UPM Conveyors have invested circa £50k in AUTODESK INVENTOR 3D solid modelling design software for creating 3D digital prototypes using the design visualisation and simulation of products.

This will benefit their customers in being able to visualise the proposed solution for a product handling application as the image can be rotated through 360 degrees so eliminating any risk of the system not interfacing to existing equipment and being accommodated within the allocated production area. The new software includes assembly stress analysis allowing UPM Conveyors input driving loads; friction characteristics and dynamic components then to run dynamic simulation tests to see how a product would work under real world conditions.

The picture shown illustrates a Pepper Grader being manufactured for Thanet Earth who are based on the Isle of Thanet in Kent and boast the largest most high-tech greenhouse complex in the UK with enough glass to cover 80 football pitches for growing tomatoes; peppers and cucumbers with exceptional green credentials and as part of a continuous efficiency improvement programme consulted UPM Conveyors to automate the grading of Peppers at a rate of 3 tonnes per hour.