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Accumulation Solutions: Best Practices according to Application

Nercon Eng. & Mfg., Inc. provides this video and white paper on various specialized accumulators and the applications that work best with each type of machine.

Several types of accumulators are shown in this video handling round containers to non-round and odd shaped packaging.
 
Accumulation Solutions

Accumulation is required in high speed production lines to make sure that the generating unit continues to run during malfunctions of downstream equipment. Simply stated, if the generating unit is idle, the production is lost forever. Further, a certain amount of products or packages can be damaged during the stop and start cycles. Often manpower is utilized to unload product and then re-load the product back into the production flow. A reliable accumulation system results in more production, less waste and decreased manpower.

Adding accumulators and buffer zones in strategic locations where bottlenecks occur on the packaging line can dramatically increase throughput of the packaging line.

There are three main considerations when selecting an accumulator:
1.    Consider the product weight, shape and packaging. For example, a tall, light-weight plastic container may be too unstable to accumulate on a recirculating table, whereas the same container may transport and accumulate more easily on a mass flow conveyor system.
2.    Determine the area available for the equipment. In some production floor layouts, there may be conveyors overhead which would eliminate most of the vertical accumulation solutions. Similarly, the floor layout may be already crowded and the only way to accumulate is to go up.
3.    Calculate the amount of accumulation time needed. This will affect either the footprint or the height of the equipment, depending on the type of equipment.

Nercon Eng. & Mfg., Inc. offers a variety of accumulators, each one presenting distinctive product handling benefits. The moving white paper movie shown above gives a video overview of several accumulation solutions including: Mass Flow In-Line Accumulation Conveyors, Re-Flow Accumulation Tables, Bi-Directional Accumulation Tables, Flex Flow Accumulators, Vertical Accumulators, Multi-Level Storage Systems, and Serpentine Accumulators.

The white paper, “Accumulation Solutions”, discusses the handling capabilities of several different accumulation solutions, as well as how controls schemes can add to the accumulator’s performance.

Nercon’s Rolco division specializes in accumulators for many industries. The website, www.rolcoint.com offers photos, movies, and print-friendly information sheets.

Nercon has over 30 years experience in engineering and manufacturing packaging and process conveyor systems as well as package handling machines. For more information, visit www.nercon.com. The website offers white papers, brochure downloads and nearly a hundred movies on our expertise and capabilities.

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