The Problem: Handling ferrous scrap can be a problem for any metalworking shop, but when you are the largest manufacturer of automobile and truck frames, the problem takes on enormous proportions. At A.O. Smith Corp.’s Automobile Division, 1,200-ton Danly coil blankers operate around the clock stamping out automobile front cross bars. In the process, each creates up to 2,400 pounds of scrap per hour in the form of 1/8″ thick round and oblong mild steel slugs, ranging in length from 1/4″ to 6″.
A.O. Smith’s plant originally used a metal belt conveyor to remove scrap from beneath the presses, elevate it and discharge into a hopper. But slugs would often catch in the hinged belt, jamming the conveyor and causing a conveyor and press shutdown.
The Equipment: Eriez Magnetic Chips and Parts Conveyor
The Solution: Because of the lost production time and high maintenance cost involved with the metal belt conveyors, the conveyors were replaced with two Eriez Magnetic Chip and Parts Conveyors.
Eriez’ permanent magnetic conveyors use a continuous series of powerful ceramic magnets to pickup and glide material along the stainless steel slider plate. Material is then discharged over the head end. Because of their liquid-tight construction, lower conveyor sections can be completely submerged in coolant sumps or tanks. The working face is self-cleaning, and excess fluids drain easily back into the tank. The unique Eriez’ Tuf-Trac drive system eliminates the need for oil inside the housing. The drive chain rides in oil impregnated UHMW track, designed to operate quiet ely and maximize conveyor life.
As slugs drop from the press onto the conveyor surface, they are held by the magnetic field and slide up the 14-long, 60° incline where they are gravity-discharged into a hopper.
The Result: The Eriez Magnetic Conveyor design and construction enables A.O. Smith to produce at full capacity with zero downtime. Except for an externally mounted drive motor, the unit is self-contained, and the conveyor mechanism is completely enclosed. There are no moving parts to jam, break, or endanger personnel. What that all means to A.O. Smith is that its presses are more productive because the Eriez conveyors remove the scrap without interruption.
