Intralox and OCC Standardize EV Seat, Tire, and Wheel Conveyance for Automotive Manufacturer
The success of the installation, the ease of startup, and the reduction in planned maintenance hours for these systems have made the Intralox solution the preferred standard for many automotive OEMs. OCC looks forward to continuing to develop and strengthen the relationship between our company and Intralox for years to come. Providing a high quality, highly reliable system to our customers is a triple win for Intralox, OCC, and—most importantly—the end user.
Marty Rymarz
Overhead Conveyor Corporation Director of Conveyor Sustainability
Customer Objectives
A North American automotive manufacturer expanded their plant to add new electric vehicle production lines. They needed new conveyance technology to efficiently handle tire and wheel, and seats delivery applications with low maintenance and long life expectancy.
The existing setup consisting of chain driven live rollers (CDLRs) required regular maintenance to ensure all the power transmission chains were properly and regularly lubricated. Because these parts were difficult to access, the necessary maintenance was often neglected, leading to equipment failures. The auto manufacturer experienced regular unplanned downtime and lower productivity as a result.
Intralox Execution
To achieve their goals, the auto manufacturer contacted Overhead Conveyor Corporation (OCC) to integrate the solution into their plant. OCC then contacted Intralox to provide the manufacturer with layout optimization expertise and an innovative solution for 90-degree transfers, accumulation, and inclines for their seats, tires, and wheels. Intralox’s solution was the Activated Roller Belt (ARB) 90-Degree Passive Transfer and Series 400 Roller Top belting for accumulation. With a single drive and no controls or pneumatics, the ARB 90-Degree Passive Transfer has fewer moving parts and requires less maintenance than traditional pop-up transfers.
Similarly, Intralox’s modular plastic belting requires less maintenance than CDLR solutions and does not need any lubrication. With fewer drives compared to a CDLR conveyor of similar length, modular plastic belting frequently results in energy savings as well.
Results
The auto manufacturer has seen benefits from this solution since installation. Seat, tire, and wheel throughput have increased due to improved line efficiency. Maintenance, unplanned downtime, and energy consumption have all been reduced. System cleanliness and safety have been enhanced as there is no longer oil dripping from the chains being tracked into production and material storage areas.
As a result of the innovative solution from Intralox and OCC, the auto manufacturer is satisfied and has standardized with Intralox on all belt and sprocket materials, installing the solution at several facilities in the U.S. and Mexico. The manufacturer plans to include this solution at all new greenfield electric vehicle facilities for seat, tire, and wheel conveyance.