Conveyor system

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An overhead chain conveyor conveys cars at Mercedes

in Germany

A conveyor system is a common piece of

mechanical handling equipment that
moves materials from one location to
another. Conveyors are especially useful in
applications involving the transportation of
heavy or bulky materials. Conveyor
systems allow quick and efficient
transportation for a wide variety of
materials, which make them very popular
in the material handling and packaging
industries. They also have popular
consumer applications, as they are often
found in supermarkets and airports,
constituting the final leg of item/ bag
delivery to customers. Many kinds of
conveying systems are available and are
used according to the various needs of
different industries. There are chain
conveyors (floor and overhead) as well.
Chain conveyors consist of enclosed
tracks, I-Beam, towline, power & free, and
hand pushed trolleys.

Industries that use conveyor

systems

A lineshaft roller conveyor conveys boxed produce at a

distribution center
A Conveyor belt conveys papers at a newspaper print
plant

Roller conveyor for carton transport in the apparel

industry

Conveyor systems are used widespread

across a range of industries due to the
numerous benefits they provide.
Conveyors are able to safely transport
materials from one level to another,
which when done by human labor would
be strenuous and expensive.
They can be installed almost anywhere,
and are much safer than using a forklift
or other machine to move materials.
They can move loads of all shapes,
sizes and weights. Also, many have
advanced safety features that help
prevent accidents.
There are a variety of options available
for running conveying systems,
including the hydraulic, mechanical and
 fully automated systems, which are
equipped to fit individual needs.

Conveyor systems are commonly used in

many industries, including the Mining,
automotive, agricultural, computer,
electronic, food processing, aerospace,
pharmaceutical, chemical, bottling and
canning, print finishing and packaging.
Although a wide variety of materials can
be conveyed, some of the most common
include food items such as beans and
nuts, bottles and cans, automotive
components, scrap metal, pills and
powders, wood and furniture and grain and
animal feed. Many factors are important in
the accurate selection of a conveyor
system. It is important to know how the
conveyor system will be used beforehand.
Some individual areas that are helpful to
consider are the required conveyor
operations, such as transportation,
accumulation and sorting, the material
sizes, weights and shapes and where the
loading and pickup points need to be.

Care and maintenance of

conveyor systems
A conveyor system is often the lifeline to a
company’s ability to effectively move its
product in a timely fashion. The steps that
a company can take to ensure that it
performs at peak capacity, include regular
inspections and system audits, close
monitoring of motors and reducers,
keeping key parts in stock, and proper
training of personnel.

Increasing the service life of a conveyor

system involves: choosing the right
conveyor type, the right system design and
paying attention to regular maintenance
practices.

A conveyor system that is designed

properly will last a long time with proper
maintenance. Here are six of the biggest
problems to watch for in overhead type
conveyor systems including I-beam
monorails, enclosed track conveyors and
power and free conveyors. Overhead
conveyor systems have been used in
numerous applications from shop
displays, assembly lines to paint finishing
plants and more.[1]

Poor take-up adjustment: this is a simple

adjustment on most systems yet it is often
overlooked. The chain take-up device
ensures that the chain is pulled tight as it
leaves the drive unit. As wear occurs and
the chain lengthens, the take-up extends
under the force of its springs. As they
extend, the spring force becomes less and
the take-up has less effect. Simply
compress the take-up springs and your
problem goes away. Failure to do this can
result in chain surging, jamming, and
extreme wear on the track and chain. Take-
up adjustment is also important for any
conveyor using belts as a means to power
rollers, or belts themselves being the
mover. With poor-take up on belt-driven
rollers, the belt may twist into the drive unit
and cause damage, or at the least a
noticeable decrease or complete loss of
performance may occur. In the case of belt
conveyors, a poor take-up may cause drive
unit damage or may let the belt slip off of
the side of the chassis.

Lack of lubrication: chain bearings require

lubrication in order to reduce friction. The
chain pull that the drive experiences can
double if the bearings are not lubricated.
This can cause the system to overload by
either its mechanical or electrical overload
protection. On conveyors that go through
hot ovens, lubricators can be left on
constantly or set to turn on every few
cycles.

