Best Practice Design, Maintenance and Troubleshooting of Conveyors and Chutes Revision 5 Ganesh Jayaraman B Eng (Mech). Best Practice Design, Maintenance and Troubleshooting of Conveyors and Chutes. Maintenance and Troubleshooting of Conveyors and Chutes. Decisions, with production decisions (such as process planning or machine tool selection) responsible for only 20%. The heart of any design for manufacturing system is a group of design principles or guidelines that are structured to help the designer reduce the cost and difficulty of manufacturing an item. The following is a listing of these. PDF Download Mechanical Conveyors Free nwcbooks.com. This book is a comprehensive, practical guide and reference to today's mechanical conveyor systems. It covers all types of mechanical conveyors, providing indepth information on their design, function and appliions.

• Mechanical Conveyors Selection And Operation Pdf Printer Problems
• Mechanical Conveyors Selection And Operation Pdf Printer Software

Conveyor Systems are mechanical devices or assemblies that transport material with minimal effort. While there are many different kinds of conveyor systems, they usually consist of a frame that supports either rollers, wheels, or a belt, upon which materials move from one place to another. They may be powered by a motor, by gravity, or manually. These material handling systems come in many different varieties to suit the different products or materials that need to be transported.

Image credit: i viewfinder/Shutterstock.com

Important Conveyor Systems Specifications

Load Capacity per Unit Length

Manufacturers will offer this attribute in cases where the conveyor will be built to a custom length to permit users to determine loading margins.

Maximum Load Capacity

Associated with Load Capacity per Unit Length, this value can be stated for fixed length, purpose-built conveyors. This can also be known as flow rate.

Conveyor Belt System Speed/Rated Speed

Belt conveyors are typically rated in terms of belt speed in ft/min. while powered roller conveyors described the linear velocity in similar units to a package, carton, etc. moving over the powered rollers. Rated speed applies to apron/slat conveyors and drag/chain/tow conveyors as well.

Throughput

Throughput measures the capacity of conveyors that handle powdered materials and similar bulk products. It is often given as a volume per unit time, for instance, as cubic feet per minute. This attribute applies to bucket, pneumatic/vacuum, screw, vibrating, and walking beam conveyors.

Frame Configuration

Frame configuration refers to the shape of the conveyor frame. Frames can be straight, curved, z-frames, or other shapes.

Drive Location

Drives can be located in different places on conveyor systems. A head or end drive is found on the discharge side of the conveyor and is the most common type. Center drives are not always at the actual center of the conveyor, but somewhere along its length, and are mounted underneath the system. They’re used for reversing the direction of a conveyor.

Types of Conveyors

• Belt
• Roller
• Powered Roller
• Slat/Apron
• Ball Transfer
• Magnetic
• Bucket
• Chute
• Drag/Chain/Tow
• Overhead
• Pneumatic/Vacuum
• Screw/Auger
• Vertical
• Vibrating
• Walking Beam
• Wheel

Belt

Belt Conveyors are material handling systems that use continuous belts to convey products or material. The belt is extended in an endless loop between two end-pulleys. Usually, one or both ends have a roll underneath. The conveyor belting is supported by either a metal slider pan for light loads where no friction would be applied to the belt to cause drag or on rollers. Power is provided by motors that use either variable or constant speed reduction gears.

The belts themselves can be made from numerous materials, which should correspond to the conditions under which the belt will be operating. Common conveyor belting materials include rubber, plastic, leather, fabric, and metal. Transporting a heavier load means a thicker and stronger construction of conveyor belting material is required. Belt conveyors are typically powered and can be operated at various speeds depending on the throughput required. The conveyors can be operated horizontally or can be inclined as well. Belt conveyors can be troughed for bulk or large materials.

Roller Conveyor Systems

Roller Conveyors use parallel rollers mounted in frames to convey product either by gravity or manually. Key specifications include the roller diameter and axle center dimensions. Roller conveyors are used primarily in material handling applications such as on loading docks, for baggage handling, or on assembly lines among many others. The rollers are not powered and use gravity, if inclined, to move the product, or manually if mounted horizontally. The conveyors can be straight or curved depending on the application and available floor space.

