Reel Handling Project 2005

Hunton's became involved in this project to design, construct and install a new reel handling system to move paper reels weighing between 750kgs to 3000kgs form the front of No 8 paper machine to the warehouse level below. This involved the used of in floor belt conveyors, a reel lower and turning unit known as a Lowerator and chain driven roller conveyors.



All the design, detailing and manufacture including mechanical fitting/assembly took place at our works near Maidstone. Above left we have 2 of the 4 belt conveyors and right one of two 3.6 Metre sections of the roller conveyor. Below left is a photo of the completed lowerator unit in our works which rotate 90 degrees around the top bearing using hydraulic power to collect a reel 4.5 mts above ground level. The reel is fed on using the integral belt conveyor then lowered back to the position as shown. The reel is then fed off the machine using the roller conveyor. The whole operation from start until ready for the next reel takes about 85 seconds.

Also incorporated within the system was two of the above units which are pneumatically powered 'pushers' These allow reels to be pushed off the belt conveyor to a central holding point 'the transfer table' then pushed on again to the existing conveyor line installed by ourselves in 1996 and vice versa.

Also included within our supply was a bar code reading system and spray on inkjet marking for both the new line and the existing older one. This involved the use of an automated single axis motion system to move the print head into position. This was designed with a linear slide and lead screw system running at 150mm/sec and repeating to +/- 3mm over it's 2.5M range.

Shown above is a close view of the print head mobility system's lead screw and slide arrangement. On the right we have a view of the ground floor part of the handling system. The roller conveyor sections can be seen with the tall upright structure being for the print-head positioning over this line to spray on the ends of the varying reels as they pass underneath.

Below we have a photograph of the main control cabinet which was part of our supply through our established electrical contractor.
Below we have a picture of the upper floor level showing the completed belt conveyors, edge of the local control panel including the transfer area and guarding.