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What is Conveyor Line
A conveyor system is a fast and efficient mechanical handling apparatus for automatically transporting loads and materials within an area. This system minimizes human error, lowers workplace risks and reduces labor costs - among other benefits. They are useful in helping to move bulky or heavy items from one point to another. A conveyor system may use a belt, wheels, rollers, or a chain to transport objects.
We specialize in customizing all kinds of belt conveyor equipment to meet the needs of various industrial production. The materials of conveyor equipment racks are mainly stainless steel, aluminum profiles, carbon steel, square pass baking paint, etc. The belt is determined according to the environment used by the customer, such as acid resistance, food grade, anti-static... The commonly used ones are PU/PVC/silicone/canvas/Teflon, etc. Belt conveyor is a kind of material conveying equipment widely used in production enterprises. It is mainly composed of conveyor belt, drive motor, supporting equipment, control and protection devices. Usually several belt conveyors cross each other to form a complete conveying system to realize long-distance conveying of materials. The operation of the belt conveyor is directly related to the safety of the conveying equipment and personnel in the production process. How to make the belt conveyor protection device work efficiently, reliably and stably in the production operation has very important practical significance. The types of belt conveyors are: single-layer belt conveyor line, double-layer belt conveyor line, food PU belt conveyor, turning belt conveyor, double-layer track belt conveyor line, suspended belt conveyor line, climbing conveyor, logistics conveyor , logistics turning conveying, etc.
Conveyor Systems Help Automating Human Operations
This is one of the main reasons for installing a conveyor system. Your new system would be used to aid and replace some of the workloads from your workforce. Likewise, they are installed to automate the transportation of products or goods around your workplace. Thus, reducing the length and complexity of task completion for your workforce. Meanwhile, the amount of time saved will ensure a higher level of productivity.
Conveyor Systems Help Eliminate Risks and Injuries to your Workforce
Following on from the previous benefit, eliminating risks in your workplace is very important. Making your employees' tasks easier, by reducing the lifting and carrying of potentially heavy and awkwardly shaped goods will provide your workplace with fewer risks than before. In the same vein, creating a safer environment for your workforce will increase productivity and employee satisfaction for your workforce.
Conveyor Systems Have Higher Levels of Control
Installation of conveyors in your workplace allows for higher levels of control. By reducing the possibility of human error as much as before, your new installation would give you a higher level of control. Higher levels of control will allow you to concentrate on improving efficiency, rather than worrying as much about safety and human errors as much.
Cost Savings
As your business grows, demand for your product will be the driving factor behind this. As a result, you will have to improve the supply of your products, this may mean an expansion of your site or the employment of more staff. However, the installation of a conveyor system is a long–term and cost-effective option.
Adaptability
Conveyor systems offer high levels of adaptability. Firstly, they are easily adaptable to a range of industries and functions, with a range of different types of systems. Secondly, the flexibility to adapt to different sizes and weights of produce is a bonus factor to an installation.
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With rich experience and one-to-one service,we can help you choose products and answer technical questions.
Customization services
They provide customization services to meet specific customer requirements, ensuring that clients receive products that exactly fit their needs.
Innovation
We are dedicated to improving our systems continually, ensuring that the technology we offer is always cutting edge.
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We try and respond to all concerns within 24 hours and our teams are always at your disposal in case of any emergencies.
Belt Conveyors
Belt conveyors are the workhorses of the conveyor system world. They consist of a continuous belt loop, typically made of rubber, fabric, or metal, which moves over a series of rollers. Belt conveyors are versatile and can handle various types of materials, ranging from small items to bulk materials. They are extensively used in industries like manufacturing, mining, agriculture, and food processing, where materials need to be transported over long distances or between different stages of production.
Pallet Conveyors
Pallet conveyors are specifically designed to handle heavy loads and palletised goods. They utilise sturdy roller or chain conveyor systems to move pallets efficiently. Pallet conveyors are widely used in warehouses, distribution centres, and manufacturing facilities for loading and unloading trucks, transporting goods, and managing storage in racks. These conveyors significantly improve the efficiency of material handling processes, ensuring a smooth flow of goods within the facility.
Gravity Conveyors
Gravity conveyors utilise the force of gravity to move goods along a downward-sloping path. These conveyors are economical, as they require no external power source to operate. They are perfect for transporting lightweight items, cartons, and packages over short distances. Gravity conveyors are commonly used for manual picking and packing operations, as well as loading and unloading trucks.
