Intelligent Bridges to Islands of Automation

In his latest white paper, Flat-Top Conveyor Basics, John Henry of Changeover Wizard states that “a series of machines such as a filler, a capper, a labeler and so on” are islands of automation.

Each machine, or automation island, can accomplish little on its own.  However, as comprehensive, line units or gestalts connected via conveyors, automated packaging lines produce more than the sum of their parts.

John explains that “Too often conveyors are treated as the proverbial rented mule of packaging lines.”

Conveyors often bridge processes requiring some intelligence to take the product and feed it to the next machine and are therefore intelligent bridges.

Packaging engineers, plant, and operation managers often take conveyors for granted.  They are usually the last piece of equipment obtained by any project.

Ironically, conveyors are highly sought after in the packaging industry.  They are a diverse group that can be tailored to most applications. At Frain, we have over 10 kinds of intelligent bridges ranging from belts, bucket elevators, screw, infeed, vibratory, and more conveyors.

We also have the islands of automation from popular categories like capping, cartoner, candy, mixers, fillers, form fill seal, and more packaging and processing machines.

Download the complete Flat-Top Conveyor Basics white paper to continue learning about intelligent bridges.