Conveyors are still necessary for getting parts to the right place at the right time. Here is a look at the current state of the art.
Transportation (the movement of parts or assemblies from one location to another within a factory) is one of the seven wastes specified in the principles of lean manufacturing. Transportation does not add any value.

However, this does not negate the need for Conveyors. These machines are still necessary for getting the right parts to the right place at the right time. Indeed, according to our annual Capital Equipment Spending Survey, one-third of U. S. assembly plants will purchase conveyors this year, marking the fourth consecutive year in which this percentage has exceeded 30 percent. In total, assemblers will spend $97 million on conveyors and material handling equipment in 2021, which is only a slight decrease from the $100 million they spent on the technology last year.

Here's a look at the most recent offerings.
Pallet Transfer Conveyor with Modular Design
The TS 2plus pallet-transfer conveyor is available in three conveying media (belt, flat-top chain, or roller chain), 26 pallet sizes, and a variety of positioning and transfer modules.

All components of the TS 2plus system are pre-engineered and modular, allowing engineers to mix and match belt, flat-top chain, roller chain, and accessory modules to meet their specific needs. When requirements change, the system can be easily expanded, reconfigured, or relocated. Assemblers can phase in their investment as their schedule and budget allow. Start with a simple conveyor for basic assembly and work your way up to a fully automated, progressive assembly system. As production requirements change, TS 2plus gives you the flexibility to add manual or automatic workstations as needed.

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The conveyor transports parts on pallets that range in size from 160 by 160 millimeters to 1,040 by 1,040 millimeters.

Pallets can be placed at workstations with an accuracy of less than 0.05 millimeter when using a Rexroth lift-position unit. Pallets can be fitted with fixtures to hold parts in place during manual or automated operations. Pallets can be equipped with identification and data-carrying devices, which can be used to coordinate assembly sequences, identify model types, and store production data.

Pallets can be stopped on either the leading or trailing edge of the Conveyor belt, regardless of the pallet's orientation on the conveyor. Pallets can also be stacked in a queue and released one at a time. Exciter plates on the pallet bottom and sides work in conjunction with proximity switches mounted on the conveyor to detect the presence of a pallet at a station. Pallet orientation and routing can be controlled by Rexroth ID/10, ID/15, or ID/40 identification systems.

The TS 2plus also includes a plethora of components for curves, transverse conveyors, positioning units, and drive units.

The conveyor is capable of transporting loads of up to 240 kilograms.
For more information, visit www. infismash. com.
Modular Transfer System (MTS) is an acronym that stands for Modular Transfer System.
Engineers can design a variety of rectilinear assembly line layouts using the modular Linear Transfer System from Afag Automation. Workstations that are either manual or automated can be found along both longitudinal and transverse tracks. Processes can even be completed from below the workpiece if necessary.

Modular transport tracks are available in five different widths and three different belt speeds. The maximum track length is 6 meters. Pallets are available in widths of 160, 200, 250, 320, and 400 millimeters. Support plates can be made of steel or aluminum. The maximum weight per pallet is 20 kilograms.

Pallets can be moved from the main assembly line to parallel tracks or cycle-independent workstations to accommodate product variants, manual tasks, or automated operations with longer cycle times. Pallets can be moved from one line to another using lift-and-transfer or lift-and-turn mechanisms. Fixed deflection units are also available for pallet rotations of 90 and 180 degrees without changing the orientation of the pallet.