Bosch Rexroth is gearing up for several new conveyorintroductions at NationalManufacturing Week later this month in Chicago. They include units that will carryheavier loads and ones which will handle solar panels.

The solar push springs from the growth in that industry,according to Kevin Gingerich, directorof marketing services for B-R's Linear Motion and Assembly Technologies.

"The solar industry does not know what it needs and isgrowing at 40 percent a year," says Gingerich. "They are getting to the point wherethey need to automate. There are no standards. We want to polish up thistechnology and create a standard."

The new conveyor breaks from tradition because the solarpanel itself is the work piece carrier. "A typical assembly line has a[separate] work piece carrier. You can stop it, turn it and lift it," says Gingerich. "In this case, the solar panel is the transport medium."

B-R will also add two new heavy-weight conveyors to its TSor Transfer System line. The TS5 will carry up to 660 lbs and theTS6 will carry up to 1,000 lbs when it comes out next year. The TS6will be a static display at NMW while the TS5 will be operating, according toGingerich.

Until now, B-R's conveyors carried between 200-300 lbs,Gingerich says. "They are used for Bosch kinds of things such as a fuelinjection system." Now they will be able to handle heavier subassemblies suchas an auto transmission.

Gingerich says B-R has also signed an agreement to sellclean room conveyors from Middlesex Industries.