Conveyor Integration

Choose an equipment vendor wisely to avoid integration headaches

Purchasing a bucket elevator, aeromechanical, or flexible screw conveyor involves not only buying the right equipment and configuration, it also involves ensuring that the conveyor will successfully work as intended once it is inserted into your process. Conveyor integration is a key aspect of any equipment purchase.

Conveying equipment can be integrated into a production line or process in a number of ways. The challenge for the equipment designer is to develop a solution that suits the configuration of the process, while moving material safely, efficiently, and effectively.

Given the wide range of process configurations and material types, successful conveyor integration depends on an equipment manufacturer’s ability to customize and adapt their equipment to a specific environment. Particularly important is how the manufacturer designs and adapts their equipment to interface with the upstream and downstream equipment that will link up with the conveyor.

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Supplier choice and conveyor integration

When choosing a conveying equipment supplier, ease and quality of integration should be a key selection criteria. In particular, buyers should pay particular attention to the following:

1. The supplier’s installed base. The size of a supplier’s installed base is a good marker of their integration experience. Suppliers that have placed more units in the field are more likely to have confronted and solved a greater number of integration challenges, acquiring experience in the process.
2. The supplier’s industry experience. Number of installations is one thing, but has the supplier installed units in your industry? Some industries have special integration challenges due to the materials being conveyed and the types of process equipment used. Seeking a supplier with industry-specific industry integration experience will reduce the risk of problems at installation.
3. The supplier’s ability to customize and tailor their equipment for your specific needs. Every bulk materials processor has unique circumstances and needs. Successful conveyor integration depends greatly on an equipment supplier’s ability to customize their equipment for a specific operating environment and process factors. Always choose an equipment supplier who has flexible designs that can be readily tailored and adapted for your specific needs.
4. The supplier’s ability to provide post-installation support. Occasionally, conveyor integration issues become visible only after equipment has been put into service. On these occasions, an installation may need to be tweaked and adjusted after startup to ensure maximum performance. Experienced suppliers have the resources and know-how to quickly troubleshoot any post-startup problems and provide the support that achieves perfect integration.

At UniTrak we have over 45 years’ experience and know-how in helping our customers achieve successful conveyor integration. No matter whether you are purchasing a TipTrakTM bucket conveyor, Powderflight aeromechanical, or UniFlex flexible screw, every piece of equipment we supply is designed and built with integration in mind. We achieve this through our unique “customerization” process that takes a deep-dive into your material and application, thereby ensuring successful integration first time, every time. If you are purchasing a bulk material handling conveyor and need to assure successful integration with your system, contact our application specialists.