Page 25

EN jun16-LR

is applied manually, semi-automatically or fully automatically CONVEYOR DEMAND MEETS BOOMING PIPFRUIT SECTOR The New Zealand pipfruit sector is riding a wave of success and the current season is up four percent on last year and is expected to increase by 17 percent next season. With the growth has come many packing facility expansions and new developments and EQM’s strong track record of developing effective and efficient packing and processing systems has seen the company in high demand. Just recently, EQM swung into action and designed and then supplied a 28 metre EQM band driven carton packing system at one of Hawke’s Bay’s leading apple companies. EQM’s Anthony Bloxham says they were asked to draw up some designs and quote a new automated process that moves apple cartons along the conveyor to be closed and taped then stacked on pallets. “The brief was to make the system ergonomically fit to minimise the lifting of boxes on and off the system. “Other considerations were that it be designed that boxes could be taken off along the conveyor and quality checked as well as provisions for accumulating.” The system used two STM three phase shaft mounted gear drives. The company is also very much into utilising thits eir branding and company colours in all parts of the facility, so it powder-coated it all to these colours. The conveyor started at a height of 500mm and then had an incline to 900mm so that people could stand and tape at an ergonomic height. Mr Bloxham says they promised to have the job completed within a six-week timeframe and “we met the deadline” which was in time for the busy harvest and packing season. He adds that although there’s been significant technology advancements in food technology, there’s still systems like this that you can rely on. “We did our first carton conveyor system in 1995 and they’re still one of the best systems to use.” Freephone 0800 147 847 Email: sales@eqm.co.nz Web: www.eqm.co.nz by robot. The extent to which the use of structural adhesives at metal-processing firms pays off commercially must be assessed on a case-by-case basis. In the design and manufacture of composite materials, the fitting method of bonding provides significant freedom of design and the ability to integrate many functions in one component. Optimising the materials used not only reduces the weight of the component, but also enables a more cost-effective design. In addition, the possible increase in process speed compared with many mechanical joining technologies also delivers commercial benefits. In terms of visual aspects, one advantage is the prevention of surface pitting due to spot-welded connections. Outlook In view of the prevailing trend towards lightweight design and the targets of high productivity and economic efficiency in manufacture, the use of structural adhesives opens up attractive future prospects for small and large firms alike. They will come increasingly to the fore, as resource-conserving lightweight design is hard to implement without adhesives. There is a clear trend towards composite materials and alloys. In future, the economic success of a metal-processing firm will increasingly depend on the extent to which the high innovation potential is utilised in the manufacture of composite materials. In this context, structural bonding is an important factor, which is why it is constantly referred to as a key technology of the 21st century. Why EQM? EXPERTISE & KNOWLEDGE Over 40 years of designing and installing food technology Sourcing the most effi cient and reliable products from throughout the world MAXIMISING PERFORMANCE We are focussed on your productivity Produce Snack Meat Beverage Dairy QUALITY PRODUCTS “This the bagging system is perfect and the production outputs far exceed what we’ve managed in the past.” www.engineeringnews.co.nz 25 ATTN16EQM07 Contact us today 0800 147 847 www.eqm.co.nz


EN jun16-LR
To see the actual publication please follow the link above