Contamination: paint, powder, acid or

alkaline fluids, abrasives, glass bead, steel
shot, etc. can all lead to rapid deterioration
of track and chain. Ask any bearing
company about the leading cause of
bearing failure and they will point to
contamination. Once a foreign substance
lands on the raceway of a bearing or on
the track, pitting of the surface will occur,
and once the surface is compromised,
wear will accelerate. Building shrouds
around your conveyors can help prevent
the ingress of contaminants. Or, pressurize
the contained area using a simple fan and
duct arrangement. Contamination can also
apply to belts (causing slippage, or in the
case of some materials premature wear),
and of the motors themselves. Since the
motors can generate a considerable
amount of heat, keeping the surface clean
is an almost-free maintenance procedure
that can keep heat from getting trapped by
dust and grime, which may lead to motor
burnout.

Product handling: in conveyor systems

that may be suited for a wide variety of
products, such as those in distribution
centers, it is important that each new
product be deemed acceptable for
conveying before being run through the
materials handling equipment. Boxes that
are too small, too large, too heavy, too
light, or too awkwardly shaped may not
convey, or may cause many problems
including jams, excess wear on conveying
equipment, motor overloads, belt
breakage, or other damage, and may also
consume extra man-hours in terms of
picking up cases that slipped between
rollers, or damaged product that was not
meant for materials handling. If a product
such as this manages to make it through
most of the system, the sortation system
will most likely be the affected, causing
jams and failing to properly place items
where they are assigned. It should also be
noted that any and all cartons handled on
any conveyor should be in good shape or
spills, jams, downtime, and possible
accidents and injuries may result.

Drive train: notwithstanding the above,

involving take-up adjustment, other parts
of the drive train should be kept in proper
shape. Broken O-rings on a Lineshaft,
pneumatic parts in disrepair, and motor
reducers should also be inspected. Loss
of power to even one or a few rollers on a
conveyor can mean the difference
between effective and timely delivery, and
repetitive nuances that can continually
cost downtime.
Bad belt tracking or timing: in a system
that uses precisely controlled belts, such
as a sorter system, regular inspections
should be made that all belts are traveling
at the proper speeds at all times. While
usually a computer controls this with
Pulse Position Indicators, any belt not
controlled must be monitored to ensure
accuracy and reduce the likelihood of
problems. Timing is also important for any
equipment that is instructed to precisely
meter out items, such as a merge where
one box pulls from all lines at one time. If
one were to be mistimed, product would
collide and disrupt operation. Timing is
also important wherever a conveyor must
"keep track" of where a box is, or improper
operation will result.

Since a conveyor system is a critical link in

a company's ability to move its products in
a timely fashion, any disruption of its
operation can be costly. Most downtime
can be avoided by taking steps to ensure a
system operates at peak performance,
including regular inspections, close
monitoring of motors and reducers,
keeping key parts in stock, and proper
training of personnel.

Impact & Wear-Resistant

Materials Used in Conveyor
Systems
Conveyor systems require materials suited
to the displacement of heavy loads and
the wear-resistance to hold-up over time
without seizing due to deformation. In
cases, where static control is a factor,
special materials designed to either
dissipate or conduct electrical charges.
Example of conveyor handling materials
include UHMW, Nylon, Nylatron NSM,
HDPE, Tivar, Tivar ESd, and Polyurethane

Growth of conveyor systems

in various industries
As far as growth is concerned the material
handling and conveyor system makers are
getting utmost exposure in the industries
like automotive, pharmaceutical,
packaging and different production plants.
The portable conveyors are likewise
growing fast in the construction sector
and by the year 2014 the purchase rate for
conveyor systems in North America,
Europe and Asia is likely to grow even
further. The most commonly purchased
types of conveyors are Line shaft roller
conveyor, chain conveyors and conveyor
belts at packaging factories and industrial
plants where usually product finishing and
monitoring are carried. Commercial and
civil sectors are increasingly implementing
conveyors at airports, shopping malls, etc.

Types of conveyor systems

Belt driven roller conveyor for cartons and totes.

