Improving the Efficiency of a Conveyor System in an Automated Manufacturing Environment Using a Model-Based Approach

Abstract

—Material handling using a conveyor system has numerous advantages, such as proper material handling. It handles loads of varying heights and weights conveniently within a shorter period. Improved efficiency can be achieved during the manufacturing process if the operating parameters of a conveyor system are within the best service range. This paper studied and modeled the design parameters of a belt conveyor system to determine the best design parameters that can yield an efficient manufacturing system. The machine's efficiency was studied, and the operating parameters of the conveyor system that gave an efficient production system were achieved using MATLAB to simulate the parameters. It was observed that when the power rating of the conveyor was set at 8.9x10-4 watts, a higher throughput rate was obtained. Also, the cost of production increases as more power is utilized under varying load conditions.