Powered Roller

Powered Roller Conveyors use powered rollers mounted in frames to convey products. Key specifications include the drive type, roller diameter and material, and the axle center dimension. Powered roller conveyors are used primarily in material handling applications that require the powered conveyance of the product. Various drive types include belts, chains/sprockets, and motorized rollers. Some of the uses of powered roller conveyors are food handling, steelmaking and, packaging.

Slat Belt Conveyor/Apron

Apron/Slat Conveyors use slats or plates made of steel, wood, or other materials typically mounted on roller chains to convey product. The slats are not interlocked or overlapping. Apron/slat conveyors are used primarily in material handling applications for moving large, heavy objects including crates, drums, or pallets in heavy-industry settings such as foundries and steel mills. The use of slats in heavy duty use cases prolongs the service life of the conveyor over other conveyor types that employ belts, which would wear out quicker under the exposure to heavy loads. These conveyor systems are usually powered and come in many sizes and load capacities.

Ball Transfer Conveyor

Ball Transfer tables or conveyors use a series of mounted ball casters to allow for unpowered, multi-directional conveyance of the product. Key specifications include the ball material and size. Ball transfer conveyors are used in material handling applications such as assembly lines and packaging lines, among others. When positioned where multiple conveyor lines meet, they are used to transfer products from one line to another and are often used in sorting systems. Many sizes and load carrying capacities are available. Ball transfer conveyors are not powered and rely on external forces to move the product along the conveyor.

Magnetic

Magnetic Conveyors use moving magnets mounted beneath stationary plates, tables, or other kinds of non-magnetic slider beds, to move magnetic (ferrous) materials, often in the form of machining scrap. Magnetic conveyors are commonly used as chip conveyors to remove ferrous chips from machining centers. Systems can be configured to use horizontal motion, vertical motion, or combinations. They can be beltless or may use a conveying belt instead of a slider bed. Underneath the conveying belt, a rail containing an electromagnet is used to attract ferrous materials to the belt. Because of the magnetic attraction of the product to the conveyor, these systems can also be used upside down.

Bucket

Bucket Conveyors or bucket elevators use multi-sided containers attached to cables, belts, or chains to convey products or materials. The containers remain upright along the system and are tipped to release material. Bucket conveyors are used in applications such as parts, bulk material, or food processing and handling. The conveyed material can be in liquid form or dry such as sludge, sand, manure, sugar, and grain. The systems can be used horizontally or can be inclined or vertical to change levels of the delivered products. Many sizes and load carrying capacities are available depending on the application.

Chute

Chute or Trough Conveyors are material handling systems that use gravity to convey product along smooth surfaces from one level to another. Key specifications include the chute material and the physical dimensions such as length and chute width. Chute conveyors are used for scrap handling, packaging, postal service package or mail handling, etc. Chutes are designed to have a low coefficient of dynamic friction, allowing the product or material to slide easily, and can be straight or curved depending on the needs of the application.

Chain/Tow/Drag Line Conveyor

Drag/Chain/Tow Conveyors use mechanical devices attached to moving members, usually chains or cables, to drag or tow products. Drag conveyors are used for moving bulk materials in bins, flights, or other attachments and can have multiple discharge or loading points. Tubular drag conveyors use a fully enclosed system of chains to convey product in any direction. Chain conveyors use a chain, or multiple chains to move pallets or other hard-to-convey products. Tow conveyors use a towline such as cables or chains, usually in the floor or just above it, to tow product directly or to tow wheeled carts or dollies.

Overhead

Overhead Conveyors are mounted from ceilings that use trolleys or carriers moved by chains, cables, or similar connections. Overhead conveyors are primarily used in material handling applications where the product needs to be hung, such as dry-cleaning garment lines, paint lines, or parts handling systems, or for cooling and curing. Various types of overhead conveyor systems configurations are available including electric track, monorail, trolley, as well as inclined or ramped. Depending on the application, the load-carrying capacity may be critical. Most overhead conveyors systems are powered and controlled, while others are hand-operated conveyor belts.

Pneumatic/Vacuum

Pneumatic/Vacuum Conveyors use air pressure or vacuum to transport materials or items in or through closed tubes or ducts or along surfaces. Pneumatic/vacuum conveyors are used primarily in materials handling applications such as dust collection, paper handling, ticket delivery, etc. and in processes such as chemical, mineral, scrap, and food. Materials for the conveyors can be metallic or non-metallic depending on the media being conveyed. Various sizes are available depending on the load and throughput requirements.

