Producing more than 42,000 parts a day takes efficiency, precision, and reliable equipment. But a single broken part is all it takes to bring production to a halt.
That’s why Sumitomo Electrical Wiring Systems uses Dorner 2200 Series conveyors to move bus bars in preparation for packaging.
Lebanon, OH-based Sumitomo Electrical Wiring Systems (SEWS) is a single-point system integrator that designs and manufactures wiring harnesses, terminals, connectors, relay boxes, junction boxes, electronic control units, and other components for a variety of industries.
Part of Sumitomo Electric Industries and Wiring Systems in Japan, SEWS was founded in 1986 and aims to go beyond simple part manufacturing by delivering total electrical and electronics systems to its customers.
One of those electrical systems is bus bars for automotive fuse boxes. Typically used in high-current, low-voltage distribution, bus bars from SEWS are made from copper for greater conductivity and corrosion resistance.
During production, a press stamps out bus bars onto an 8 ft long, 18 in. wide Dorner 2200 Series conveyor, which moves them to employees who are waiting to pack them for shipment.
Keeping Up with the Workload
The conveyor, which was installed three years ago, operates between 16 and 24 hours a day, depending on workload.
To ensure the conveyor keeps up with the rigorous workload demanded by SEWS, the company performs monthly preventive maintenance inspections that include checks of the belt, bearings, and bushings, as well as belt alignment.
“The 2200 Series comes with self-greasing bearings, which is awesome,” said John Fields, maintenance technician with SEWS. “We’ve used Dorner conveyors for the past several years and really have never had any problems with them. That’s why we stick with Dorner.”
With a 1.25 in. diameter head and tail pulley, the 2200 Series is a low-profile conveyor system designed to fit into small, tight spaces. It comes in flat-belt end drive, cleated-belt end drive, center-drive, and gravity roller models. Since every Dorner conveyor is built to order, customers can get a 2200 Series made to their exact specifications. It can accommodate loads up to 120 lb and is ideal for packaging, automated and manual assembly, sortation, and testing and inspection applications.
The 2200 Series also comes with V-guide tracking to true performance, optional nose bar transfer for small parts transfers, and rack-and-pinion belt tensioning.
“We like the product very well,” Fields said. “In our industry we need reliability, and with Dorner we get that.”