Industry
Parcel
Application
Power Turns
Products
Segmented Transfer Plates
Hitch Guards
Objective
Reduce downtime from belt damage
Eliminate package damage
Conveyor Detail
40" wide, 3 1/16" thick power turn belts
Problem:
The power turns located at a large parcel handler’s facility on the East Coast were causing some big problems. As packages entered the power turns, one package would often get stuck in the transfer and would either jam the system or get crushed. When crushed, the package would spill out and fall between the transfer points, as well as to the floor below. When this happened, items would have to be retrieved and repackaged and an incident report filled out, wasting valuable time. This also presented a safety hazard for employees working below the conveyor who could be struck by the falling objects.
Solution:
The operations manager at the plant was looking for a solution. After speaking with colleagues, he decided to try a combination of Segmented Transfer Plates and Hitch Guards from Flexco to close the gaps in one of the power turn sections. He hoped that if the solution worked in that section and prevented packages from getting jammed and damaged, it might work in other areas.
Result:
Thanks to the Flexco solutions, packages now flow freely in either direction through the power turns as dictated by the sort schedule. The operations manager was so pleased with the results that he requested all transfer points in their facility be fitted with Segmented Transfer Plates from Flexco. During the testing stage, they also recognized the addition of the Segmented Transfer Plates and Hitch Guards as safer alternatives to open transfers.