After a recent reconfiguration of modular conveyor systems at Capitol Vial Inc., a division of Thermo Fisher Scientific, Engineering Manager Jeff Steiger commented on the benefits of using reconfigurable conveyor technology in his plant. “We’ve done many reconfigurations in our plant.  The DynaCon conveyors are like a Lego set.  If you want to change it tomorrow you can take the pieces apart and add other pieces and you don’t have to buy a new conveyor,” he says.  

Interchangeable modular systems have dramatic effect on engineering flexible production lines. 

From the production floor to the packaging line there are a thousand pieces that must come together to make a manufacturing facility work.  Although individual plants have unique processes and distinctive stumbling blocks to overcome, all manufacturers are susceptible to common issues that can bring production to a halt. 

One of the most common pieces of equipment in a manufacturing facility is a conveyor and although it may seem that all conveyors are created equal, many manufacturers have discovered that the use of reconfigurable modular conveyor systems have a dramatic effect on maintaining tight production schedules and engineering extremely flexible production lines.

Although traditional fixed conveyor systems have been one of the leading factors in lean management over the last two decades, they have lost their luster --not just to those who control the purse strings, but also for engineers who have long dealt with the headaches of inflexible systems, long lead times and production shut downs while systems are installed.   

As conveyors have become a necessity on the plant floor, conveyor manufacturers have attempted to respond to end users needs for flexibility by creating modular systems.  However, “most attempts at modular systems fall short in the eyes of engineers who know that once a traditional modular conveyor is taken apart configuration and integrity are lost forever, says Timm Ducey, Engineering Sales Manager at Barry Sales Engineering, Inc.