The Design-Build Method for Planning Roller Conveyor Systems 

The Design-Build Method has been around for quite some time in the construction industry, but the concept is just starting to catch on in automation. Years ago, if you wanted to build a house, you picked out a house plan and called a minimum of three contractors to provide quotes for you and your chosen lender. Typically, in this scenario, The Design-Build process is quite different.

It allows you to select the contractor you believe will do the best or the best job upfront. Then you work with that contractor who designs and plans for your current and future needs. For example, you and your spouse may have two children now, but you could be thinking about 3 in the future.

In the Design-Build process, your contractor is willing to suggest a 4-bedroom house instead of a 3-bedroom place, planning the growth of your family even though the 3-bedroom house would currently be sufficient.

In the automation world, the old thought process and history are similar. As companies grew and the need to automate and save time and money became more extraordinary, they would start hiring industrial engineers. Industrial engineers would look at all the processes and do them time after time, trying to figure out how to cut costs and improve operations.

They were in total control of the automation piece too, when in most circumstances, the industrial engineer had no background in automation and roller conveyors. It usually happened that they followed the same old paths and thought as above when it came time to automate.

Then when it came time to implement plans for roller conveyor systems and automation, the industrial engineers would start designing systems and doing conveyor layout drawings.

After this process, they would then call three conveyor manufacturers or distributors and get prices on precisely what the industrial engineers asked for, even though sometimes they lacked the equipment knowledge necessary to maximize the efficiency of the roller conveyor systems.

With the Design-Build Method, companies are now choosing the appropriate automation partner based on history, product knowledge, and capabilities. The chosen partner comes in and looks at the entire process first and then recommends the right roller conveyor system based on the current and future needs. They typically use the following steps for this process:

•  Survey
• Analyze (Current & Future Needs)
• Recommend
• Install
• Commission
• Test
• Support

The best part about this process is that the chosen automation partner is an equipment specialist. They know exactly what type of automation and roller conveyors you need to get the desired result as economically as possible, providing the best return on investment. They consider all factors, from upfront costs to energy savings to long-term preventive and predictive maintenance.

In closing, roller conveyor systems and automation are too critical to your operations to trust those decisions to someone with minimum background in roller conveyor design and layout. Russell Conveyor & Equipment strongly suggests that you consider the Design-Build Method when considering automation for your facility.

We would also recommend considering us to be that Design Build Partner. We know we can help you choose the correct automation and roller conveyor to fill your immediate needs while we assist in planning for the future. The right equipment and partner will help you ensure the success of your facility now and in the future!