Transporting Products Using A Conveyor System

Gravity conveyors are used to transport a variety of products and items. They facilitate orders from the manufacturer to the distributor to the retailer. They can be seen in warehouses, on loading docks and in storage rooms. Depending on where the product needs to go and what type of environment it is in, a gravity conveyor can be set up to make handling more efficient and cost-effective. There are two basic types of these conveyor systems; wheel-based and roller-based. To work effectively, they both require items with a solid, flat bottom for handling. As a result, products or packages that are loose, bumpy and round, such as bottles or loose foodstuffs cannot be processed effectively unless they are in a flat-bottomed container of durable quality so that it can ride across rollers and wheels. The top of the box or package does not need to be closed, however.

Construction
Most systems of this type are made from aluminum or steel construction. Aluminum material is lighter and associated more with portability. Steel systems are used more for durability and stability for long-standing wear and heavy duty capacities. Different widths and lengths of the tracks are usually available to order from the manufacturer in increments by the inch. Curved pieces constructed at 45 or 90 degree angles can be used to change the direction of transport from Point A to Point B, depending on the type of package being moved and the construction of the rest of the system. End pieces can be attached to ensure that loads stop at the end of the line.

Rollers
Gravity roller conveyor systems can work with a variety of set-ups. Made from medium- or light-duty construction, they are made of metal tubes with bearings inside each end. The rollers are mounted on spring-loaded axles. When it is time to replace or remove a roller, it can be simply pushed to the side and pulled out of its seating. A new spring-loaded roller can be inserted in its place. Items with level, relatively solid bottoms can be transported using a roller conveyor.

Wheels
Wheel systems consist of a series of wheels in vertical and horizontal rows that move product from Point A to Point B. They can be mounted at a sloping angle or be activated by a human or automated force moving the product across a level push line. Packages that are lightweight and have a smooth, solid bottom surface can be transported on a gravity-based wheel conveyor system.