Flexible conveyor
Gravity conveyor
Gravity skatewheel conveyor
Belt conveyor
Wire mesh conveyors
Plastic belt conveyors
Bucket conveyors
Flexible conveyors
Vertical conveyors
Spiral conveyors
Vibrating conveyors
Pneumatic conveyors
Aero mechanical conveyors
Electric track vehicle systems
Belt driven live roller conveyors
 Lineshaft roller conveyor
Chain conveyor
Screw conveyor or auger conveyor
Chain driven live roller conveyor
Overhead I-beam conveyors
Dust proof conveyors
Pharmaceutical conveyors
Automotive conveyors
Overland conveyor
Drag Conveyor

Pneumatic conveyor systems

Every pneumatic system uses pipes or

ducts called transportation lines that carry
a mixture of materials and a stream of air.
These materials are free flowing powdery
materials like cement and fly ash.
Products are moved through tubes by air
pressure. Pneumatic conveyors are either
carrier systems or dilute-phase systems;
carrier systems simply push items from
one entry point to one exit point, such as
the money-exchanging pneumatic tubes
used at a bank drive-through window.
Dilute-phase systems use push-pull
pressure to guide materials through
various entry and exit points. Air
compressors or blowers can be used to
generate the air flow. Three systems used
to generate high-velocity air stream are:
1. Suction or vacuum systems, utilizing a
vacuum created in the pipeline to draw the
material with the surrounding air.The
system operated at a low pressure, which
is practically 0.4–0.5 atm below
atmosphere, and is utilized mainly in
conveying light free flowing materials.
2. Pressure-type systems, in which a
positive pressure is used to push material
from one point to the next. The system is
ideal for conveying material from one
loading point to a number of unloading
points. It operates at a pressure of 6 atm
and upwards.
3. Combination systems, in which a
suction system is used to convey material
from a number of loading points and a
pressure system is employed to deliver it
to a number of unloading points.

Aero mechanical conveyors

Aero mechanical conveyors have a tubular

design where a cable assembly, with
evenly spaced polyurethane discs, move at
high speed. The cable assembly runs in
specially designed sprockets at each
corner and each end of the conveyor. The
action of the cable assembly traveling at
high speed creates an air stream running
at the same velocity. As the material is fed
into the airstream, it is fluidized and
conveyed to the outlet where it is
centrifugally ejected. All conveying takes
place in a totally sealed tubular system
which ensures the dust-free transfer of
even the finest powders. Because of the
total transfer capability of aero mechanical
conveyors cleaning is not necessary for
most applications. To avoid cross-
contamination of product it is often
sufficient to simply purge the conveyor
with a sacrificial quantity of material.
Safety interlocked cleaning/inspection
hatches can be fitted to both the
conveying tubes and the sprocket
housings. Additionally, aero mechanical
conveyors fitted with wash gates and
drains can be washed through with water
or another cleaning fluid. Common uses
for aero mechanical conveyors are the
transfer of food ingredients and abrasive
or corrosive chemical industry products.[2]

Vibrating conveyor systems

A Vibrating Conveyor is a machine with a

solid conveying surface which is turned up
on the side to form a trough. They are
used extensively in food grade
applications to convey dry bulk solids [3]
where sanitation, washdown, and low
maintenance are essential. Vibrating
conveyors are also suitable for harsh, very
hot, dirty, or corrosive environments. They
can be used to convey newly cast metal
parts which may reach upwards of
1,500 °F (820 °C). Due to the fixed nature
of the conveying pans vibrating conveyors
can also perform tasks such as sorting,
screening, classifying and orienting parts.
Vibrating conveyors have been built to
convey material at angles exceeding 45°
from horizontal using special pan shapes.
Flat pans will convey most materials at a
5° Incline from horizontal line.

Flexible conveyor systems

The flexible conveyor is based on a
conveyor beam in aluminum or stainless
steel, with low friction slide rails guiding a
plastic multi-flexing chain. Products to be
conveyed travel directly on the conveyor, or
on pallets/carriers. These conveyors can
be worked around obstacles and keep
production lines flowing. They are made at
varying levels and can work in multiple
environments. They are used in food
packaging, case packing, and
pharmaceutical industries but also in retail
stores such as Wal-Mart and Kmart.

Vertical conveyor systems and

spiral conveyors
Vertical conveyor - also commonly referred
to as freight lifts and material lifts - are
conveyor systems used to raise or lower
materials to different levels of a facility
during the handling process. Examples of
these conveyors applied in the industrial
assembly process include transporting
materials to different floors. While similar
in look to freight elevators, vertical
conveyors are not equipped to transport
people, only materials.

