Does your CONVEYOR
need a TUNE-UP?
If output has slipped or your system is jamming, it may be time for a professional audit.
Maybe output has slipped a bit. Or the conveyor system has started to jam once in awhile. Or productivity isn’t quite what you believe it
could be. Count those among the signs that it’s time to conduct a professional audit of your conveyor system.
A conveyor audit is not an especially intimidating task. It
just means taking a careful look at all the pieces—mechanical,
electrical, software, etc.—and making sure they’re running the
way they should, both as components and as parts of a system.
Conveyor makers categorize audits into essentially two
types: maintenance audits and wider-ranging operational
audits. Performance issues—like problems with jamming—
suggest that a maintenance audit may be in order. An operational audit might be indicated if the user is looking to
boost throughput or wants to make sure the system is still
meeting its needs, particularly if the business has undergone substantial changes since the conveyor’s installation.
Boyce Bonham, director of the integrator services operation
for Hytrol Conveyor Co., says customers seek audits for a vari-
ety of reasons. “Some people want one once a year no matter
what,” he says. “Other customers want us to do it when some-
thing triggers it—maybe an increase in downtime due to
mechanical or electrical issues or a drop in performance.”
“Audits are done for a lot of reasons,” concurs Kevin
Klueber, product manager for Intelligrated, a manufacturer
of automated material handling systems. “Maybe there have
been changes in equipment or in the operational environ-
ment or in throughput requirements.”
DIFFERENT AUDITS FOR DIFFERENT NEEDS
As noted, maintenance audits aim to resolve specific prob-
lems. “A maintenance audit would typically be triggered by
too much variability in the performance of the system,” says
Ken Ruehrdanz, market manager, distribution and ware-
house systems for Dematic, a material handling and logistics
automation company. “Typical issues that signal the need for
a maintenance audit include downtime, a frequent need for
emergency repairs, possible equipment safety violations,
increasing power consumption, increasing spare parts usage,
and decreasing overall system performance. Maybe there are
issues with accuracy or too much recirculation.”
Klueber warns that problems with the conveyor can lead
to other problems. “Carton handling can be affected as
equipment wears. You can get more and more jams, and
