Overhead unit boosts valve painting procedures
March 1st 2008

When Weir Valves & Controls UK wanted to improve the efficiency and handling capacity of its valve painting system, MCM Conveyors provided a total handling solution.

The system provides both flexibility and efficiency, with single products to 2000kg loaded on to bespoke rotating, multi-jig flightbars suspended from an MCM Autotrack 500 (AT500) overhead Power + Free system in order to be conveyed around a circuit to designated unload/finishing stations.

Individual valves are loaded by manually operating a pendant control to lower the cartridge to an ergonomical height to allow slings to be attached to the valve.

Data is assigned to each loadbar assembly via an electronic tag, which is used at the booth and oven areas to determine product routing, paint finish and cure times.

Once slings are safely attached and the valve masked, the operative will start to raise the drop section carriage to a final 200mm, at which point vertical travel will be completed automatically through a PLC that monitors all controls and movement within the system.

A release button activates and frees the load bar to transport the valve to accumulate at the shot blast entrance, allowing an empty loadbar assembly to enter the load/unload station. For safety, a product load gate was fitted to detect and ensure that the work envelope is not exceeded.

The loadbar assembly enters the enclosure as and when an empty position is detected by the PLC and an operative has activated a product call button.

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