Frequently Asked Questions
Controls Integration for Conveyor Systems
What does controls integration for conveyor systems mean?
Controls integration refers to the design engineering, programming and implementation of electrical systems that connect conveyors and devices into a unified automated line. Only experienced electrical engineers should enable communications between devices, human-machine interfaces (HMIs), PLCs, drives and sensors. This integrated control manages speed, logic, feedback, FIFO and other sequencing needed between your conveyor and other OEM equipment.
What conveyor controls capabilities does Multi-Conveyor offer?
Multi-Conveyor provides fully engineered control systems to include PLC programming, HMI interface, VFDs, servos, panel fabrication electrical wiring, FATs and start-up assistance. From conceptual layout to final integration and verification, our electrical team is involved.
Can Multi-Conveyor integrate controls with conveyor hardware?
Yes. Multi-Conveyor’s electrical engineering department works hand-in-hand with our mechanical engineers to integrate electrical controls with all conveyor hardware. This ensures conveyors communicate effectively with ancillary OEM equipment on a line. Exceptional controls maintain optimized production output; provides precision product orientation for index, divert, sort or merge; and seamless product transfers.
What types of electrical components and systems are used?
Controls incorporated include industry-proven PLCs, HMIs, VFDs, servo systems, motor starters, sensors and more. UL listed components are chosen based on durability, designed for high-performance operation in automated conveyor environments.
How does Multi-Conveyor support automation and servo control?
Multi-Conveyor uses servo systems and drive technologies to deliver high-speed precision from simplistic to complex conveyor line configurations. Servos are mandatory in FIFO, stacking, indexing, sweeps and repeatable motion control applications, assuring accurate product handling while promoting higher production output.
Does Multi-Conveyor provide programmable logic controller (PLC) services?
Yes. Multi-Conveyor’s keenly exceptional electrical engineers create custom PLC programs tailored to your exact conveyor system’s individual requirement. Our team conceives logic control that manages your line sequencing, timing, flow, feedback, FIFO and operator input. Our customers find themselves trimming back on their own electrical engineers or outside engineering firms, thanks to our unsurpassed electrical integration solutions.
What human-machine interface (HMI) options are available?
Controls integration includes touchscreens and HMI operator interfaces to monitor the entire performance of your conveyor system. Trained operators engage with HMI controls to easily adjust settings, set conveyor line parameters, store critical settings by product for quick changeover, indicate line disruptions while providing real-time control data.
Does Multi-Conveyor provide performance testing and verification before delivery?
Yes. Before shipment, Multi-Conveyor conducts factory acceptance testing (FATs), wiring checks and system controls verification using actual product. Quality is never assumed at Multi-Conveyor. A forty-eight point check list is used to monitor every item shipped from our production floor. Each weld is inspected, bolt re-examined, wiring diagrams and controls tested, until final safety stickers are put on the drive guards.
Can Multi-Conveyor support on-site installation and start-up assistance?
Upon request, Multi-Conveyor can provide technical assistance and/or installation supervision; furnish trained engineering personnel to provide technical or installation supervision; or provide trained mechanical technical service personnel at the end-user location. All charges for this assistance are quoted and billed separately in accordance with the technical personnel or assistance required based on the complexity of your system.
What is the Multi-Conveyor advantage?
Multi-Conveyor combines decades of controls experience with full-service engineering support – mechanical and electrical. A customer explains perfectly, “We worked very closely with Multi-Conveyor to build the controls so all of our OEM equipment can communicate. Multi-Conveyor’s electrical engineering team was the only OEM supplier that stepped up and took the only onsite upfront technical support reins on calibrating the sensors, timing, controls and communications between OEM equipment”.