By adopting the latest ammunition packaging assembly line, Howell Ammunition and Technology Company has grown from producing 400000 rounds of ammunition per day to over two million rounds in the past two years. Their brands, including Freedom Ammunition and X-Treme bullets, have successfully reflected their commitment to product quality and customer service, and are said to be unparalleled in the shooting industry. To support their extraordinary growth, Howell installed a complete rifle ammunition packaging assembly line system. The result of installation is an increase in production volume and a reduction in labor costs.

Ammunition packaging assembly line

When I started working at Howell's Lewiston Idaho factory, all the packaging was done manually. It was a labor-intensive process with 45 people per shift. I knew we could do better, "recalled Jeff Hamridge, a maintenance supervisor and process engineer at Howell Ammunition and Technology Company.

Ammunition packaging assembly line system

I have experience in completing packaging assembly lines in my previous job, "he said. Automated packaging assembly lines are not only used in the ammunition industry, but can also be applied to food, medicine, and other products. Although automated packaging is unusual for a military company like ours, this packaging production line only took us four and a half months to pay for ourselves, allowing us to dispatch 34 people while doubling production

This production line is used to process various products and integrates VersaSort bulk feeders, visual inspection systems, robots, cardboard boxes, and laser printers. Howell's system packages up to 350 parts per minute and produces 20 and 50 counting cartons.

Explosive ammunition packaging assembly line

 Operation process of ammunition packaging assembly line

1. Firstly, the bulk feeder directs the ammunition into a fan-shaped conveyor. Unlike vibrating or circular bowl feeding systems, it can complete bonding and gently process products using opposing belts. The feeder also controls product surges to achieve continuous and stable flow, and accurately organizes products to present to downstream visual inspection systems, which search for lost pellets or primer.

Previously, manual inspection was used, but human attention ability has decreased. Machines will never feel bored or distracted,

2. Next, the boxing robot picks up the ammunition and places it in the cardboard box. The four axis robot was selected for its speed, accuracy, and repeatability. The vacuum sensing feature confirms that there was no product drop during the transmission process.

This intermittent motion machine is servo driven, adaptable to various carton sizes and styles, fast and easy to convert, and capable of producing up to 60 cartons per minute. The feature of Howell's ammunition packaging assembly line system is the optional bar frame, which prevents gunpowder from accumulating in the tubing. The open design provides convenience for cleaning and maintenance, and the 8x4 foot footprint is reportedly the smallest in the industry.

Ammunition packaging assembly line

 A major advantage of this packaging line

1. It can flexibly handle all five types of rifle ammunition shell sizes. The entire ammunition packaging assembly line can be converted in just half an hour. Everything is modular, just remove one part, put in a new part, lock it, and then leave. Overall, this device is very easy to operate,

2. Everything is controlled within 10 inches and operated on a color touch screen. Its ease of use also simplifies the training process, allowing the trainer to send two operators for training and making it easy to master.

3. All moving parts are safe during line operation, but there is a great opportunity for cleaning and maintenance.