Why Every Assembly Line Business Needs a Roller Track System
In every assembly line manufacturing system, there are certain essentials that are beyond indispensable. Talented, quick-thinking workers, for one. High-end technical and mechanical equipment to handle process flow, too. Managerial expertise is important as well, especially when it comes to setting up the right kind of line configurations and getting the cell design and workstation design right.
There are many other essentials, but one that doesn’t get enough mention is a roller track system. They do yeoman’s work when it comes to moving and handling materials that would otherwise present difficult challenges, but many manufacturing companies fail to take advantage of the possibilities they offer.
To rectify that, let’s help. What follows is a breakdown of roller track systems are, what they do and the advantages they offer, and when we’re done you’ll see why they should at least be considered by nearly every manufacturing and warehouse company.
What is a Roller Track System?
At the most basic level, a roller track system is a type of conveyor that uses rollers connected by rods or shafts to move materials from one point to another on a factory floor.
The conveyor assembly is mounted on a frame, and ergonomic design makes it possible for workers to easily place items on the rollers and remove them at appropriate points in the assembly line.
How Roller Track Systems Work
The power behind a roller track system is surprisingly simple and basic: gravity. Rollers are usually positioned with a slight downward slope, which creates movement that can be initiated with a small amount of manual pushing, although some roller track systems are automated and rely on external power.
Rollers can also be positioned with a negative slope at different points on the line, depending on the necessary flow of materials and objects.
The rollers themselves are typically made of metal or durable plastic, and they usually have internal bearings to ensure smooth movement of materials and prevent breakdowns and line stoppages.
Manufacturing Applications for Roller Track Systems
While many companies fail to take advantage of the benefits roller track systems can provide for their assembly lines, the list of the ones that do is impressive. Here are a few of the types of companies that take advantage of these remarkable systems:
Warehouses
While the conventional image of a warehouse environment features forklifts and fork tractors shuttling heavy items across the floor, roller track systems are also essential in many warehouse settings. They’re great for moving bulky, heavy items that would otherwise take humans or machines hours to transport.
Distribution Centers
Few manufacturing environments are better suited for roller track systems than distribution centers.
Items of all sizes and shapes have to be moved to many different points within the distribution center, and roller track systems have the kind of configuration flexibility that make them ideal for this application.
Traditional Assembly Lines
If throughput is a major point of emphasis in a given assembly line, chances are you’ll find a manufacturer using roller track systems to boost the product movement numbers and keep them high. They save time and money, they’re efficient, and they help ensure product quality.
Materials Handling
Some manufacturers need to move bulky, heavy items like boxes up and down the line, and roller track systems help meet their needs. They’re also ideal for handling dangerous materials like medical items or hazardous waste, both of which can present a thorny set of problems.
The Advantages of Roller Track Systems
There are several good reasons why manufacturers use roller track systems. First and foremost, they provide a number of advantages that are hard to get in any other single equipment package. Here are some of the major ones:
- Simplicity. Roller track systems are easy to implement, the setups for them tend to be fairly basic, and maintenance procedures are easy as well. Plus they’re cost effective and they don’t break down that often, which makes them an ideal solution in any heavy-duty manufacturing environment.
- Versatility. These systems can be configured to handle several different load sizes within the same facility and assembly line, and they’re easy to reconfigure during changeovers when necessary.
Moreover, they fit the bill for several kinds of line configurations. They can be used in straight assembly lines or for curved sections, and they can also be used to move materials quickly in any number of mixed mode setups.
They can also be used with other types of manufacturing equipment. Roller track systems are often used in tandem with sorting mechanisms, chutes and a variety of cart setups. They’re an important part of cell design and workstation setup, and many manufacturers would be lost without them.
- The power option. It’s easy to get the idea from the previous descriptions that roller track systems are limited to gravity-based configurations, but that’s actually not the case at all.
Powered roller track systems can help provide faster materials movement, and in many instances they provide near-instantaneous stopping capability in assembly lines where that’s necessary.
In addition, power roller track systems can be easier to automate. That allows manufacturers to bring software into the assembly line picture, which means they can accumulate data to analyze line performance and use the information they gather to improve efficiency and quality.
Limitations of Roller Track Systems
While roller track systems are an ideal solution for many manufacturing environments, they do have some limitations. In some instances, they are not suitable for hostile or harsh environments, and sometimes they’re not ideal for tight spaces, either.
It’s also important to remember that there are ancillary costs associated with roller track systems. Extra training may be required to use them properly, and while they are usually cost effective, the initial setup expense has to be figured into any cost analysis. Overall, though, they’re a great solution, and at the very lest they deserve wider consideration.
WorkSmart Can Help You Use Roller Track Systems to Enhance and Improve Your Assembly Line
At WorkSmart Systems, we’ve helped many manufacturing companies integrate roller track systems into their assembly lines and processes. We can help you define your overall approach, pinpoint the equipment you need, and use roller track systems to improve performance and make your assembly line more efficient.
You can find out more about us at www.worksmartsystems.com, and we also have a separate but related website, www.quixxsmart.com, that will help you with the specific equipment. You can also reach us by phone at (978) 356-5000, and you can email us at sales@worksmartsystems.com.
Learn More: How Roller Tracks Improve Material Handling in Industrial Settings
