mk Profile Systems recently received a request for an application in the production of non-woven strips which required cut sections of non-woven fabric to be transported from one machining station to the next. The material was very thin and light with the system needing to run at a high speed of 140m/min. The strips had to be transferred from one conveyor to the next without any damage and it also had to be possible to cut them again as they passed through the system. They had to maintain their position as they passed through the system with the conveyor technology needing to be integrated into a customer-provided frame. The system was required to be able to handle strips of various formats without retooling.
mk used a vacuum conveyor consisting of a belt conveyor with BC lower belt drive. The conveyor frames were made from square, stainless steel tubes, with each having a suction nozzle that allowed for maximum flow rate to establish the vacuum. Oblong holes run along the running side of the conveyor frames. A perforated belt allows the hair removal strips to be vacuum-gripped so that they can be securely transported even at high speeds. The conveyors are only 50 mm wide and are configured as eight-line conveyors. This allows the customer to switch the vacuum on or off in individual lines and configure the system for different strip widths. This ensures an optimal suction pressure in all cases. The conveyors are equipped with ø19 mm rolling knife edges on both sides to achieve short transfer distances. The conveyor frames are equipped with welding bolts for mounting in the customer-provided frame. The conveyors are arranged such that the hair removal strips can be transported from one conveyor to the next. The transfer conveyors are positioned upside down with the running side facing downwards, allowing the hair removal strips to be transferred while suspended below the conveyor. They are then transferred to the top side of the next conveyor. This ensures reliable transfer. In some locations two conveyors are arranged atop one another so that stacks of hair removal strips can be clamped between the conveyors and then transported and cut without sliding.
The finished system has provided the customer with a very fast and reliable way of conveying a small, lightweight product. It is extremely versatile in operation and optimised for maximum flow rate with extremely short transfer distances.
