What is a conveyor system? | Automated conveyor systems

What Is a Conveyor System?

Conveyor systems are used across industry sectors to move and manipulate materials and products between locations. These machines are fast, efficient, and based on mechanical components for automatic operation. From factories and distribution centers to retail outlets and airports, this ubiquitous technology is designed to replace or augment human labor.

A conveyor system is a collection of mechanical handling devices that move materials from one place to another. These systems are commonly used to manipulate heavy materials, but they also excel in moving small products and components between different manufacturing, delivery, or transactional stages. Conveyor systems offer a range of benefits to businesses, including more efficient material movement, greater operational control, reduced labor costs, and increased workplace safety.

According to Fortune Business Insights, the global market for conveyor systems is projected to reach $7.43 billion by 2027, including 4.5% annual growth between 2020 and 2027. Let’s review different types of automated conveyor systems and how to choose the right conveyor line for your needs.

Types of conveyor systems

Conveyor system technologies share a number of features, including moving parts to hold materials and frames to guide materials between stages. Depending on the application, conveying equipment may use rollers, wheels, a belt, or a chain to transport objects. While most conveyor systems use motorized drive rollers, magnetic, pneumatic, and vibrating systems can also be used to move certain materials.

In the most typical installation, conveyor systems consist of a belt stretched between multiple pulleys. There are multiple variations available, however, with the following conveyors in common use:

• Belt conveyor – These devices include a moving belt turned by pulleys and attached to a motor. The most common type includes a single drive pulley powered by a rotor. Metal and plastic belts are available alongside standard fabric designs. 
• Chute conveyor – This conveyor type functions as a slide for materials and packages. This technology is often used to transport items between different levels of a building.
• Roller conveyor – These conveyors include gravity rollers and powered or live rollers. The former type consists of cylindrical rollers on a decline, and the latter type uses a chain or belt to move the rollers.
• Bucket conveyor – These conveyors are often used to move grain and other agricultural products. A series of buckets attached to a chain or cable is used to scoop up, transport, and dump materials.
• Ball transfer conveyor – This type of technology is used in some manufacturing plants to move objects around. A series of ball casters on a table enables multi-directional movement.
• Chain conveyor – These conveyors utilize a chain instead of rollers or a belt. Chain conveyors are used to move heavy objects close to the ground, with slat conveyors using two chains and a guiding system for additional control.
• Trolley conveyor – Common in manufacturing plants, this entire family of conveyors is designed to carry loads beneath the track rather than on top. An inverted monorail conveyor is a trolley conveyor turned upside down.
• Vertical conveyor – As their name would suggest, these conveyors are designed to lift materials and products between levels of a building.

How to choose the right conveyor system

If you are setting up or expanding an industrial or commercial business, you may need to invest in new conveyor devices. Choosing between systems is not always easy, with so many issues to consider and variables to take into account. While you need to review product requirements, you also need to analyze procedural demands and infrastructure restrictions.

From the size of your building to the type of materials you need to transport, the following factors are important:

• Building size and architecture
• Material access points
• Material type and requirements
• Operational and workplace safety
• Energy efficiency
• Reliability and maintenance
• Ability to expand or change over time
• Total and opportunity costs

Commercial and industrial conveyor systems play a vital role in many modern businesses. As a key part of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, conveyor line technology allows you to automate and control every aspect of your operation. In order to benefit from conveyors, however, it’s important to select different system types based on the unique needs of your business.If you would like to learn more about conveyors or to boost your production with new equipment solutions, please check out Handling Solutions today to request a quote on your next conveyor.