Tsubaki zip chain actuators always meet the needs of high production

Each zip chain actuator has several components.

The product line available from Tsubaki of Canada offers solutions for many manufacturing issues. Certain issues occur during stacking and unstacking applications. For example, the use of hydraulic cylinders in stacking equipment can slow down production in shipping lines; in addition, manual stacking is inefficient and unsafe. Fortunately, Tsubaki has the perfect solution for both problems – zip chain actuators (ZCAs), which are designed to satisfy the needs of modern production processes.

Capable of various speeds

Each Tsubaki ZCA is made of two strands of special chains that zip together into one column, allowing push and pull functions over long strokes. Users can house unzipped chains compactly to save space, unlike with standard pneumatic and hydraulic cylinders. Advantages of these zip chain actuators include their compact size, high-speed capability, free mounting directions, and efficiency.

With hydraulic cylinders, lifters installed by digging pits can handle inflowing products only one at a time. The extra space needed for the pits interferes with space requirements and limits the amount of lifters per area; this complicates maintenance, as well as mitigation of the amount of oil leakage per unit. Because hydraulic cylinders can only function slowly, operations often cannot move enough products to meet high production demand.

All this trouble is eliminated with Tsubaki zip chain actuators. These units function at different speeds to meet increased production needs, able to handle more with less. With their coiled construction, the chain is properly kept and guided back to the rest position. Among the benefits: pits are no longer necessary, maintenance is minimal, and a clean, environmentally friendly workplace is maintained with no oil or other hydraulic materials.

ZCAs also replace manpower in lifting and loading. Manual stacking not only increases health and safety risks for employees; it is also inefficient, as lifted load sizes depend on the workers’ strengths. Tsubaki ZCAs eliminate safety concerns, and they are designed to accommodate high-precision multipoint stopping. Conveyors can deliver products with height-matching capabilities, and the ZCAs can stack more products at a time with their compact size, thereby boosting production runs and time savings.

For more information, contact Tsubaki.

• Tweet