Technology has authored the evolution of conveyors, from a mere means of good transportation to much, much more. Presently, they have become a central unit in handling goods. Their overall competency lies in being applied to the right tasks. Depending on the application, different conveyor systems will fulfill different needs.
1. Intended Application
Defining clearly what role you need the conveyor to accomplish should be the first thing to think about. Will it be for transportation, storage, re-sequencing, or merely a work surface? Understanding this crucial part will make it easier to select the one most likely to perform the job best.
Also, in line with identifying its application, is defining the speed at which your ideal conveyor system will need to work. You’ll need to ensure that it will be able to work at the pace that fulfills your daily tasks. On top of that, keep in mind the environmental conditions in which it will be utilized. Will the belts need to be washed, and how often? Will you be dealing with foodstuff that requires you to be wary of the belt materials?
2. Product Information
The product size plays a significant role in the motor sizing of the conveyor system, along with the number of curves to be added. Anticipated product dimensions will directly influence conveyor specifications like the particulars of the guide rail and the roller centers.
The type of the product itself will determine the ideality of the conveyor. For example, if you’re transporting light goods like cereal, then plastic chain ones will be more suitable than rollers. Dealing with food may require more acuity than loading wood will.
3. Degree of Slope
Because maximizing space for efficiency when manufacturing, elevation requirements become crucial. Products may be expected to incline or decline to different levels or over existent machinery. A standard slider bed style conveyor may not be able to elevate your goods as a spiral conveyor would.
You may find it helpful to test your product on the conveyor before purchasing one.
4. Conveyor Construction
Unless you are dealing with food or pharmaceutical products, your conveyor system won’t require a washdown, making steel and aluminum options ideal.
Where washdown is necessary, different specifications will come into play. Some may only be built to tolerate only light wiping, while others may be tolerant of more water. Additionally, establish whether any cleaning chemicals like chlorine will be needed for the washdown process. Your conveyor material needs to be adaptable to the chemicals used.
When choosing your conveyor, refrain from buying from dealers who sell pre-made conveyor systems. These don’t take into account the custom specifications of your application. Instead, find one who’ll custom make one for you from scratch to suit your exact dimensions to best ferry your product.