The Garvey Bi-Flo accumulation table—currently in use by some of the world’s top nutraceutical, pharmaceutical, and food and beverage manufacturers—has undergone a redesign, which was highlighted in the company’s booth at PACK EXPO Las Vegas. According to the company, the new design makes the system cleaner and easier to assemble and customize for user needs.
The Bi-Flo’s roots date back to 1981, when Garvey was approached by a major manufacturer to develop a new accumulation solution for very heavy products that would cause downtime by constantly jamming the rotary table on the line. Garvey’s Bi-Flo was the first accumulator to use two conveyors running in opposite directions. It was also the first accumulation system that didn’t jam, the company says.
“The Bi-Flo creates a circular flow so that products can continue to go around on the table until they’re needed,” said Thomas Garvey, President of Garvey Corp. “Then they can go out in single- or double-file, or in a mass flow, to feed whatever equipment is downstream.” According to Garvey, for slower lines (up to 300 products/min), this design is preferable to other accumulation solutions because of its lower cost.
In the nearly four decades since Garvey invented bi-flow accumulation, several other solutions have entered the market, but Garvey explained its Bi-Flo is still considered the best in the industry for several reasons:
- No jamming. The Bi-Flo’s design prevents it from jamming, whether products exit the system in single-file, double-file, or a mass flow.
- No dead plates. The conveyors lie flush with each other, resulting in no dead plates where products can trip.
- Easy changeover. The Bi-Flo uses UHMW guides so it’s easy to adjust the in-feed and outfeed lanes to accommodate different diameter products.
The Garvey Bi-Flo Accumulation Table comes in widths ranging from 24 to 60 in., so it can accumulate products of various shapes and sizes, from 5-mL glass vials, to rectangular plastic containers, to heavy wine bottles. It has a modular design, is constructed entirely of stainless steel, and uses UHMW guide rails, which means the table is expandable, cleanable, and adjustable.
Watch a video of the Bi-Flo accumulation table here.
