Conveyance Insights: Inclines, Materials, Controls, & Motors

CODI Conveyance Conversations, Part 3

"Yeah, We Do That" with Jared is a blog series where CODI Manufacturing CEO Jared Jones shares his perspective on case conveying, beverage packaging equipment, and the real-world considerations that drive good system design.

In this, the third of a three-part series, Jared covers incline and decline applications, case turning, material and finish options, controls philosophy, and motor and gearbox selection.

Q: Let's talk about incline and decline applications. What are the key considerations when it comes to angle and belt selection?

Jared: The slope angle is the first consideration, and what you're conveying matters a lot. A lithographed case -- the printed cardboard you see on most beverage packaging -- has a naturally slick outer surface. That works against you the moment you introduce an angle.

To compensate, you select a belt with a friction top surface. These come in different profiles -- full width, oval, square, flat -- and the firmness of the rubber varies as well. Softer belts grip more aggressively, harder ones less so. Those different combinations give you more or less grip depending on what the application requires.

The general target is to stay below 20 degrees of incline or decline. In that range we rarely see problems. Push beyond it with a slick case and you're going to start seeing cases slide -- forward on a decline, backward on an incline -- and both get worse the moment the conveyor stops. Getting the angle and friction top matched correctly upfront is what keeps those problems from showing up on the floor.

Decline Conveyance

Q: What are the main approaches to case turning, and do you have a preference?

Jared: Some people use angular roller belts and divert cases with a bump turner. I'm not a big fan of bump turning -- it lends itself to package damage, weakening a corner, and then you've got a case coming apart in an area that's typically less accessible to operators.

What I prefer is the dual belt or single belt touchless case turner. That uses rollers aligned on one side of the belt and a contact engagement plate running at a set pressure, which drives one side of the package forward and creates the turn. A dual belt case turner uses two different speeds -- one side brings the case around while the other, often with a friction surface, holds it in check.

It really comes down to the application. We can make these case turners extremely short -- the shortest one we just did was 30 inches, dual belt, around 500 cans a minute. Once you start getting into the 2,000 to 2,400 cans per minute range, that's where you need five or six feet of case turning length.

Case Turning

Q: What materials and finish options are typical for case conveyors?

Jared: You've got stainless steel, carbon steel, galvanized, galvanil, and powder coated. Powder coat is a minimal upcharge through CODI and gives you a protective coating under the finish -- and it lets you put the conveyor in whatever color you want. Stainless is typically a number four brush finish. We arrange the grain so it runs in the same direction across all the conveying sections, so your conveyor frames match. If you've ever looked at the difference between a number two non-brush finish and a number four, you can tell immediately. It's just a whole different level of professionalism.

Q: What about controls? Panel-mounted drives versus decentralized -- where do you stand?

Jared: I'm a big fan of the newer decentralized drives [motors that have their control electronics built right into them, mounted directly on the conveyor rather than wired back to a central panel]. Each drive is self-contained, and a lot of the newer ones have built-in connection points that let you add sensors and automation without running a separate data cable to every single motor.

Compare that to the traditional approach, where everything is linked to a central control panel. You've got individual cable runs to each motor, separate wiring for every sensor, a disconnect at each motor location -- the installation labor adds up fast. The newer decentralized drives are also sealed for washdown environments, which matters in a beverage facility. The labor savings on installation alone are significant.

There are some higher-end versions of decentralized drives priced at a point I don't think represents real value -- so there are pitfalls to watch for. There's also a widespread misconception that a particular brand of VFD [variable frequency drive -- the component that controls motor speed] is going to make your system perform better. There are a lot of VFD manufacturers out there, and if you look at who's actually making some of these drives, they're not always who you think they are. There's a lot of private branding happening. Stick to the facts of what's actually needed and you'd see the per-foot install price come down on a lot of these systems.

Q: Any thoughts on motor and gearbox selection before we wrap up?

Jared: I'm seeing a lot of shaft-mounted motors on new case conveyor applications, versus the old chain-driven setups. I'm not a fan of the chain approach. Shaft-mounted motors and gearboxes are extremely accessible, and with the right combination you'll push efficiency into the 90-plus percent range -- meaning less energy wasted and more of it actually moving product.

You also need to decide whether you want an all-in-one integrated unit -- a Sumitomo-style motor and gearbox that ships as a single assembly -- or a C-face mount where the motor and gearbox are separate components that can be swapped out independently. Is your gearbox going to outlast your motor? Do you want to be able to swap one without replacing the other? These are things worth thinking through when specifying.

One of the biggest issues I see is a general lack of specifications coming across the desk -- "just give me something that works." That's understandable, but it's worth the time to go deeper. You're adding equipment to a plant that's going to be there for years or decades. CODI can help with that conversation. There are plenty of qualified people in this industry who actually know case conveying -- choose carefully.

Jared Jones is CEO of CODI Manufacturing. With more than 20 years of experience, multiple patents, and a track record of scaling the business through product development and operational leadership, he brings practical insight into the challenges and opportunities shaping modern manufacturing.

CODI Manufacturing designs and manufactures case conveyor systems for beverage packaging facilities. Want to learn more about getting started with a new or replacement conveyance system? Visit codimfg.com.