Image credit: Josef Mohyla/Shutterstock.com

Screw/Auger

Screw conveyors, sometimes known as spiral, worm, or auger conveyors use helical elements to move materials. They consist of a helical screw element or steel auger that rotates around a central shaft, driving the work material according to the screw design and rotational direction. The helical screw functions within a casing, trough or compartment to take full advantage of the rotational force. Manufacturers use screw conveyors to transport materials such as flakes, grains, powders, seeds, and granules. Alternatively, these devices can be used to mix, agitate or blend such materials, or to maintain solutions. They are used widely in agricultural applications, from use in farm machinery like threshers and balers to factory-based grain and crop movers. A mini screw conveyor can also transport wet, non-flowing and caking materials that might otherwise be difficult to move, such as concrete. Other applications for screw conveyors are the conveying of various mechanical parts or to function as a bottling system conveyor. The screw can be of a paddle or ribbon design depending on the application and can be driven via a chain and sprocket, gears, or direct drive.

Types of screw conveyors include bottom conveyors and centerless screw conveyors. Bottom conveyors use multiple screws in an open trough. Centerless, or shaftless, screw conveyors do not contain a central shaft and instead consist of an empty helix. This design still moves the substrate but allows for more freedom within the casing. Materials can be metal or non-metal depending on the media being conveyed.

Image credit: Reinke & Schomann, Inc.

Vertical

Vertical Conveyors move products vertically between levels of conveying lines. Key specifications include the lift speed and maximum load height. Vertical conveyors move material or product to higher levels within a facility. They are further classified as continuous lifting or reciprocating. Various sizes and load capabilities are available depending on the application.

Vibrating

Vibrating Conveyors use rotary or linear vibration to move material along their system beds. Vibrating conveyors are used for moving dry, bulk materials such as aggregate, gravel, coal, etc. The bed of the conveyor vibrates to move the material along its length. The conveyor can be a trough, a tube, or a flat table top. Many sizes are available depending on the application.

Walking Beam

Walking Beam Conveyors use a combination of static supports and moving supports to index workpieces through manufacturing cells. Walking beam conveyors are used on automation and assembly lines, where items need to be placed in specific locations in a sequential manner. The item being supported at a stationary position is picked up by the walking beam and indexed to its next position, where another manufacturing step takes place. This movement repeats over the length of the conveyor. Walking beam conveyors can have single or multiple lines depending on the product.

Wheel Conveyor

Wheel Conveyors use unpowered wheels to move objects along their lengths by gravity or manual power. Wheel conveyors are used for item or package handling and are commonly employed for loading and unloading trucks and moving packages, pallets, etc. through facilities or along assembly lines. The conveyors are configured by the number of wheels and wheel spacing, depending on the load requirements and the application.

Image credit: 279photo Studio/Shutterstock.com

Conveyor Systems Selection Considerations

When deciding on which conveyor system best suits your needs, a key consideration is the material is being transported. Some important characteristics to consider are size, flowability, abrasiveness, corrosiveness, moisture content, and the temperature at which it must be kept. The composition of the material, if powders, granules, pellets, fibers, or flakes are being conveyed, should also be considered, along with the particle size, weight, and density.

The function of the conveyor system itself may vary. The two main categories of moving material through a process are conveying and feeding. Conveying is the moving of materials from one or more pickup points to one or more drop points. The desired window of time for this movement should be considered, as well as the amount of pickup and drop points, the amount of material being moved, and whether or not cross-contamination between multiple materials is a concern.

Feeding is more time sensitive and requires more precise systems than coveying. Material is usually moved from one pickup point to one drop point. The product being moved may have to be delivered in batches, or at a controlled, continuous rate.

An essential factor to consider before the selection of a conveyor system is the environment in which it will be used. High humidity, temperature, vibration, pressure, fragile or hazardous materials, and flammable products in the facility should all be discussed with a conveyor manufacturer to determine any potential risks and the countermeasures and workarounds needed. The size of the system compared to how much room in the workspace is available should be considered, along with how it will fit alongside existing equipment.

