Q&A with Jonathan Lim: AutoRoll+™ S: Smarter Conveyor Solutions for Reliable, Flexible Warehouse Operations

1. What are customers telling you they need most from their conveyor systems today?

Jonathan Lim, Product Manager at Daifuku Intralogistics America:

At the end of the day, customers want a conveyor system that simply works. They need reliable equipment that keeps products moving efficiently without causing daily operational headaches.

Common challenges such as product damage, jams, skewed loads, or items getting stuck can slow productivity and increase costs. AutoRoll+™ S helps eliminate these issues with zero-contact accumulation, allowing products to move smoothly without bumping into one another.

It can also handle a wide variety of products at the same time, including totes, polybags, and cartons, even when there are significant differences in size and weight. With multiple zone-length options available, customers can customize the system to maximize throughput for their specific operation.

2. How does the system help simplify operations for warehouse managers and frontline employees?

Jonathan Lim:

AutoRoll+™ S features run-on-demand zones, which means the conveyor only operates when it needs to move product.

This smart approach reduces energy consumption, lowers noise levels, and minimizes wear on the system. As a result, warehouse managers benefit from lower operating costs, while employees enjoy a quieter and more comfortable work environment.

3. How flexible is AutoRoll+™ S when customer requirements change or operations grow?

Jonathan Lim:

Flexibility is built into the design of AutoRoll+™ S.

The system is available in a range of standard and custom modules that can be combined to support virtually any material handling application. Whether the need is transportation, accumulation, routing, or product transfers, the system can be configured to fit current requirements and easily expanded as operations grow.

Typical applications include indexing, zero-contact accumulation, staging, merging, diverting, inclines, declines, and curves, giving customers a scalable solution that evolves alongside their business.

4. How does the product help customers reduce downtime and keep operations running smoothly?

Jonathan Lim:

AutoRoll+™ S is designed to make maintenance and recovery faster and simpler.

The conveyor features separate control power and motor power conductors. This allows the network connection to remain active during an emergency stop, making system recovery quicker and easier.

It also includes Automatic Module Replacement technology. When a control card is replaced, the system automatically updates the configuration data, eliminating the need to reconfigure the entire conveyor line. This helps reduce downtime and gets operations back up and running faster.

5. How flexible is AutoRoll+™ S in terms of product handling capability?

Jonathan Lim:

AutoRoll+™ S is engineered to handle a wide variety of products with confidence.

Three sensor options are available to ensure reliable product detection across different load types:

• Narrow-beam retro-reflective photo-eyes for most cartons and totes

• Array photo-eyes for thin products

• Between-roller sensor bars for applications where side-mounted sensors are not practical

For heavier loads, customers can choose a two-MDR-per-zone configuration, providing additional power to move products consistently and help prevent jams.

The system also features new full-width belts, which improve the handling of irregularly shaped products such as polybags while delivering reliable performance for heavier loads, including applications involving inclines

6. How does AutoRoll+™ S create a better working environment for employees?

Jonathan Lim:

Employee safety and comfort were top priorities in the design of AutoRoll+™ S.

The conveyor includes enhanced safety features such as side-channel openings smaller than ¼ inch, finger guards, and between-zone guards to help protect employees from potential pinch points and entanglement hazards.

In addition, AutoRoll+™ S operates at exceptionally low noise levels. Because the system runs only when needed, there is virtually no sound during accumulation or when products are not present. The result is a safer, quieter, and more comfortable workplace for warehouse teams.

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