Line Shaft-Powered Roller Conveyors
Line shaft-powered roller conveyors use a rotating shaft with interconnected rollers to move products along the conveyor line. The shaft is powered by a central drive, which transfers power to the rollers via belts or bands. Line shaft-powered roller conveyors are efficient, flexible, and suitable for conveying products of various sizes and weights. They are often employed in assembly lines, order fulfilment centres and packaging facilities.
Belt Under Roller Conveyor Systems
Belt-under roller conveyors combine the benefits of belt conveyors and powered roller conveyors. They have a belt running beneath a set of rollers, allowing for smooth transportation of items with a positive drive. These conveyors are commonly used for handling irregularly shaped or delicate items, as the belt prevents them from falling between the rollers.
Chain and Roller Turntables
Chain and roller turntables are rotating platforms used for changing the direction of conveyor lines or redirecting items to another path. They provide flexibility and versatility in conveyor layouts, enabling seamless movement of goods around corners and junctions. Chain and roller turntables are widely used in distribution centres, sorting systems, and warehouses with complex conveyor configurations.
Spiral Elevators
Spiral elevators, also known as spiral conveyors, are a space-saving solution for vertically transporting goods between different levels of a facility. They consist of a rotating belt or chain that moves items upward or downward in a spiral path. Spiral elevators are commonly used in industries with limited floor space, such as food production, warehousing, and automotive manufacturing.
Typically, conveyor systems consist of a belt stretched across two or more pulleys. The belt forms a closed loop around the pulleys so it can continually rotate. One pulley, known as the drive pulley, drives or tows the belt, moving items from one location to another.
The most common conveyor system designs use a rotor to power the drive pulley and belt. The belt remains attached to the rotor through the friction between the two surfaces. For the belt to move effectively, both the drive pulley and idler must run in the same direction, either clockwise or counterclockwise.
While conventional conveyor systems such as moving walkways and grocery store conveyors are straight, sometimes, the unit needs to turn to deliver the items to the proper location. For the turns, there are unique cone-shaped wheels or rotors which allow the belt to follow a bend or twist without getting tangled.
There are three main parts of a conveyor system: the belt support, the pulley and the drive unit. Each component plays an essential role in the conveyor unit's operation. While all conveyor systems contain these parts, designs vary in the construction materials and where each component is located.
Belt support is the component that ensures the belt moves smoothly. If the support unit is not firm, the belt sags when workers place a heavy object on top, and the sagging causes the belt not to move smoothly or swiftly as it should. The use of a firm support unit keeps the belt taut and running efficiently.
The pulley system is an external component used to control the belt movement. Each unit has at least two pulleys, one that operates under power and an idle one. More complex conveyor systems may have additional rotors throughout the frame.
The drive unit allows the system to move. The unit contains a counter bearing that keeps the parts moving efficiently. This unit also allows for the belt to move in reverse and manage the repeated adjustments in direction for some systems. Some conveyor systems are manually operated. These systems still use a drive unit; however, it is not motorized.
A conveyor more or less acts as a central nervous system for operations that receive, handle, store, distribute, manufacture or ship products. Selecting the right conveyor system can be challenging for warehouse managers and other stakeholders due to the several conveyor types and hundreds of possible configurations to choose from.
Also, there are several factors to consider when trying to identify and purchase the ideal conveyor system for your warehousing or distribution facility. You should simultaneously consider both product and process requirements.
First off, an ideal conveyor system must be:
Operationally safe
Energy efficient
Reliable (parts and components engineered to last).
Adaptable to changing needs.
Cost-effective (in terms of TCO, or total cost of ownership).
Installing the wrong conveyor system will quickly undermine a warehouse's operational efficiency, leading to higher cost and lower customer satisfaction, eventually stripping the business of its competitive advantage.
Product requirements
Essentially, a conveyor system is used to move items between functional areas of a distribution facility. As such, the type of item(s) to be moved will determine the design, dimensions and type of conveyor system to be installed.
What type of product is being conveyed?
What is the average weight per foot of product?
What is the maximum weight of the products?
What are the minimum, maximum and average dimensions of the product (i.e., length, width and height)?
What is the dimensional data for each product?
How are the products being conveyed and in what orientation?
Factors such as product weight, dimensions and fragility will greatly impact your decision process. The dimensions of the items in your facility will determine conveyor width, guide rail specifications and roller centers, while the weight of the products will decide roller gauge, roller diameter and motor sizing requirements.
Process requirements
Process requirements cover factors governing how the conveyor should move and the unique conditions of the operating environment. These considerations include:
The distance items need to move between functional areas.
