Team Members & Role:

• Erin Bergeron – Team Lead
• Austin Gurney – Analysis
• Adam Howard – Design
• Kurt Karram – Fabrication
• Nate Wytrwal – Evaluation

Abstract:
The rack and diverter tote accumulation system has been developed to increase the production efficiency of one of Callaway Golf’s golf ball production lines. Our system solution hopes to solve Callaway’s main two priorities: decreasing the frequency of operators interfacing with the system and to eliminate waste caused by tote overflow. The rack and diverter system, implemented downstream of the injection molder, will transfer and then store golf balls into totes. Callaway’s design solution requires a unique and cost-effective solution that will enable minimal changes to upstream and downstream processes. As such, existing technologies such as conveyance systems, vertical transportation, and accumulation systems are not optimized for Callaway’s process. Our team’s solution is to accumulate the balls in a rack preloaded with empty totes where balls are fed to the totes via a diverter system. By keeping totes stationary, as opposed to conventional accumulation systems, our solution optimizes simplicity and decreased stress on moving components.