MH Material Handling: line efficiency and the role of accumulation systems

The importance of the buffer in reducing inefficiency caused by machine downtime

Anyone who manages a packaging line knows the feeling: the machines are running, yet at the end of the shift the numbers don't add up. A few minutes lost here, an unexpected stop there. It is the silent accumulation of micro-inefficiencies that erodes real productivity.
A line is not a collection of isolated machines, but a dynamic system in which every station affects the others. When a downstream machine stops, the ripple effect reaches upstream within seconds, and the entire line pays the price of every micro-stop. This is where buffers play a role that goes well beyond simple temporary storage.

The buffer not an afterthought but a design element

At M.H. Material Handling we define the accumulation system as the "lungs" of the line: a controlled area where products are temporarily held to give the entire process room to breathe. When downstream machines stop, the buffer absorbs the products; when the line restarts, they re-enter the flow without slowing upstream sections. To perform at its best, the buffer should be designed together with the line, not added as an afterthought. Correct sizing covers 2–5 minutes of production, with the possibility of expansion and modification based on the needs of each line.

LIFO or FIFO

Buffers follow two main logics. LIFO systems are compact and suited to long shelf-life products. FIFO systems ensure that products exit in the same sequence they entered: essential for fresh or refrigerated foods, or wherever lot traceability is required. With growing attention to food safety, FIFO systems are gaining ground even in sectors where simpler solutions once prevailed.

A range for every context

There is no universal buffer. For high-speed lines, the BAT Buffer offers up to 150 metres of LIFO accumulation with a compact footprint and zero pressure on the product.
To manage the production at best, the M.H Material Handling Heliflex develops storage vertically using a double-spiral self-supporting chain: from 130 to over 400 metres, suitable also for products requiring thermal conditioning.
For the full traceability in markets as chocolate, refrigerated goods, pharmaceuticals, the FIFO 5L can manage the flow dynamically and without pressure. Where space is limited, vertical accumulation, serpentine conveyors and recirculation systems effectively handle short interruptions.

Designing accumulation

The real evolution is not about the technology of the individual buffer, but the approach with which it is integrated into the line. M.H. works alongside customers from the very first layout analysis, identifying bottlenecks and sizing the system before even choosing the solution, building stability from the outset.