Study regarding active management of multiple drive unit groups on the same painting line conveyor chain balancing force and speed.

Tracking experiment of the various groups with load feedback and automatic speed adjustment for each group depending on its loading difference compared to the rest of the transport structure.

Purpose:
Balance the forces that lie on the painting line conveyor chain, arranging load on the drive units groups according to the instantaneous torques (sharing tasks logic).

Solution:
Feasibility study and functional test were performed on painting line conveyor chain of washing machines.

The current drive unit groups are based on mechanical compensation systems (clutches and spring compensators) with recovery parameters that are fixed and indifferent to environmental situations.

The solution provides instead a dynamic and continuous management of each motor/group in order to balance working loads and operating speed with a logic of “concentric adjustments” torque-speed.

Result:
The implemented system proves very sensitive to external environmental changes: temperature, conveyor chain lubrication, full and empty trays condition, bearing wears, and so on. Also with sudden changes, the process is reactive and stable in the management of working loads among the various drive units groups.

Over the time: Significant reduction of ordinary maintenance actions (lubrication, IPE beams cleaning, chain realignment) and extraordinary ones (bearing replacement, motors and belts replacement, and so on).