Cycling products distributor invests in advanced conveyor

A merger of businesses and rapid sales growth brought some major obstacles to ZyroFisher. With 800 plus cartons being shipped daily, the company looked to streamline operations and increase warehouse productivity by improving the efficiency of its daily order fulfilment process.

With high levels of manual handling dominating pick, pack and dispatch operations at ZyroFisher’s 100,000 sq ft Darlington facility, it needed a solution to make the movement of goods from the packing area to dispatch more efficient.

Advance engineers submitted a proposal to provide a bespoke, zoned, SmartLine roller conveyor to transfer various sized cartons directly to the dispatch trailer. 

Built by Advance Automated Systems - SmartLine is a zero line pressure conveyor system incorporating 24V DC technology from Interroll and includes a quiet running RollerDrive EC310 and the MultiControl, which together simplifies and reduces the system commissioning time on site.

Interroll MultiControl is a network card that can connect four zone sensors and four RollerDrive EC310 and directly integrate these at fieldbus level. PROFINET, EtherNet/IP and EtherCAT real-time communication can be realised with every MultiControl by making a simple setting.

The configuration of sensor or RollerDrive properties is done over PLC software, a web user interface or with the Interroll teach-in procedure. This also makes automatic addressing possible and provides information on the order of all connected MultiControl or conveyor zones in the conveyor. This guarantees a quick and easy start up on-site. The IP54 protection class meets the requirements that pertain to industrial plants. The Interroll MultiControl can be used in temperature ranges of between -30 deg C and +40 deg C.

Plug & play technology allows for quick and easy replacement, if necessary. In case of replacement, no addressing or configuring is necessary.

Advance’s proposed automation solution is flexible, modular and efficient to run. With each individual conveyor module being independently driven, they only operate when there are containers present; once these have moved off, the conveyor modules no longer run, but continue to be ready for transporting product. If required, product can accumulate over the full length of the conveyor. 

So as not to restrict access through the warehouse, the conveyor system was equipped with lift access gates both single width (for pedestrian/fire escape access) and double width (for pallet access). All gates include gas springs making them easy and safe to lift. An extendable gravity roller for loading on the back of a box trailer completed the configuration. 

Advance Automated Systems smart modernisation project integrated perfectly with ZyroFisher operations, enabling them to optimise its complex flow of goods and increase its through-put. As experienced conveyor manufacturers and system integrators, Advance relies on Interroll’s industries-leading 24V technology and controls as key elements for its overall system solutions. 

Shaun Graham, the marketing manager of Advance Automated Systems reported: “Being both modular and flexible in design, the Advance SmartLine zero line pressure conveyor was installed as it offered the most energy efficient and economical method of delivering cartons directly to the dispatch trailer, thereby streamlining ZyroFisher’s workflow. 

“Within the system, RollerDrives and MultiControl cards from Interroll were used, the components providing a quality and reliability unmatched by other products on the market. As an innovative bespoke conveying solution, Advance SmartLine has an excellent reputation for addressing complex material handling challenges. The components we use from Interroll have played a key part in that success.”

ZyroFisher is one of the largest privately-owned distributors of parts, accessories and clothing to the UK and Irish cycling markets. As experts in multi brand distribution, ZyroFisher represents over 50 world-class leading brands and also supplies its own Altura products to specialist retailers – a significant challenge for the material flow.