Industrial Automation and Motion Control Blog | The Knotts Company

In modern manufacturing facilities, space is premium, and every piece of equipment must work in sync with other machinery and staff for an efficient and productive use of space. Conveyors can help make the most of the available space in a facility but also require a lot of space.

That is why Dorner has developed several solutions to provide efficient material handling while using minimal floor space and maintaining easy access to machinery throughout the facility.

Elevation and Line Egress Conveyor Solutions

Utilizing multiple vertical levels in your production facility dramatically helps reduce the overall footprint of your operation. With elevation and line egress conveyors, products can be precisely elevated from one machine to the next while keeping them close together or elevated to overhead conveyors to allow ample floor space for staff to move around safely. Additionally, the product can be quickly dropped or elevated to a comfortable working height for staff, then moved again to another level out of the way. In contrast, it moves to the next step in processing.

Numerous elevation conveyor options are available, including incline or z-frame, helix, wedge, and vertical bucket conveyors. Each of Dorner’s elevation solutions offers accuracy and flexibility while maintaining a low-profile frame, helping maximize space and improve production throughput.

LPZ Conveyors

Dorner’s LPZ or z-frame conveyors offer a quick and easy elevation option for production lines where the product needs to be slightly elevated between working lines or machinery. These conveyors can be designed with high friction or cleated belts to ensure the product stays in the correct position on the belt as it is elevated.

LPZ conveyors can be utilized in almost any industry, from consumer goods manufacturing and logistics to food handling and processing. While these systems are frequently longer than other elevation solutions, they offer an economical and low-profile option for raising products to different heights in a facility.

FlexMove Conveyor Solutions

Our FlexMove conveyors are designed with flexible plastic chain belting and can quickly run multiple curves and inclines on the same conveyor. FlexMove conveyors efficiently carry products to different levels in the production line while maneuvering products around tight turns to help make the most of the available floor space, allowing products to move around or over machinery as needed.

FlexMove Wedge

Dorner’s FlexMove Wedge conveyor offers vertical product transfers with the smallest footprint while offering a high degree of flexibility. The wedge is designed with specialty belting that securely grips the product to carry it from one level to another while maintaining correct orientation and positioning. This unique belting also allows the wedge to handle almost any object, whether square, round or irregularly shaped. Finally, this conveyor features an adjustable width, allowing quick and easy changeovers to handle different products on the same line.

FlexMove Helix

Dorner’s FlexMove Helix offers a compact solution for accumulation and buffering applications that takes advantage of a facility’s vertical space. The unique spiral design can include up to 4 levels to accumulate the product while it waits for the next step in production or to provide a buffering zone between equipment for the product to cool. Combined with overhead conveyors, the helix can carry your production to new heights and free up ample floor space for staff and equipment.

Vertical Belt Technology (VBT)

For bulk material handling in sanitary environments, Dorner’s AquaPruf VBT is the perfect solution to elevate products while reducing waste. The vertical belt utilizes a built-in-bucket design with staggered sidewalls to elevate bulk products like cereals and candy securely. With 15% more pocket space than similar conveyors on the market, the VBT’s design significantly reduces product falling off the belt and becoming damaged or contaminated.

As a part of Dorner’s AquaPruf line, this conveyor system is built with an open, sanitary stainless-steel frame and FDA-approved components rated for high-pressure and chemical washdowns. Moreover, the VBT does not require long infeed and outfeed sections, allowing it to fit into a small footprint and saving valuable floor space.

At Dorner, we understand that space is a valuable commodity in any production facility, and our team will work closely with you to develop the ideal conveyor that maintains a small footprint while improving efficiency and meeting the needs of your application. Explore more of our engineered solutions, or contact us to learn more!