Vertical lift conveyors contain two

adjacent, parallel conveyors for
simultaneous upward movement of
adjacent surfaces of the parallel
conveyors. One of the conveyors normally
has spaced apart flights (pans) for
transporting bulk food items. The dual
conveyors rotate in opposite directions,
but are operated from one gear box to
ensure equal belt speed. One of the
conveyors is pivotally hinged to the other
conveyor for swinging the pivotally
attached conveyor away from the
remaining conveyor for access to the
facing surfaces of the parallel
conveyors.[4] Vertical lift conveyors can be
manually or automatically loaded and
controlled.[5] Almost all vertical conveyors
can be systematically integrated with
horizontal conveyors, since both of these
conveyor systems work in tandem to
create a cohesive material handling
assembly line.

In similarity to vertical conveyors, spiral

conveyors raise and lower materials to
different levels of a facility. In contrast,
spiral conveyors are able to transport
material loads in a continuous flow.
Industries that require a higher output of
materials - food and beverage, retail case
packaging, pharmaceuticals - typically
incorporate these conveyors into their
systems over standard vertical conveyors
due to their ability to facilitate high
throughput. Most spiral conveyors also
have a lower angle of incline or decline (11
degrees or less) to prevent sliding and
tumbling during operation.

Vertical conveyor with forks

Just like spiral conveyors also a vertical

conveyor that use forks are able to
transport material loads in a continuous
flow. With these forks the load can be
taken from one horizontal conveyor and
put down on another horizontal conveyor
on a different level. By adding more forks
more products can be lifted at the same
time. Conventional vertical conveyors have
the restriction that the input and output of
material loads must have the same
direction. By using forks many
combinations of different input- and
output levels in different directions are
possible. A vertical conveyor with forks
can even be used as a vertical sorter.
Compared to a spiral conveyor a vertical
conveyor - with or without forks - takes up
less space.
Heavy duty rear conveyors

Heavy Duty roller conveyors are used for

moving items that are at least 500 pounds
(230 kg). This type of conveyor makes the
handling of such heavy
equipment/products easier and more time
effective. Many of the heavy duty roller
conveyors can move as fast as 75 feet per
minute (23 m/min).

Other types of heavy duty roller conveyors

are gravity roller conveyor, chain driven live
roller conveyor, pallet accumulation
conveyor, multi-strand chain conveyor, and
chain & roller transfers.
Gravity roller conveyors are extremely easy
to use and are used in many different
types of industries such as automotive
and retail.

Chain driven live roller conveyors are used

for single or bi-directional material
handling. Large heavy loads are moved by
chain driven live roller conveyors.

Pallet accumulation conveyors are

powered through a mechanical clutch.
This is used instead of individually
powered and controlled sections of
conveyors.
Multi-strand chain conveyors are used for
double pitch roller chains. Products that
can not be moved on traditional roller
conveyors can be moved by a multi-strand
chain conveyor.

Chain & roller conveyors are short runs of

two or more strands of double pitch chain
conveyor built into a chain driven line roller
conveyor. These pop up under the load
and move the load off of the conveyor.

See also
Belt conveyor
Chain conveyor
 Checkweigher
Lineshaft roller conveyor
Manufacturing
Material handling
Moving bed heat exchanger
Moving walkway
Treadmill

References
1. Ltd, Midland Handling Equipment.
"Overhead Conveyors and Material Handling
- Midland Handing" . Midland Handing.
Archived from the original on 2016-09-02.
Retrieved 2016-08-23.
2. "Aero Mechanical Conveyors | Ideal for
Vertical & Angled Conveying" . Spiroflow.
Retrieved 2018-07-12.
3. "Archived copy" . Archived from the
original on 2018-01-03. Retrieved
2018-01-02.
4. "Vertical Lift Conveyors" .
Freepatentsonline.com. Retrieved
2013-03-27.
5. "Conveyors" . Mhia.org. 2005-07-16.
Archived from the original on 2012-03-04.
Retrieved 2013-03-27.

M.Marcu-Pipeline Conveyors
(theory,photos,state of the art 1990-
Pneumatic Pipeline conveyors with
wheeled containers) at page 45 in:
"Material handling in pyrometallurgy:
proceedings of the International
Symposium on Materials Handling in
Pyrometallurgy, Hamilton, Ontario, August
26–30, 1990-Pergamon press"

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