We offer a range of stops in our catalogue and one question people ask as they are designing their application is “which stop best meets our needs?” – to answer which, the pros and cons of both damped and undamped stops need to be considered.
First we have to look at cost; if you are simply looking for the lowest cost, a basic undamped stop is the most cost effective. The most simplistic of the options, an undamped stop is a robust and simple stopping process which can be used to position pallets or conveyor line products in the necessary locations. These stops also have short cycle times, as only the lowering function is required, which makes them ideal in applications where the main requirement is high productivity.
There are times, however, when the items you wish to stop are a little more delicate or would be damaged by an abrupt impact (due to their own higher mass) such as that caused by the undamped stops.
That’s when you need to explore more elaborate options – and where damped stops are almost certainly a better alternative.
A damped stop factors in an impact-reducing mechanism which gradually reduces the speed of the pallet/product being stopped – this slower stopping process reduces the potential for damage. This impact reduction is measured at up to 95% – a process which may take longer, but which – with a steady, smooth and stable deceleration, protects the items from damage as they are processed.
Both the damped and undamped stops are available as either pneumatic or electric models – each range offering its own benefits, depending on the application and use planned for the conveyor – and which of these further alternatives best suits your design is something which our technical engineers can discuss with you in more detail; give Drive Lines a call today and let us know what you’re aiming to achieve, and we can direct you towards the most suitable components.