Almac Industrial Systems has added the Walking Beam to its product portfolio. When engineers think about synchronous automated assembly systems, they most often picture rotary indexing dials or carousels. But there is another synchronous automation platform. The Walking Beam moves product sequentially in straight-line steps, and to advance the product, the beam usually engages the product from below, moving up, forward, down and back. Offered as an automated transfer and storage bank with mechanically actuated transfer unit, the Walking Beam includes:
- Exoskeleton frame.
- "Walking beam" suspension.
- Drive train and track system.
These machines are based on high performance servo technology and provide a stable & fast transfer system for rigid containers where alternative in-line transfer systems such as rope or chain conveyors are unsuitable. Filling options include high accuracy program forward weight controlled filling, with facilities for vibration at fill points to compact difficult products.
The weighing is accomplished by load cells mounted on a fixed structure within the path of the movable carriage of the walking beam conveyor or the load cells are built into the carriage itself. Both embodiments avoid the need for a separate weighing scale, explains Robert.
The double rail version extends the areas of application in regards to the weight and width of parts. Additionally, this system can be operated as a version with bi directional feed direction of the workpiece, doubling the number of possible workpiece stations.
