Conveyor systems are static and rigid, but not if it's up to Boa Concept. This French specialist has developed a modular and flexible conveyor system that can be easily adapted, expanded or moved. Plug-and-Carry, Boa Concept calls it. The advantages for users: flexibility and scalability. So also ideal for e-commerce companies craving mechanisation.
Conveyor systems are difficult to modify or relocate. For two French specialists, this was the reason for starting a new company six years ago: Boa Concept. "Suppose a company has to move because the existing warehouse has become too small. Dismantling the existing conveyor system and installing and reprogramming it in the new warehouse is not financially and economically interesting. It is often cheaper to install a completely new system," says Michel Urban, business manager Benelux at Boa Concept.
The cause is the way conveyor systems are controlled. Normally, this is done using PLC control, where the function of each module has to be programmed over and over again. Often, two cables are needed per module to connect to the PLC, leading to a spaghetti of cables. Urban: "Take a warehouse that works with four carriers and has a conveyor system with four outputs for that purpose. If the warehouse wants to engage an additional carrier and expand with a fifth output, in most cases the whole conveyor system has to be reprogrammed."
PLC-free conveyors
Boa Concept has developed a concept that does not require a central control system based on PLC technology. Central to this concept are Boa's conveyor modules, each equipped with all the necessary sensors and actuators connected to an integrated printed circuit board (PCB). When two modules are connected to each other and the Plug-and-Carry application via an Ethernet cable, they can communicate with each other. "Every time we plug in a new module, it is immediately visible on the screen of our application. That application automatically recognises the configuration, so programming is no longer necessary," Urban says.
The Plug-and-Carry concept makes it possible to look at conveyor projects in a different way. For example, a warehouse that wants to mechanise can already start using part of the new conveyor system while the remaining modules have yet to be installed. "In any case, we need fewer man hours to install a conveyor system. We also take a different approach to testing systems. We can immediately test at the end of an assembly day whether all modules placed that day are functioning correctly. Once the whole system is in place, only a stress test is then needed," Urban states.
More flexibility
Users benefit from more flexibility. Need a temporary installation for a one-off operation? No problem for Boa Concept's conveyors. Placing the modules in the right configuration is enough, programming is no longer necessary. When the conveyor is no longer needed, the modules can be used for other purposes. "We have recently even started offering the possibility of renting complete conveyor systems. We call this Conveyor-as-a-Service, which we are starting in France.
Besides flexibility, the concept also offers scalability. In this fast-changing world, it is difficult to look four, five or six years ahead. "A conventional conveyor system with PLC control you really don't want to adapt or expand every two years. With our Plug-and-Carry system, that becomes a lot easier. Users only have to focus on their current needs. If they need more conveyor capacity in a few years, they can easily expand the system. That makes the threshold for small and medium-sized enterprises, think of webshops, for example, to start mechanisation a lot lower," Urban thinks.
In the Benelux
Boa Concept offers conveyors in two versions: a heavy-duty version for pallets up to a thousand kilograms and a light-duty version for boxes, totes and trays. The French company not only produces conveyors, but also acts as a system integrator itself. This enables Boa Concept to deliver complete systems including barcode scanners, film wrapping machines, label applicators and other equipment.
In France, Boa Concept has already built up an impressive customer base in six years with webshops, logistics service providers and distribution companies. Think of companies like Auchan and ID Logistics. For a year now, the French company has also been active in the Benelux. "For one customer, we are working on three projects. For two projects, both in the retail sector, we have already started installing. Among these is one very large project," states Urban, who adds that lead times are usually short. "From signing the contract to completion, we sometimes need no more than 12 weeks. In this case, we need 13 weeks for the smallest project and 18 weeks for the largest. That includes holidays."
