Nepedia
Back to Discover
Advanced Reader
💻

Conveyor system

technology Maturity 11-13 Next article →

A conveyor system is a specialized piece of mechanical handling equipment designed to move materials from one location to another.

Paper-conveyor
Paper-conveyor

These systems are vital in modern industry because they provide quick and efficient transport for a wide variety of goods. They are especially useful when moving materials that are very heavy or bulky. Using conveyors can be much safer than using a forklift or other heavy machinery to move loads. They can also perform tasks that would be too strenuous or expensive for human workers to do manually.

Carton Conveyor
Carton Conveyor

Because they can handle many different shapes, sizes, and weights, they are used in almost every major production field.

To function effectively, a conveyor must be designed for specific operations like transport, accumulation, or sorting.

Roller-conveyor
Roller-conveyor

The mechanism of a conveyor depends on its specific type. For example, pneumatic conveyors use air pressure to move materials through pipes or ducts called transport lines. These systems are ideal for free-flowing powdery materials like cement or fly ash. There are three main ways to generate this air flow. Suction or vacuum systems use low pressure, about 0.4 to 0.5 atm below the atmosphere, to draw light materials. Pressure-type systems use positive pressure of 6 atm or higher to push material to multiple unloading points. Combination systems use both suction and pressure to manage the flow.

There are many distinct types of conveying systems used depending on the environment.

Roller conveyor for totes and cartons
Roller conveyor for totes and cartons

Vibrating conveyors use a solid surface turned up at the sides to form a trough. These are often used in food-grade applications because they are easy to clean and maintain. They can even move newly-cast metal parts that are very hot. Flexible conveyors use an aluminum or stainless steel beam with low-friction rails to guide a plastic chain. These can work around obstacles in places like retail stores or pharmaceutical plants.

Conveyor-beam
Conveyor-beam

Another type is the spiral conveyor, which uses a helical screw inside a sealed tube. This design allows for a continuous flow of material while maintaining a homogeneous mix of particles.

Vertical conveyors, sometimes called freight lifts, are used to move materials between different levels of a facility.

Prorunner mk2 goederenlift
Prorunner mk2 goederenlift

While they may look like freight elevators, they are strictly for moving materials and not people. Some vertical conveyors use two parallel belts that rotate in opposite directions to move items upward. Other models use forks to lift loads from one horizontal conveyor and place them on another. Using forks allows for many different combinations of input and output levels. This can even turn a vertical conveyor into a vertical sorter. These systems are often integrated with horizontal conveyors to create a single, cohesive assembly line.

In industrial settings, the materials used to build conveyors are just as important as the design.

Car-conveyor
Car-conveyor

Manufacturers must choose materials that are wear-resistant to prevent the system from seizing due to deformation. Common materials include UHMW, nylon, HDPE, and polyurethane. If a system needs to manage electrical charges, special materials are used to either conduct or dissipate static. Maintenance is also a critical factor in the success of a company's production. To keep a system at peak capacity, companies perform regular inspections and system audits. They also monitor motors and reducers closely and keep key replacement parts in stock to avoid long delays.

Conveyor systems are used across a massive range of industries worldwide.

Roller-conveyor
Roller-conveyor

In the automotive industry, they move heavy components through assembly lines. Food processing plants use them for items like beans, nuts, grain, and animal feed. They are also essential in the pharmaceutical industry for moving pills and powders. Other sectors include mining, aerospace, chemical, and bottling industries. Even in the commercial sector, you will find conveyors in airports and shopping malls. These systems represent the final leg of delivery for many items and bags that customers receive.

As industries grow, the demand for advanced conveying technology increases. The makers of material handling equipment are seeing significant growth in the automotive, pharmaceutical, and packaging sectors. In North America, Europe, and Asia, the purchase rate for these systems was expected to grow even further as of 2014. Modern innovations include Motorized Drive Roller (MDR) conveyors. These use Brushless DC (BLDC) motors embedded directly within the roller tube. This allows for highly controllable zones of power along a conveyor line. This technology helps factories manage the movement of goods with incredible precision.

730 words

Where will your curiosity go next?

Keep exploring at your chosen reading level.

🖼️ Images & Media (7)
File:Car-conveyor.jpg
Car-conveyor.jpg
File:Roller-conveyor.jpg
Roller-conveyor.jpg
File:Paper-conveyor.jpg
Paper-conveyor.jpg
File:Carton Conveyor.jpg
Carton Conveyor.jpg
File:Roller conveyor for totes and cartons.jpg
Roller conveyor for totes and cartons.jpg
File:Conveyor-beam.jpg
Conveyor-beam.jpg
File:Prorunner mk2 goederenlift.jpg
Prorunner mk2 goederenlift.jpg
More to explore

🔬 Go deeper

More advanced topics to explore

🪜 Step back

Simpler topics to build understanding

What is Nepedia?

A free, ad-free encyclopedia for children. Every article is written at five reading levels, so the same page works for a five-year-old and a fifteen-year-old — use the level switcher above to see this one change. No account needed to read.