Our team at Woodley Engineering bring vast experience to any project involving conveyor systems, with a successful track record behind us. This is why so many trust us with their critical production infrastructure. One such project we have been working on recently involves a new production facility for consumer healthcare products and packaging.

The Brief

Within the workspace there are two machines; a packaging machine and a cartonning machine, which need to be connected by a conveyor system to optimise output. However, there are some challenges faced here: the space has several pillars that interfere with the ideal running route for the conveyor system, and this means that connections are not perfect, with the conveyor having small kinks within the system. This is something that should be avoided where possible to reduce component wear and to increase the reliability of the machinery, prolonging the lifespan of the components as well.

Upon delivery, some OEM parts needed for the install were damaged in transit, while others were not to the correct specification. Due to the time delays associated with obtaining replacement OEM parts, we were asked to look at the situation and see what we could do to help.

Our Actions

Our team were able to repair the damaged parts the next day, which allowed work on the project to continue without expensive delays. This is a key factor in many of our projects, where time is heavily constrained due to the needs of the production facility. In this case, the entire production facility could not be brought on line until the conveyor system issue was solved.

In addition, we took other components and modified or redesigned them to adapt to the situation within the warehouse space, again working quickly as without the conveyor, production cannot begin. We worked with the client to create custom components that provided the non-standard solution this specific situation needed, while still delivering in a much shorter time than alternatives.

Because of the modifications, we manufactured the components required to extremely tight tolerances, and this quality of production is something we are proud of and work hard to maintain. This project did have further complications, with some parts required to work in a sterile environment, and that meant further work. We obtained certificates of conformity and certified parts for these areas while maintaining the strict timetable required to ensure production could start as planned.

Outcomes

For Woodley Engineering this was a rewarding project: not only were we able to repair damaged items with a next day service, we also redesigned and remanufactured components to fit the bespoke solution the installation required. With the manufacture of components suitable for a sterile environment, modification of existing items and design of components to fit, we covered every aspect of our comprehensive engineering services within a single project. This is something we are very comfortable with, and whilst each project offers its own unique challenges, we have a lot of experience in working to tight deadlines while retaining quality.