How RFID Technology Is Helpful to Conveyor Industry?

From the manufacturing industry to the logistical commerce industry, RFID technology is used everywhere. RFID technology is used in many ways such as asset tracking & keeping records of asset maintenance.

Whatever the purpose of implementing RFID technology it has the potential to deliver the expected results. Using correct asset management software, RFID tags trigger real-time notifications that will help you in making good business decisions.

RFID tags are proactive rather than reactive, which is clearly the more professional way to handle assets & equipment. It also results in saving maintenance expenses, according to a study it has been noticed that reactive maintenance is more costly (around 30 percent) than preventive (proactive) maintenance.

Similarly, RFID helps in the mechanical flow of production, for instance, worn & torn parts of a machine or asset are detected by RFID tag sensors & they are changed before they create any issue in operation or production activity of conveyor system. Before we proceed, let us have a clear picture of the conveyor system.

What is the Conveyor System?

According to Wikipedia,

“A conveyor system is a common piece of mechanical handling equipment that moves materials from one location to another. Conveyors are especially useful in applications involving the transportation of heavy or bulky materials. Conveyor systems allow quick and efficient transportation for a wide variety of materials, which make them very popular in the material handling and packaging industries. They also have popular consumer applications, as they are often found in supermarkets and airports, constituting the final leg of item/ bag delivery to customers.”

Which Industries use conveyor systems?

Conveyor systems are commonly used in many industries, including the Mining, automotive, agricultural, computer, electronic, food processing, aerospace, pharmaceutical, chemical, bottling and canning, print finishing and packaging.

Also Read: 5 Big Brands that Uses RFID Technology in Business Smartly

What are the different types of Conveyor System?

Different types of conveyors are available as they come in various sizes and shapes. These variables change depending on the type of industry where they are used. Some of the common types include:

• Chain Belt Conveyors

Also known as chain edge conveyors, these are designed to carry high volumes of products. You will find these being used on the work floor, in most cases transporting waste materials. Chain belt conveyors are used as sorting line feeds, mixed lines and feed side eject balers.

• Steel Belt Conveyors

Steel belt conveyors use two types of belt designs - piano hinge and steel apron. These conveyors can carry a serious amount of weight, generally anywhere from 20 to 50 tons every hour. Thanks to this tonnage, they are used in heavy feeder applications such as compactors, heavy-duty mixed waste lines, and heavy-duty 2 RAM scrap balers.

• Slider Bed Conveyors

Slider conveyors are used in applications where a chain belt is too weak and a steel belt is too heavy. These have capacities that start from 1 ton and go up to 15 tons and come with a speed varying mechanism allowing for slow to fast operations. These are used for feeding side eject balers and horizontal balers.

• MRF Sorting Lines

This is a conveyor type that is not standardized and features a combination of slider bed, chain belt, and steel belts. These conveyors are designed as per the individual requirements of the client.

Why regular maintenance is important & How to keep the machine maintained?

The main objective of regular conveyor maintenance is to keep equipment & asset in top condition. It minimizes the chances of unexpected breakdowns and maximizes asset performance. Regular maintenance will be cost-effective & unexpected breakdown will be expensive, also it will affect work operation.

Machinery maintenance is a method by which manufacturing assets in a facility are kept in working order. Regular maintenance of machine & equipment includes repairing, servicing of parts, removing worn or nonfunctional parts & adding new ones.

It involves both heavy-duty industrial equipment and simple hand-operated machines. Most of the times' machinery maintenance is done on reactively (e.g. when a breakdown occurs) though as a professional practice it must be done proactively, as with preventive and predictive maintenance.

Also Read: RFID Technology Benefits & Drawbacks: Active, Semi-Passive & Passive

What are the benefits of RFID technology for the Conveyor Industry?

The benefits of RFID technology for the conveyor industry are given below:

• Contamination Notifications

When foreign substances such as paint, powder, acid or alkaline fluids, abrasives, glass bead, steel particles, etc. land on chains which can damage machine belts, machine & equipment. RFID tags which are tagged on equipment monitor these elements & alerts technicians, maintenance team. After that, they can take care of these situations.

• Asset Maintenance

Convey systems are mostly used in warehouse & distribution centers. They are equipped with heavy-duty roller conveyors, which can move items that have an average weight of around 300 kg.

Now imagine how much stress it is handling when they are several weights that are constantly moving. Therefore, in order to maintain these conveyors, they need maintenance on a regular basis.

Overall, it identifies, tracks, and manages crucial machines & its parts. RFID helps operators by eliminating labor-intensive maintenance & reducing inspection time & operating costs.

It also provides easy access to asset maintenance histories.  Furthermore, it helps in avoiding costly maintenance & improving maintenance efficiency and performance.

• Asset Visibility

Remember when you need a specific asset but does not able to find it due to asset misplacement or theft. Not anymore!

Now you will be able to locate your asset immediately with RFID technology. In simple words, RFID asset tracking provides better asset visibility.

In the facility, RFID tags can be read from anywhere. It also provides the status and whereabouts of your package that has left your facility.

• Data-driven decision

When business intelligence and RFID technology are used together then you can expect the best result. Business intelligence provides the means by which RFID information can influence business processes and decision-making.

Furthermore, RFID has the capability to deliver data that business intelligence can use to save superfluous expenses. This is possible because RFID tag data is effectively used in the product supply chain.

Also Read: 7 Best Tips for Increasing Productivity via Asset Management

Conclusion

One can simply say that if you implement & utilize RFID technology in the conveyor industry, it will affect your company's bottom line in a positive way.

Some organization's products are integrated with RFID technology & they know the impact of RFID technology, as it does the wonders by enhancing the performance of products as well as organizations.