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Home » Unscrambler » Accumulators
Accumulating unscramblers, or accumulators, are designed to accumulate products or containers being processed on a conveyor-based production line. Accumulators can be located at the end of a conveyor-based production line to accumulate containers before packing or accumulators can be located a constraint, or bottleneck, or machine that requires periodic operator interaction during the production process (such as a labeler) to provide an accumulation area or buffer prior to the machine.
Accumulators can be of several different designs. The simplest design for an accumulator is a simple rotary disc. (See Unscrambler / Disc for more information.) Rotary disc unscramblers take in containers on a rotating disc and have plows to guide the product to the center of the disc. Bi-directional accumulators are located parallel to the line and move containers into the accumulator in one direction and discharge the accumulator by move the containers in the other direction. Inline accumulators are designed to keep the containers moving as the accumulator accumulates the containers. Inline accumulators will keep containers moving in a circular motion through a series of conveyor belts. Vertical accumulators are designed to accumulate containers in a vertical stack above the conveyor. As more containers can be processed, a vertical accumulator will lower the container onto the conveyor for further processing.
Accumulators at the end of the line are used to accumulate containers until it becomes feasible to package them. Some accumulators are used to accumulate a certain amount of product prior to loading all containers into a carton or case (i.e.: a six count of bottles into a case). Other accumulators are used to accumulate or batch containers so that a single operator can pack containers from multiple lines. Because of how lines are designed, a single operator packing multiple lines will require time to move from line to line, and will often batch the packing operation to limit the time traveling from line to line. The accumulator at the end of the line provides the operator with the time necessary to accomplish this.
Accumulators prior to constraint, or bottleneck, machines are used to help assure the continued production of the bottleneck machine. By definition, bottleneck machines are the slowest machine or the constraint machine with regards to production speed in a production line. By always having product available for processing by the bottleneck, the bottleneck machine is never and the maximum amount of throughput through the bottleneck machine is achieved.
Accumulators prior to machines such as labelers are used to buffer the production line against periodic interruption of the production line due to the machine requiring operator attention. In the case of pressure sensitive labelers, the roll of pressure sensitive labels needs to be replaced resulting in machine downtime (unless the labeler is designed with dual roll unwind and an automatic label web splicing station). The accumulation area accumulates containers while the operator changes the label roll so that the upstream machines do not have to stop production while the label roll is being changed. (This type of buffer is only effective if the labeler can out-pace or run faster than the remainder of the line so the labeler is able to by processing the containers in the accumulation area prior to more downtime. If the labeler can not process the containers in the accumulation area, eventually up-stream machinery will need to be shut down.)
Hartness, Model 6930, DYNAC pressureless accumulation conveyor with number of containers per hour – depending on materials and application. Containers up to 7" in width and up to 11¼" in height. Equipped with 7½" wide table top conveyors with a 32" to 36" infeed / discharge height, 4" wide table top accumulation conveyors with about 160′ of accumulation. Control panel has AB controller with touch screen HMI. Mounted on heavy duty frame with safety guarding.
OAD: 255"L x 155"W x 115"H
CCC, 48″ OD, stainless steel, rotary disc accumulator with number of containers per minute – depending on materials, application and machine configuration. Equipped with stainless steel 48″ OD disc with variable speed dial and table height of 35″. Mounted on (4) leg stainless steel base.
OAD: 53″L x 48″W x 41″H
OAD: 53″L x 48″W x 48″H
Viking Masek, stainless steel construction, 40″ diameter disc accumulation table with number of product per hour – depending on materials and application. Equipped with 40″ diameter stainless steel concave disc that allows the bags to slide to center allowing for more accumulation and variable speed contoller. Mounted on stainless steel frame with adjustable legs and a table height of 35″.
OAD: 40″L x 40″W x 35″H
Arrowhead Bi-Direct, 12’L x 4′ W, S/S bi-directional accumulation table with flexlink belt. Features include photoeye, with (2) limit switches for product detection, 4"Hside rails, and 34" discharge height. 1 hp SEW drive, and a SEW variable speed gear reducer. Mounted on a painted steel frame.
OAD: 156"(L) x 70"(W) x 38"(H)
82"L x 60"W table top, bi-directional accumulator. Equipped with a 9¼" wide x 156" long infeed / discharge conveyor and 60" wide x 80" long accumulation area with (2) 30" wide x 80" long belts. System has a 32" infeed and discharge height.
OAD: 156"L x 105"W x 51"H
E Pak, 40" diameter, stainless steel, rotary disc accumulator with number of containers per minute – depending on materials, application and machine configuration. Equipped with stainless steel 40" disc with variable speed dial, adjustable side rails and a table height of 31" to 38".
OAD: 46"L x 46"W x 34"H
Garvey, Model 9700, stainless steel, bi-directional table top belt accumulation conveyor. Equipped with 6" wide x 132" long product infeed / discharge conveyor with 36" infeed / discharge height, (2) 20" diameter turntables, (2) 12" wide x 106" long bi-directional accumulating belts with variable speed controllers. Mounted on a stainless steel base frame with height adjustable legs.
OAD: 148"L x 65"W x 54"H
I & H, S/S 133"(L) x 121"(W) bi-directional flexlink accumulator table rated to move at 98 ft./min. Discharge height of 40 1/2". Equipped with photo sensors and adjustable height legs.
OAD: 143"(L) x 137"(W) x 45"(H)
Stainless steel, five-belt, delron plastic accumulation table with (4) conveyors measuring 7 1/2"W x 34"L and (1) 3 1/4"W X 12’L in feed conveyor with 1 1/2"H guide rails. Equipped with Reliance Electric 3/4hp DC motor, accumulation start/stop, high cap/missing cap sensor indicator.OAD: 12’L x 60"W x 58"H
Stainless steel, five-belt, delron plastic accumulation table with (4) conveyors measuring 7 1/2"W x 34"L and (1) 3 1/4"W X 11’L in feed conveyor with 1 1/2"H guide rails. Equipped with Reliance Electric 3/4hp DC motor, accumulation start/stop, high cap/missing cap sensor indicator. Last used in a cosmetic operation.(Not pictured conveyor does have drive)OAD: 11’L x 60"W x 58"H
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