Container / Carton Indexing
Indexing systems that move each full carton, box, or tote out and the next empty one into place automatically, triggered by weight, by part count, or by a signal from the robot or press, so the press keeps running while the operator handles full containers.
Application
Changing containers without stopping the press
Parts drop into the container at the fill position from your press, robot, or conveyor. When the container reaches its weight or count, or the robot or press signals for a new box, the system stops the feed, indexes the full container out, brings the next empty one into position, and restarts the feed. Each box filling and carton indexing system is built on our E-series conveyors and laid out to fit your containers and the floor space available.
System types
Indexing conveyor layouts
Inline (straight line)
Empty containers move into the fill position, and each full container indexes forward in a straight line to an accumulation section. The simplest layout, typically placed beside the molding press.
Over/under
Empty containers travel on one level and full containers on the other, which saves floor space. Also called an elevator system. Systems can lift full containers to overhead accumulation.
Side-by-side (90 and 180 degree)
Full containers turn off the fill line onto a take-away conveyor at 90 degrees, or return alongside it at 180 degrees. Suited to layouts where an inline system is too long for the space.
Carousel
A rotating table carries several boxes around a fixed fill point and indexes the next empty box into position. A compact layout for indexing by count, or by weight with a separate weigh hopper.
Custom layouts are built for the space available, combining straight, turn, and return sections. Tote indexing systems with repeatable positioning are available for robot filling. Full containers can accumulate on gravity roller conveyor.
Controls
Three ways to trigger an index
Weigh counting: a scale under the fill position weighs the container and indexes it at the target weight, or at a part count calculated from weight.
Part counting: the control counts parts or machine cycles and indexes the container at the set count.
Signal from the robot or molding machine: the robot or press tells the system when to shift to a new box.
- PLC control with index and reset buttons
- Feed conveyor stops during indexing
- Audible and visual alarms for "no empty container" and "take-away full"
- SMART-VEYOR reject control interface
- Controls for every layout, including over/under systems
For your quotation
Information for your quotation
- Container type and dimensions (carton, box, tote, or gaylord)
- How you want to index: by weight, by part count, or on a signal from the robot or press, and the target per container
- Part rate, and whether the parts come from a press, robot, or conveyor
- Floor space available, and how many full containers should accumulate
- Power available and any interface to the press or robot
In the shop
Indexing systems from our shop
Available options
- Robot Interface: Index, reverse, or stop the conveyor on signals from the robot or press.
- SMART-VEYOR Automatic Reject Control
Request a quotation
Tell us about your parts, the equipment the conveyor will serve, and the space available. We will review your application and return a drawing and a quotation. To replace or duplicate an existing LaRos unit, send us the serial number from the nameplate.