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Newsprint Bundel Package Handling Chutes
If the newspaper's not on time, it's birdcage liner. And the stopwatch is still ticking after the ink dries. Moving the bundles to delivery trucks can pose big problems for newspapers. With thousands of bundles to move every day, the Houston Chronicle was looking for a parcel handling system it could count on. The Chronicle uses a computer-operated conveyor system to move papers from an upstairs sorting and bundling area down to a loading dock. The system depends on 550 buckets that automatically open and release papers down a series of chutes to various carriers.
In humid Houston weather, newspapers would hang up on sticky surfaces. The result? Traffic jams on the conveyors and delays at the loading dock. Because each bundle contained advertising keyed to specific locations, workers had to manually inspect each bundle and hand carry it to the right delivery truck. The second problem lay with the double-deck chute system. Conveyor buckets discharged parcels into upper and lower chutes. No reliable mechanical or hydraulic system had been found that allowed the upper chute to rotate out of the way to drop a bundle into a lower chute, then return to its position in a matter of a few seconds. When chutes didn't move properly, parcels lodged in the wrong delivery queues.
The first fix First, the Chronicle tried virgin polyethylene chute linings, with the liner extended, unsupported, from an upper level chute. They hoped the standard UHMW would be slick enough to let the bundles move, yet rotate easily out of the way when a bundle needed to drop to a lower chute. The product was strong and flexible ... but not slick enough. For TIVAR Products Specifications TIVAR 88 Specifications |
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The TIVAR DrySlide solution They had the right idea but the wrong product. With a coefficient of friction lower than standard UHMW, TIVAR DrySlide solved the problem on a test chute installation. Newsprint bundles flew along the slick surface. The chute material was strong enough to support the bundles, and slick enough to rotate quickly and predictably. Now the Chronicle has all its chutes lined and the news is on the move.
Chute liner and extended section overlap a lower level chute.
A side view showing two levels of chutes in the news bundle sorting area. Other TIVAR DrySlide Applications: Under Belt Wear Strips Diverter Bars Transfer Plates Hitch Plates Dead Plates Belt Skirting
IMPORTANT: Most plastics will ignite and sustain flame under certain conditions. Caution is urged when any material may be exposed to open flame or heat generating equipment. Use Material Safety Data Sheets to determine auto-ignition and flashpoint temperatures of material or consult Crown Plastics. WARRANTY: Characteristics and applications for product are shown for information only and should be viewed as recommendations for use or fitness for any particular purpose. |
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