Neri Logistics S.r.l., a company situated near Florence, Italy, designs and manufactures automatic machines for the pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries. They specialize in the production of labelers, bottle washers, ampoule cleaners, sterilization tunnels, as well as different packaging systems. They have also successfully used the new FlexLink modular concept in their systems.

Mean-time-to-repair, an impact on production costs
“Belt conveyors certainly offer economic advantages in comparison with traditional conveyors, but they have drawbacks as well”, says Giuseppe Cardini, Production Manager at Neri Logistics. As a matter of fact, they often tear as a result of a glass bottle breakage. In these cases, the machine downtime could even be three hours, not to mention the cost of the spare parts.” 

“When we have to change the production layout, belt conveyors offer a poor flexibility and we often have to replace them”, Cardini adds. “Moreover, the available space in the plant cannot be fully exploited, since the belt conveyors cannot go around a corner.

The modular conveyor solution for light applications
“The philosophy of the FlexLink world is innovation. The technical solutions involve layout, materials, profile and chain features, design, orders, assembly, packaging and shipment” explains Paolo Pusceddu, FlexLink. “That is how the modular EM conveyor was born. 

This means that they can only be ordered according to a predetermined layout. There are seven base modules, which can be combined in different ways. Pre-assembled at FlexLink, already mounted modules are delivered to customers within a week from order. 

10 days from realized need to assembled conveyor
“We have been using FlexLink conveyors for a long time. Therefore we know their advantages in terms of long service life and fast maintenance”, says Paolo Labardi, Technical Department Manager, Neri. 

“When the EM conveyor had been introduced to us, we highly appreciated its new features: easy to order (without any need of design work to be made by us), and assembly carried out by FlexLink. The fact that it takes no more than ten days from the date we realize the need of having a conveyor to the date we get it mounted on the machine is of great importance to us.”

Flexibility and safety
“EM’s performance is perfect in all our light applications”, adds Labardi. “The small sized heads are ideal for the inlet to the machines. Versatility of chain over belt, together with the fact that we do not have to assemble anything, are both great advantages that we have appreciated since the first order we made.

“The product has been tailored to meet the needs of the packaging industry, in order to assure maximum safety for both operators and transported products. For instance, the plain links of EM conveyors are specifically designed to minimize the risk of tearing the shrink-wrapped film when the products are not packed into boxes”, ends Paolo Pusceddu.