A device for producing strip material, such as a hot strip. The device includes lateral guide elements which are arranged on both sides of the strip material and, in particular, along a roller table having several rollers, and at least one rotating wear body on each side guide element. In order to minimize the wear of guide elements when transporting the strip material over a roller conveyor, a speed control device regulates a rate of speed of the at least one wear element. Further, a position control device is provided for setting an extended position of the at least one wear element. The position control device sends control signals to a positioning drive for extending the at least one wear body to an extended position.

A conveyance abnormality prediction system includes an estimation unit that has a learned model having machine learned a relationship between a data set including sensor data outputted, at a time of substrate transport in the past, from each of a plurality of sensors provided on a substrate transport unit and a degree of conveyance abnormality at the time of the substrate transport, estimates a degree of conveyance abnormality at a time of new substrate transport by using, as an input, a data set including sensor data outputted from each of the plurality of sensors at the time of the new substrate transport, and outputs the estimated degree of conveyance abnormality.

A control device includes first and second input terminals to which a DC voltage for driving a motor is input, and a control unit. The control unit sets a rotation direction of the motor based on first input to the first input terminal or the second input terminal. A rotation speed of the motor is changed based on a subsequence input of the DC voltage.

A system and method for optimizing flow of a plurality of products along a conveyor includes a conveyor drive connected with the respect to the conveyor, the conveyor drive configured to modulate the speed of the conveyor. A camera positioned relative to the products on the conveyor. A processing unit is connected with respect to the camera and the conveyor drive, the processing unit defining a zone along the conveyor having a virtual longitudinal and lateral boundary within a section of the conveyor, the processing unit further determining relative product position metrics of the products within the zone and communicating with the conveyor drive to modulate the speed of the conveyor thereby optimizing a relative position of the products within the zone. In addition, the subject system may be used for inspection of conveyed products.

A device and a method for providing a product stream with mutually aligned food products on product substrates are described According thereto, a first conveyor belt for the supply transport and mutual transverse alignment of the food products to each other, a second conveyor belt that adjoins in the direction of transport at a gap-shaped belt transition and can be controlled separately for the discharge transport and mutual longitudinal alignment of the food products to each other, and a substrate placement device for supplying the product substrates from below through the belt transition in front of/under the food products that are respectively transported across the belt transition. This enables the alignment and substrate placement in a particularly compact and reliable configuration at a single belt transition.

Conveyor idler monitoring apparatus, systems and methods are provided. In some embodiments, one or more sensors (e.g., temperature sensors, load sensors, etc.) are supported by the shaft of a conveyor idler. In some embodiments, one or more sensors are in data communication with a wireless transmitter. In some embodiments, a power generator driven by rotation of the idler is in electrical communication with one or more sensors and/or a wireless transmitter. In some embodiments, a plurality of idlers monitoring systems are in data communication with a conveyor monitoring system and/or operational monitoring system.

An apparatus has one or more conveyor systems, each conveyor having a conveyor bed having a first end, and a second end opposite the first end, a conveyance mechanism configured to move material from the first end to the second end, a material inlet at the first end, a material outlet at the second end, and a waste discharge outlet, at least one liquid dispenser arranged to dispense liquid into each conveyor bed, and at least one sensor at least partially inserted into each conveyor bed, wherein the material inlet of the one or more conveyors is configured as an initial material inlet, and the material outlet of the one or more conveyors is configured as a final material outlet. A method of rinsing coir includes moving the coir through at least two conveyor beds, applying liquid to the coir as it moves through the at least two conveyors, monitoring a composition of the liquid in the conveyor beds, and automatically adjusting application of the liquid based upon the monitoring.

Examples of non-invasive inspection of a mechanical system are described. In an example implementation, a first operational data from a detector mounted on an item being handled by a mechanical system is retrieved. The detector may include one or more sensors, and the first operational data is indicative of a current operational condition of the mechanical system. The first operational data can be compared with a corresponding historical first operational data and an error in the current operational condition of the mechanical system is determined based on the comparison. In response to the identification of the error, a notification is generated to perform a non-invasive inspection of the mechanical system.

A system and an apparatus capable of independently driving movers are described herein. The system and apparatus includes: a track that forms a path for movers; a plurality of movers movably mounted on the track for moving along the path; and a plurality of drive elements fixedly arranged along the track. The drive elements each have a surface that is oriented to contact a driven member of the movers. The drive elements are configured to sequentially engage the driven member of a plurality of the movers to provide controlled independent motion of the movers along the track. The drive elements may be driven by rotary motors. A method of independently driving movers is also described herein.

A conveyor system includes a fixed, non-powered rail defining a conveyor path. An automated conveyor carrier (ACC) is supported by the rail and drivable along the rail by an on-board motor in a self-driving trolley of the ACC, the motor powering a drive wheel. The rail defines a first section and a second section separate from the first section. The conveyor system is adapted to provide a first amount of traction for the ACC on the rail in the first section and a second amount of traction, greater than the first amount of traction, in the second section.