Gravity roller conveyors are used for various applications, including product processing, assembly, and loading. Because of their versatility and simplicity, they are a standard piece of equipment in most warehouses and manufacturing facilities.
Their benefits are notable, as we’ll see below. Continue reading to learn about gravity roller conveyors and their usefulness. However, before we get into the benefits of using gravity roller conveyors, we must first understand what makes those benefits possible—the structural features. A gravity roller conveyor’s design is critical to its functionality and success.
Gravity roller conveyors, as the name implies, rely on both gravity and rollers to transport goods. The rollers deflect slightly under the weight of a product and propel it down the conveyor. Additionally, steel and aluminium are popular materials for the frame of this conveyor type. The use of heavy metals ensures that the conveyor can withstand the weight of heavier products.
1. Effective Manufacture & Design
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The roller conveyor system comprises long connecting trays filled with tubes that transport objects by allowing them to rotate due to gravity. Compared to powered conveyor equipment, they use no additional power in their operation, making them a green material handling solution.
The roller conveyor system trays are designed to extend their open-ended segments as needed. These trays can be adapted to stretch up to the length required by the warehouse. Significantly, the roller conveyor modules are customizable and adaptable, allowing their corners to be negotiated.
Most importantly, conveyor system sections can be modified and arranged horizontally or vertically to transport goods from one elevated level to another. The rollers are hollow tubes made of stainless steel; however, they can also be made of high-quality plastic. Additionally, bearings are designed to act as a resourceful utility at the end of each tube, assisting rollers in smoothly turning.
2. Suitable For Transportation Business
One of the primary business applications of the roller conveyor system is the transportation of goods within a warehouse. However, it is also helpful in food stores, airports, and other locations where you must move packaged goods, baggage, and other carton-type items smoothly.
In contrast, without roller conveyor equipment, moving goods can be delayed or extremely slow. Another advantage of roller conveyor transportation is that it saves time, manual labour, and energy. Surprisingly, the roller conveyor system reduces the workforce’s workload significantly.
3. Easy Maintenance And Operation
The roller conveyor system requires little maintenance, and when it comes to replacing a roller, you can push it sideways before being pulled from its current position. You can insert the new roller into the conveyor system to ensure proper operation.
Because the repair of the equipment takes very little time, productivity is affected on a minimal or non-existent basis. Also, the roller conveyor system is perfectly designed to transport all sizes and weights of products to the desired position while maintaining the balance of packaged goods in the warehouse.
For example, gravity maintains the balance of two cardboard boxes to keep their contents intact as they move in a row on rollers. Significantly, different roller conveyor product specifications should be checked when stopping packages at or after an interval.
4. 24 Hour Operations
Roller conveyors can operate 24 hours a day and will assist you in organizing your staff into shift patterns, especially during busier times of the year when you must maximize production.
5. Versatile
These conveyors can be installed in various locations with varying specifications to meet the needs of your business. Additionally, they are available in multiple sizes, lengths, widths, and heights, allowing for total customization. This way, you can get a conveyor handling your warehouse operations.
6. Flexible
These conveyor systems are made from various materials and components such as rollers, wheels, and chutes, making them suitable for a wide range of loads. As a result, they can be used for a wide range of material handling solutions, providing maximum flexibility.
7. Staff Safety
Roller conveyors can make your workplace safer for your employees by reducing accidents caused by heavy lifting and moving heavy objects.
Conveyor Maintenance Steps
- Regularly oil the pressure or drive screw and nut. After an extended period, these parts must be sealed with oil. The drive chain and roller bearings must be oiled after using the conveyor system. Significantly, making it a staff member’s responsibility to oil these parts of the roller is best practice; this ensures that someone always observes whether the system requires oiling or maintenance.
- It would be best if you cleaned conveyor rollers regularly. To keep it clean and sanitary and avoid system blockages, you must wipe down any residue or debris on the surface. However, different rollers necessitate different cleaning procedures; for example, you must spray stainless steel rollers with water before washing them with a detergent.
- Conveyor system owners must prioritize preventative maintenance over problem-solving maintenance. This type of preventative maintenance identifies minor problems before they become significant problems. It also ensures that the workplace’s system is operational.
Bottomline
Conveying systems are an essential part of manufacturing and automation. Significantly, each roller conveyor system is tailored to the requirements of a specific application. Although gravity roller conveying systems are the most well-known, other roller conveying systems include belt-driven rollers, chain-driven rollers, line shaft rollers, and zero pressure rollers. Finally, roller conveying systems, like all machines, necessitate routine maintenance. The safety of conveying systems is critical.