The pathway through which it moves - are there stops, elevation changes, curves or diversions?
Product orientation - must items be positioned in a particular way (for easy scanning of barcodes, transfer, etc.)?
Transfer speed - short, rapid movement or slow, steady movement?
Ambient environment.
Available space
Flow rate
Your conveyor system should be able to handle your facility's average transfer rate as well as periods of peak demand due to seasonal fluctuations. The number of products you need to transport per hour (or per minute) will determine conveyor length and speed.
Also, certain kinds of conveyors are ideal for certain products. A large plastic chain conveyor is best used for transferring plastic-footed pallets, while a chain-driven roller conveyor is best suited for wooden pallets. Also, the former is best used for moving smaller boxes or totes than the latter.
Transfer requirements
The point where items are transferred to and from the conveyor is a critical one. Most conveyors use side to side transfers, powered transfers, dead plates, gravity rollers, etc. to facilitate this. Products with a smaller footprint may require a powered transfer, while larger and longer products may need gravity rollers.
There are many ways that a conveying system can fit into an operation to increase efficiency and enhance speed. Prior to making the decision to install a conveying system, there are certain, important considerations that have to be examined. Each system is designed to meet the demands of a specific application.
Space
Conveying system manufacturers examine the available space to determine system design. This step requires identifying interaction points, clearances, obstructions, or any possible areas that could interfere with material movement. Though automated systems are most common, how the system is used will determine whether it is motorized or manual.
Load Capacity
Once the system has been laid out and given a pattern, it has to be determined what will be the amount of materials it can carry. Overloading a system can damage it or cause it to stop in the midst of its operation. Factors that influence the load capacity are overall length and bed width as well as the drive system.
Speed
The speed of a conveying system is measured in feet per minute (fpm). The average speed of most conveying systems is 65 fpm, which is how fast a person moves when carrying a 50 lb. package. Though that is the average, the speed can be lowered or raised to fit the application.
Powder or Liquid Material Handling
Powdered material handling has a different set of parameters from conveying systems that handle solid bulky items. A well designed powder and liquid conveying system has to be sufficiently sealed to prevent powder or liquid escaping. Movement of powdered, granular, and chip type materials can have dust build up, which is considered in system design and may necessitate some form of filtration. As with other conveying systems, a careful examination of the characteristics of the material is required.
Configuration
Conveying systems come in a wide variety of shapes, designs, sizes, and forms. They can be vertical, angled, horizontal, curved, include pockets or slats, and have z-frames. Since each system is designed to fit a special application, it would be impossible to cover all of the different configurations. What is important to understand is that there are very few restrictions on adding a conveying system, regardless of the application.
Drive System
The drive of an automated conveying system is the power that moves materials. It has a counter bearing to keep items moving and allows movement along the belt. They can be designed to move items in both directions and be located in the middle, end, or beginning of the system. Overhead systems, though they have similar drives, have ones that may be chain or sprocket driven. Liquids, granular materials, and powders may have conveying systems that use pneumatic power or screw drives.
Drive systems can have single or variable speeds depending on their design. They usually have a system of gears run by a motor. Variable speed drives have become popular for modern conveying since they allow for changes of material flow.
Safety
Conveyor systems are regulated by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and must meet government safety requirements. All conveyor manufacturers are aware of the regulations and adhere to them. Conveying systems are a preventative measure that protect employees from having to lift and move bulky materials.
Note in the image below the emergency stop button, a keyed motor activation, and symbols displaying conveyor operation.
Moving products from point A to B (to avoid wasted time walking, or to reduce movements of forklifts, etc)
To carry products that are too heavy to for team members to lift
To move a product while operators are working on it (or adding to it). Like a final assembly conveyor at an auto plant.
To avoid injury to workers from repetitive movement. Or to prevent damage to products caused by movement.
To deliver products to a robot for processing. Or to receive products from a robot that are ready for the next step.
Storage and buffering uses
To store products between processes or at the final process step.
To create a buffer or accumulation bank. This is a flexible storage system. Use it where the quantity of products in storage can be lower or higher as required to balance process flow.
To sequence or re-sequence products between processes. Power and free systems can provide this.
Conveyors are one of the most flexible types of industrial equipment. When specified and installed they can improve productivity, efficiency and safety. Ultimation has solutions as affordable as a $50 gravity rollers, or as sophisticated as a $5M or more automated system. Conveyors are used to transport bulk material too, like gravel or iron ore.
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Hytrol conveyors, Material handling equipment, Material handling(0/10)
