Novel conveyor shifts Mini cockpits for new plant 01 November 2009

Mini cockpits are now being delivered in sequence 20m further down the BMW production line, thanks to a bespoke conveyor at the Oxford plant.

The cockpits, weighing 100kg including platen, arrive on site from Magna Intier to be docked with a receiving conveyor and transported by live roller to a drop section.

This, in turn, raises the platen to the former fit station, beside the production line, where the operator used to lift the cockpits, using a manipulator, into the vehicles.

Excel Monorail Systems (formerly Translift) handled the extension project, which general manager Gary Sweeney explains entailed not only transporting platens out of the drop section to the new fit position, but also relocating the manipulator, building a new light guard and returning empty platens.

Site plant engineers specified the system, which comprises a two-tier conveyor taking loaded platens to the new fit point before lowering empty platens 900mm to the bottom tier and returning them.

Sweeney points to the system's 20 individually-driven roller conveyors (Itoh Denki 24V dc rollers with slaves driven by low-noise timing belts) and its inter-tier lift (powered by DOL 4kW geared motor with crank arm, for smooth operation).

He also explains that the system uses ultra-low profile side frames that allowed empty platens to return under the loaded platens without changing the existing drop section height.

Brian Tinham

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