The Brief
Unitech was contracted by Heathrow Bakery to design, manufacture and install a bespoke spiral accumulation system for their baguette production line.
The bakery had experienced repeated stoppages at the packing end of the line. When this happened, products remained in the ovens for too long, leading to unnecessary spoilage and wasted product.
The client needed a system that could temporarily divert and hold products during stoppages before feeding them safely back onto the line once production resumed.
The Solution
Unitech designed a complete spiral accumulation system made up of two spiral conveyors and two luffing conveyors.
The system was developed to automatically divert products away from the main production line whenever a stoppage occurred at the packing stage. Products could then be held within the spiral accumulation system until the issue was resolved and the line restarted.
Once production was running again, the products were transferred smoothly back onto the main line.
The framework of the system was manufactured predominantly from 304 grade stainless steel and included more than 300 metres of 800mm wide modular belt.
Each spiral conveyor was fitted with a central drum and tensioner drive to support reliable product handling throughout the system.
The full project included:
- Approximately 4 weeks in design
- Approximately 8 weeks in production
- Approximately 1 week for installation
The completed system measured:
- 3340mm in overall height
- 4526mm spiral diameter
- 10176mm total system length
The Result
The completed accumulation system now allows Heathrow Bakery to continue protecting products during unexpected line stoppages.
By temporarily holding products within the spiral system, the bakery can reduce waste, prevent products from spoiling in the ovens and keep the production process running more efficiently.
The project also demonstrated Unitech’s ability to deliver bespoke stainless steel conveyor systems designed around specific production challenges and operational requirements.
To discuss a similar conveyor or accumulation project, contact Unitech Conveyors today.