It started when a long-standing customer called with a challenge. He needed a fruit handling conveyor solution fast. New equipment was arriving and the kiwifruit season was just around the corner.
A Dedicated Packhouse
Of course, we at EQM were only too aware that the speed of delivery was critical for our client. The kiwifruit is all picked within six to eight weeks starting from the end of March. Packing is all done within three months. No question, this leading fruit packhouse was, as usual, committed to providing its growers with the latest technology and top-notch service they’d come to expect. Thus we were all geared up to support them by providing the necessary automation.
The Challenge
For moving kiwifruit to the new packing machine they needed a conveyor belt not unusual but this one had to make a left-hand turn and maintain an even spread of fruit, without disrupting the existing fruit flow. Of course, it goes without saying that the export fruit needed gentle handling, and not be bumped around or pinched.
Our Solution
The packhouse production development engineer and Anthony discussed the project in detail to create a design brief, drew a sketch of the preferred layout, collected detail for integrating with existing equipment and the packing machine, and drafted a plan.
This plan went to the design team. They used their engineering skills to turn the concept into a smooth-running reality. But we’re not all design engineers, so they drew a 3D layout model, which meant that the customer could easily visualise how the conveyor would work before signing off on the project.
Modular Design
The whole project from order to delivery and assembly was completed in six weeks.
Kiwifruit Conveyor assembled in our factory, EQM Industrial
We delivered our exclusive modular design as assembled sections that join together for ease of onsite installation complete with:
- A User Manual in the form of a booklet with assembly instructions
- A Parts Manual with exploded view drawings of all components of the system.
- All fasteners and joiner brackets needed for fixing the modules together
This is a huge benefit. When the whole system arrived at our client, assembly of this 11-metre conveyor took only one day. As one of the engineers who assembled it said:
‘It was A Piece of Cake to put the Puzzle Together’
