ideal solution for the elevation of a wide range of unit loads including pallets, stillage’s and bulk bags. Capable of handling loads up to 1500kg and heights up to 40m, the pallet lift provided was easily integrated into the conveyor system.

Depending on pallet orientation and direction of travel the pallets were carried on either Advance’s SmartLine pallet roller conveyor or SmartLine pallet chain conveyor.

Advance Automated Systems’ final installation included full safety fencing, light guards, laser curtains and user-control panels on the mezzanine floor.  

As operators needed to be able to cross the line a walk over point was included with a push button station to stop the conveyors whilst operators cross and light guards covering the entrance and exit.

The control panel and all PLC software was designed and developed in-house by Advance control engineers.

Click here for more information on our SmartLine™ Pallet Handling Conveyor.