Manufacturing

Materials handling equipment is pivotal in the manufacturing sectors, from general distribution to the process or assembly of the manufactured part. Typically, most raw materials delivered into a factory are palletised and off loaded from delivery vehicles by FLT.

Once the pallets have been signed in then often the stock is required to be decanted and distributed either to storage or straight for processing. Pallet conveyor is a heavy-duty roller conveyor that can be powered or gravity and is used to move pallets around before being decanted or part of the decant operation. Once parts are decanted, smaller items can be placed onto different conveyor lines such as belt conveyor or power roller conveyors that you may typically have seen in warehouses. Sensors and control systems can be incorporated with barcoding, so the system knows where to send each individual item.

When items are in position ready for processing this might include cutting, welding, machining etc. Hot works would require a heavier duty steel slat conveyor or typical roller conveyor which can be built into CNC lathes and other machinery.

When a product has been fully fabricated or built then often cleaning, prepping and finishing may follow. Metal parts may require degreasing in a pre-treatment or acid pickle for high tech components for the aerospace industries. Once cleaned a protective coating of either wet & powder paint or a typical anticorrosive galvanizing or BZP. Overhead chain conveyors are often ideal in these instances as finishing plants have numerous different stations and processes that require access to all sides and angles of the product. Where several finished items are required to be put together then assembly lines will often take advantage of belt or inverted chain conveyors to assist with process.