Conveyors

A conveyor is any moving track, belt, chain, or roller which transports parts from one location to another. This section will help you better understand conveyors and how to model them using ProModel.

ProModel determines the capacity of a conveyor by its speed and load spacing rather than a stated capacity. Specifically, capacity is a function of the minimum allowable interload spacing on a conveyor (which is the length of a queue position in the case of accumulation conveyors) and its length. It may be desirable, however, to impose a limit to the number of loads permitted on the conveyor at any one time.

Conveyors usually do not pick up and drop off loads as in the case of lift trucks, AGVS, and cranes. You must place loads onto and remove them from conveyors.

Depending on the nature of the conveyor and its operation, modeling a conveyor can be straightforward or complex. For single conveyor sections, modeling is very simple. Conveyor networks, on the other hand, give rise to several complexities (recirculating, merging, etc.) that become more difficult to model.

Conveyor Simulation Benefits

Simulating your conveyor system will help you address design and operational issues, answering the following questions:

• What is the minimum conveyor speed that still meets rate requirements?

• What is the load rate capacity of the conveyor?

• What is the load delivery time for different activity levels?

• How much queuing do accumulation conveyors need?

• How many carriers do trolley or power-and-free conveyors need?

• What is the optimum number of pallets to maximize productivity in a recirculating environment?