Pallet conveyor now smarter and slimmer

Purpose – Describes how one company addressed the need for a pallet conveyor innovation which would achieve a number of goals such as reduced maintenance, operating noise, physical cross section and improve the ability to integrate into an assembly or manufacturing application. Design/methodology/approach – Presents the approach and technology applied to develop a smart conveyor that meets the project objectives. Findings – Applying new lower cost electronic controls, individual zone drive motors and sensors to a traditional product can dramatically improve the feature benefit package. Research limitations/implications – This paper provides guidance in the design of smart manufacturing and material handling related equipments. Practical implications – Innovative conveyors can still move the product while providing many cost of ownership benefits. Originality/value – Highlights how applying new thinking or thinking outside the box to a traditional product can achieve many user benefits.