Roller Conveyors - Types, Uses and Benefits

Gravity Curve with GuardrailGravity
  • Ball Table
  • Non-powered.
  • Many types and sizes.
  • Often seen in warehouses distribution centres.
LineshaftLine Shaft 1
  • Powered rollers.
  • Semi-positive drive.
  • Variety of speeds available.
  • Use a transversely mounted shaft to drive the rollers with o-rings.
  • Can run continuously.
  • Quiet and smooth, due to precision bearings.
  • Can handle a wide array of products.
  • Often seen in various manufacturing plants and distribution centres.
motorized driven rollerMotorized Driven Roller (MDR)
  • The future of accumulation conveyors.
  • Whisper-quiet.
  • Powered roller has internal electric motor that slave-drives a series of other rollers forming a zone.
  • Energy saving as they only run selectively in different zones.
  • Each zone is controlled using photo cells to detect product and drive cards to tell the drive roller when and how to move.
  • Easily configured. All cards can talk to each other so the first, last and all in between know their role and sequence.
  • Used for accumulation, often in distribution centres and where it is desirable to have a series of packages be back to front in a neat line.
  • Variable speed.
  • A variety of powered rollers are available running on AC and DC power depending on the application.
Chain Driven Live Roller (CDLR)Chain Drive Live Roller (CDLR)
  • Heavy duty.
  • Positive drive.
  • Double sprockets welded to roller faces and rollers slave-driven off of each other.
  • Common in moving heavy loads like pallets, International Bulk Containers (IBCs) and Super Sacks.
Belt Driven Live Roller (BDLR)
  • Different types of belts (round, v, flat) used to drive rollers from underneath.
  • Positive drive.
  • Can be used to accumulate products in "zones".
  • Smooth running and quiet

Belt Conveyors - Types, Uses and Benefits

belt conveyorFabric Belt Conveyors
  • Many widths/sizes available.
  • Belts available for most any application.
  • Various profiles available which can be adhered to the belt's top or bottom surface.
  • Common profiles are cleats, side flights and v-guides which interface with grooves on the pulleys to help the belt track straight.
  • Can move products with uneven bottom surfaces like an engine block for instance.
  • Standard and heavy duty options available.
Plastic Modular Belt Conveyors
  • Variety of belt types available.
  • Cleats and side flights can be used to lift product up an incline, control its descent on a decline or prevent it from falling off the side.
  • Common in food handling applications as it is easy to clean.
  • Also used in logistics and fulfillment.
  • Positively driven by sprockets like a bicycle chain.
  • Can be made to go around curves with specific belts.
Hockey Stick and Z-shaped Conveyors
  • Can be made with both fabric and modular belts.
  • Used to get product along a flat and then up an incline.
  • Common applications are take away conveyors from injection molding machines and in food co-packing plants transporting finished products from a packing or molding machine to other operations.