Optional three-lift parts feeder with no changeover

Problem: A manufacturer of hand-held outdoor equipment was in need of an automated parts feeding system that would lift bushing collars to three transfer stations on their assembly line. The three stations needed to operate independently of the other lines and supply a continuous feed of parts.

Solution: One advantage of designing a system with Fortville Feeders is the wealth of experience that is brought to each new project. In many cases, that includes planning beyond the customer’s specifications and designing a system that fits modern automation. In this case, the system was designed to eliminate timely parts changeover.

Fortville Feeders designed and built a vibratory feeder system that used a single feeder bowl. One line of parts came out of the bowl and then was diverted to an angled bubble track. This dispersed the parts into three lines. The system was built with a photo eye that kept all the lines filled with parts.

As the parts were moved to the end of each track, a parts sensor released a lift mechanism. The three lifts could be operated in tandem or independently of the others. This allowed the customer to run single assembly stations or up to all three at once without changing over the feeder. Parts emptying from any of the lines were replenished nonstop.