MDS Nordion

Situation Analysis:

MDS Nordion, one of Almac's largest and oldest customers, required a major modification to address safety and ergonomics issues in relation to their tote load/unload stations.

Almac was able to help MDS with this situation, as we understand that when dealing with the massive amounts of product that Nordion deals with on a daily basis, you need the latest technology in order to keep up with market demands. If any part of the system is down, it has detrimental impact on the entire product flow.

The system needed to be designed to allow for a continuous, efficient and ergonomically correct method of loading and unloading products.

Problem(s):

• Machine must be constantly active, with minimal downtime.
• Must be able to manage heavy loads.
• Must make the loading and unloading ergonomically easy on employees.
• Must take into consideration the fragility of the products, while maintaining the strength and durability of the system.

Almac's Solutions:

In order to guarantee maximum product flow levels, there were a couple of matters that Almac took into consideration in order to minimize the downtime of the tilt station.

• Limited the number of moving parts. This limited the number of items that could possibly malfunction.
• And, because Almac used a variable frequency drive (V.F.D.) method, instead of the typical chain and sprocket system, Nordion did not have to make the mandatory regular adjustments, which was a major positive factor in the production method.

Using the typical heavy-duty structural steel frames that Almac is known for, it allowed for the system to maximize its durability and longevity.

While in the designing process, Almac took into consideration the type of product and the human component to determine how to safely transfer the manufactured good, while lessening the human effort of this repetitive task. The titling angle that was designed into the final product allowed for simple extraction of the product with the least amount of possible strain on an employee.

A 1 HP Eurodrive, multi-stage gear motor with break, activated the tilt mechanism. By using the Eurodrive, it allowed for complete control over the tilt stations at all angles of rotation. Well experimenting with several types of gearboxes and drive shafts, it wasn't until they tried a VFD drive shaft that they had complete control.

Final Synopsis

Once again, Almac rose to the challenge by designing and building a device that did not utilize any chains or sprockets, but rather a VFD drive shaft mount to meet the needs of Nordion. This allowed for the tilt stations to function around the clock, without the general maintenance that most systems need.

This system had a warm reception by the employees at MDS Nordion. Not only was Nordion pleased with the unload/load tilt systems, but they were also extremely happy with the entire Almac produced conveyor system, which handled products for the entire irradiating process.