English (UK) 
简体中文 In a modern automotive assembly plant, a trolley carrying parts flows on a conveyor line and suddenly stops at a certain station - while the entire production line is still running smoothly. The key behind this is preciselyAccumulation roller conveyor lineThe new system is designed to convey materials and to allow workpieces to be accumulated in a dynamic and suspended manner, enabling the precise regulation of the production rhythm.
🔧 I. Core Technology Analysis: Accumulation Principle and Mechanical Structure
Implementation of the accumulation functionIt relies on three main technology paths:
- Friction accumulation rollers: The core lies in the design of the movable connection between the driving gear and the drum body. When the cargo is obstructed, the drum stops rotating, but the driving sprocket continues to run, and power separation is achieved through the built-in friction plate slipping.
- Multi-stage motor drive: The conveyor line is divided into independent drive units, and zone accumulation can be achieved by switching off the corresponding motors. Suitable for short-distance working stations, but frequent starting and stopping affects the life of the motor.
- Block mechanical interception: Cylinder pushes the block to block the goods, and releases them automatically after release. Suitable for regular box, low cost but easy to cause wear and tear on the surface of the goods.
Key component synergiesConstitutes an efficient system:
- Clamping mechanism(Threaded rod + movable frame): The third motor drives the reverse threaded rod to control the clamping rod to open or loosen the toothed belt, and to adjust the drum speed and start/stop.
- Anti-displacement bracket: When goods are stacked, the bracket raises the fixing strip to form a physical barrier to prevent the goods from sliding.
- Chain drive layoutSingle sprocket is driven by large cycle and double sprocket is driven by small cycle, balancing transmission efficiency and noise control.
⚙️ II. Breakthrough technical features: beyond traditional conveying solutions
Pitch adjustable mechanismSolving an industry pain point:
The belt tension is dynamically controlled by means of a clamping bar to adjust the distance between goods without stopping the machine. For example, when the assembly station needs to pick up the parts manually, the system automatically pulls the goods to 50cm interval, avoiding the operation difficulties caused by the dense stacking.
Heavy duty designDemonstrate engineering intelligence:
- The rotary drum structure (not fixed shaft type) carries more than 500kg of material, and the bearing seat adopts labyrinth dustproof design, adapting to heavy-duty scenes such as automobile parts.
- The wall thickness and shaft diameter of the drum are customised according to the load calculation, for example, a stainless steel drum with a wall thickness of 3mm and a diameter of 89mm is required for conveying 1 tonne of pallets.
environmental adaptationBroaden the application boundaries:
- The food industry is made of 304 stainless steel to resist corrosion, and the electronic workshop is equipped with anti-static rollers to protect the PCB board.
- -40°C cold chain environment, special lubricated bearings to ensure continuous operation of the drum.
📦 III. In-depth practice of application scenarios: from warehouse to smart factory
Automotive manufacturing lineThe "Beat Controller":
In the chassis assembly section, the accumulation line holds the engine and suspension modules and releases the material according to the assembly cycle. After adopting this programme, a car manufacturerReduction in waiting time at workstations 37%.
Dynamic caching areas in logistics sorting centres::
Express parcels are accumulated on the roller line and released in batches after the scanning system identifies the destination. Through this design, an e-commerce warehouse in GuangzhouPeak processing capacity increased to 25,000 pieces/hour.
Adhesives for flexible production of household appliances::
The washing machine assembly line handles five models at the same time, and the accumulation section temporarily stores different parts to ensure that the corresponding model parts arrive at the workstation simultaneously.Haier factory real test mixed line production efficiency increased 22%.
🚀 IV. Technology evolution and future challenges
Modular design becomes the mainstream trend::
- Roller diameters/spacing (50/60/75mm) form a standardised series that supports quick changeover.
- Modularity of drive units: 0.75kW motor units can be replaced within 2 hours, reducing downtime losses.
Intelligent upgrades open up new possibilities::
- IoT sensors monitor friction plate wear in real time and predict maintenance intervals (e.g., one plant reduced failure rates by 601 TP3T).
- The digital twin simulates accumulation strategies and dynamically optimises the distribution of goods in the cache.
Energy consumption contradiction to be broken::
Although the multi-motor drive solution improves flexibility, the energy consumption of 15m line body with more than 6 motors is higher than the traditional line body by 40%. The new magnetic levitation drive technology is in the experimental stage, which is expected to solve this pain point.
🔍 V. Selection and Configuration Guide: Key Parameter Decision Matrix
| dimension of consideration | options (as in computer software settings) | Applicable Scenarios |
|---|---|---|
| drive method | single chain drive | Lightweight case (≤30kg) |
| Double chain drive | Pallets/heavy cargo | |
| Roller material | Carbon steel galvanised | Dry indoor environment |
| 304 stainless steel | Food/chemical corrosive environments | |
| accumulation pattern | Friction roller | High frequency staging (>50 times/hour) |
| interception by blocking | Low-cost, light-duty scenarios | |
| Line length | ≤ 10 metres (single drive) | Workstation articulation |
| 10-15 metres (multi-drive) | Transregional transport |
Note: The turning section requires special design - the taper of the conical drum is positively related to the size of the goods, and the 900mm turning radius is suitable for 600mm wide standard pallets.
Self-questioning: Explaining the core questions of accumulation and release technology
Q1：Why does the motor not burn out even though the drum stops when accumulating?
The key lies in the friction plate slippage design: when the goods are obstructed, the friction between the drum and the driving wheel is less than the preset threshold (controlled by adjusting the spring pressure through the nut), the power is transferred to the friction heat release, and the motor stays running at no load.
Q2: Will the accumulation of goods lead to deformation of the wire?
More than 15 metres need to be reinforced in sections. A case shows: 20 m line body full load 2 tons of goods, the middle of the sagging up to 8 mm. recommended every 10 m additional support feet, or choose to strengthen the aluminium profile rack.
Q3: Does the accumulation function affect the conveying speed?
The maximum speed is still up to 25m/min. but the practical recommendation is ≤ 18m/min: a test showed an increased risk of displacement of the boxed goods by 35% when stopping sharply after exceeding the speed limit.
Q4: Can you handle irregular soft packs?
Need to increase the auxiliary design: In the case of Yiwu logistics centre, 40mm wide edge pallets were added for conveying woven bags, while the roller spacing was reduced to 75mm to ensure that at least 3 rollers were in contact with the goods.
