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Garvey Corporation » Press Releases

July 26, 2013 – Understanding Packaging & Manufacturing Terminology

Throughput, line efficiency, line analysis, lean manufacturing, accumulator, accumulation table, bi flo, bi-directional, buffer system, buffer table, buffer conveyor, rotary turntable, rotary table:

What do these terms have in common?

Besides being terms we are very familiar with here at Garvey, they are all used and interchanged within the manufacturing industry. Most facilities that our engineers walk into don’t use the term “throughput” to describe their daily, weekly or monthly output of product, they may use the term “line efficiency” instead. When a plant manager or engineer talks about accumulation, they often don’t even use the word accumulation. Instead, they may say buffer conveyor or in many cases they don’t even consider accumulation. Sometimes one of our engineers will be describing a Bi Flo Accumulation table to a plant manager and the manager will say something like, “OH, you mean a Bi Di?” We come across these types of situations very often in our line of work. Not only do we have to prove to a plant manager that accumulation, placed in there right areas will increase throughput dramatically, we first have to explain what accumulation and throughput are in the first place. So, before we can even get close to providing solutions to our customers, there is a list of terms and concepts that often times must be taught to plant managers or engineers just so we all know we are speaking the same language and are on the same page.

Let’s take the time in the article to clarify and describe these terms and their importance and relevance in every manufacturing/production facility out there.

Throughput (also spelled Thruput): This term is used in the communications industry and in technology industries AND in manufacturing. For the sake of this article and it’s readers, we will focus on what it means for manufacturing. Throughput is simply the average amount of products a packaging line produces per minute while fully functioning. With this number, it is easy to figure out how many products are produced per shift, per day, per month and per year. There is a mathematical equation for figuring out any facility’s throughput. You can learn more here.

Line Efficiency: This term is used when talking about the overall efficiency of a production line and directly pertains to a factory’s throughput. There is a new field of study in engineering specifically focused on plant design and efficiency. It is called PSE or Production Systems Engineering. Read about it here.

Buffer Conveyor or Accumulation Table: These multi-purpose machines are typically used before and after the slowest machine in a production line or the constraint. This protects the constraint from the rest of the line, allowing it work at it’s most efficient rate.

There are many different types of accumulations systems out there. How does one go about figuring out which accumulation solution is good for their product line? Well we can start by answering a few simple questions:

- Is your production line high speed?
- Is your product fragile or hard to handle?
- What is your current line efficiency?
- Which machine is your constraint?
- Do you have more than one constraint?

The answers to these questions will help you figure out the right accumulation system for your line. Now, let’s differentiate between types of accumulation systems.

The Bi Flo, Not to be confused with a Bi-directional conveyor, is a simple solution that can work well as an accumulation table in many situations. The Bi Flo usually consists of two conveyors flush against each other. One conveyor is running forward and the other is running in reverse. With the proper guide placements and speeds, the conveyors can allow numerous products to circulate for many minutes before having to out-feed them. The Bi Flo can reduce pressure and can also orient, single-file or multi-lane products at the out-feed. However, it is worth noting that the Bi Flo cannot run as quickly as other forms of accumulators. A Bi-Di or Bi-directional buffer conveyor is a simple high pressure accumulator that uses one wide conveyor. It runs in one direction to accumulate products and runs in the opposite direction to out-feed the products back into the production line.

The Rotary or Turntable Accumulator: A Rotary Table is similar the shape of a small round poker table, only the table top spins. The surface is usually metal and sometimes plastic. Guide work consists of a series of plows to help coax products toward the outside of the table. Near the desired transfer area, guides are placed in a manner that directs products on the outside of the Rotary Table onto the transfer area and out of the table.

Infinity Accumulation Table This accumulation solution is unique to Garvey. We’ve invented a continuous loop technology that can work with high speed lines, fragile or hard to handle products. The Infinity provides pressureless accumulation and orientation which is what makes it different from other accumulators. Learn more here.


Accumulation should be considered for most existing lines and new or expanding lines as well. It is a way of assuring optimal operation of the entire line, even when certain machines slow down the rest of production. Our job here at Garvey is not just to provide patented solutions, it is also to be useful consultants that educate and inform our customers and the industries we serve. The more someone knows, the more informed decisions they can make. Feel free to contact us if you have any questions related to this article or to anything else relevant to the product handling industry.

Understanding Packaging & Manufacturing Terminology
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Posted 7/26/13 at 11:01am by Garvey Corporation