Extending Infeed belt

[TCT]

Seems like you can debate this between 3 or 4 people and there are different views. Wondering what the general consensus here is-

Your current dryer has a 5' infeed and a 5' outfeed. At times there is a bottleneck at the infeed(not ample space for multiple large prints) nothing drastic, maybe wait 3 or 4 seconds for a opening, but I would rather NOT have that wait. SO increasing the infeed section from 5' to say 8' or 10' would that help alleviate the bottleneck or would it just push it back another 3' or 5'?

Either way you look at the situation it is a Band-aid fix, I understand that. The proper answer is wider belt or bigger heat chamber. Lets for the sake of it here focus on the Band-aid issue.

[jvanick]

to me, simple math... if you extend it, the shirts still are running at the same speed... all you do is take longer to get to your bottleneck.

IMO, longer infeed is to handle multiple presses more efficiently.
longer outfeed is to let shirts cool longer before falling into the box, or give your catchers a bit more time to 'catch' the shirt before it falls.

[GraphicDisorder]

Nick's got it I think. Belt is still moving same speed.

[Frog]

My dryer was used being fed by two presses, and extended about three feet to aid that. I think that it would only help in that situation.

[Gilligan]

But who is Nick?

[jvanick]

everybody seems to see my userid a bit differently.

it's jvanick... which is a throw back to my unix days back in the late 80's, early 90's.

my last name is Vanick.

a few ways you can look at it:

J = Jay which is what most people call me.
or
J = J. which is my band persona
or
J = Jason

it has nothing to do with Javelin or anything esoteric like that... LOL

[Gilligan]

it has nothing to do with Javelin or anything esoteric like that... LOL

Good cover up, I don't think anyone noticed.

[GraphicDisorder]

everybody seems to see my userid a bit differently.

it's jvanick... which is a throw back to my unix days back in the late 80's, early 90's.

my last name is Vanick.

a few ways you can look at it:

J = Jay which is what most people call me.
or
J = J. which is my band persona
or
J = Jason

it has nothing to do with Javelin or anything esoteric like that... LOL

You are Nick to me forever.  LOL

[jvanick]

You are Nick to me forever.  LOL

ok, bottom feeder, oh wait.. you take that as a compliment

LOL.

[GraphicDisorder]

You are Nick to me forever.  LOL

ok, bottom feeder, oh wait.. you take that as a compliment

LOL.

Yup, sure do.  Haha. 

[3Deep]

I'm gonna agree with Andy on this one a longer infeed helps with the bottle neck, more room to place shirts

[Screened Gear]

If your running an auto onto a belt and printing a full belt, the in feed length will mean nothing once the belt if full into the chamber. Now if your running the auto and at 400 shirts an hour and the belt speed can handle 500 shirts an hour you will have breaks or openings in the belt. The belt length will not effect the amount of openings.

The beat way to fix your issue is run the belt faster by turning up the heat in the chamber.

[Frog]

I'm gonna agree with Andy on this one a longer infeed helps with the bottle neck, more room to place shirts

Don't forget that "Nick" said the same thing! 

[Colin]

If you have a bottle neck at current production speeds at 5 feet - you will still have that same bottleneck at 10 feet.  You are still placing the same number of shirts per square foot of linear moving belt.

So, tldr;  Make that belt move faster = no bottle neck.

How you accomplish a faster moving belt is up to you.

[Frog]

Only works if the bottleneck is due to the unloader of press #2 having to wait until the sshirt from press #1 (only shirt that fits on the infeed) has moved along
Two unloaders, running at the right speed, and learning to stagger their rhythm, make it work.