Conveyors systems are often relatively complex in their design and construction owing to their large scales and integration into different factory processes. Still, the modular nature of many conveyor components makes even long and complex systems readily achievable. Manufacturers of such systems can offer design assistance so that the conveyor suits the workspace.

Additional Conveyor Systems Selection Factors

Cleats, high friction belting, buckets, etc. are common forms of preventing product slip. A heavily loaded inclined belt conveyor can slip backward when the drive is off. Such conveyors employ backstopping brakes that engage automatically with de-energization of their motors. Often, the brake is releasable to allow the conveyor to reverse for unloading prior to servicing. In some conveyors, a certain amount of slippage is desirable; those handling glass bottles on packaging lines will often employ some form of back-pressure relief to prevent breakage to the bottles as they accumulate in a staging area such as a filler infeed.

A conveyor belt is susceptible to static electricity as the belt is continuously pulled against the end pulleys. If electrical components are being conveyed, static electricity can be hazardous. Anti-static conveyor belt measures such as conductive belts or static control brushes should be considered to protect products.

Other safety considerations must be exercised due to often long conveyor lengths and their proximity to personnel. Live roller conveyors can be furnished with pop-out rollers that disengage from their drive belts if a person’s hand or foot slips between rollers. Crossovers can be used to permit people to pass over long sections of belt conveyors. Roller style conveyors often use manual or powered gate sections to accomplish this.

Conveyors often incorporate some type of soft starter or clutch mechanism to avoid overloading motors when starting fully loaded belts, chains, etc. Some belt conveyors are fitted with geared motor drives that incorporate internal motors and gear drives within the head rollers which eliminate the need for externally mounted motors and power transmission components.

While many conveyor systems are fixed and permanent, a great many are also portable and designed for loading trucks, railcars, silos, etc. Outfeed and infeed conveyors built specifically for packaging operations are often caster-mounted for easy transport within a facility.

Image credit: TRAIMAK/Shutterstock.com

Conveyor Applications and Industries

Conveyor selection depends on product type, throughput or speed, elevation change, and in some cases, industry focus. Belt conveyors, for instance, come in a variety of sizes and can range from foot-long units used on packaging lines to mile-long systems used for mining operations. Conveyors can be hand powered—where products are moved along manually over rollers or wheels—or engine/motor powered, or gravity powered. In general, though, they are driven by AC and DC motors, either directly or through reduction gears, chains, and sprockets, etc. Products generally ride on the top surfaces of conveyors, though exceptions exist.

Overhead conveyors, as found at dry cleaners, slaughterhouses, or wherever floor space is a concern, suspend their loads from trollies which ride along overhead tracks. Other conveyors, such as screw and pneumatic types, convey their products through semi-enclosed troughs or tubes. These conveyors often handle dry products and powders. Some conveyors are designed to move products precisely between manufacturing operations. Walking beam conveyors are an example of this type. Other conveyors transport hard to handle products, such as cosmetic bottles, through fillers, labelers, and other processes by holding each container in individual pucks or pallets.

Conveyors are sometimes custom designed from modular components such as straightaways, curves, transitions, merges, dividers, etc. Manufacturers of such components often provide design expertise and installation assistance. Other conveyors are stand-alone systems, complete with drives and controls. Manual type roller and wheel conveyors can commonly be purchased in discrete sections and bolted up to form material handling systems of nearly any length. In general, powered conveyors employ head shafts and tail shafts where the head end provides the drive arrangement, and the tail end provides for adjustment of the chain or belt tension.

Conveyor Controls can be simple on/off varieties, slightly more sophisticated soft-start types which cushion loads upon startup, or variable frequency drives that can control the speed, acceleration, etc. of ac motors. Very long belt conveyors transporting ore and other products often rely on conveyor belt idlers to form troughs in the belts to better contain the conveyed materials.

Conveyor Systems - A Summary

This guide provides a basic understanding of conveyor system varieties, considerations for use, their applications, and industrial uses. For more information on related products consult our other articles and guides or visit the Thomas Supplier Discovery Platform to locate potential sources or view details on specific products.

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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.

• 5Types of conveyor systems

Industries that use conveyor systems[edit]

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[edit]

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 and wear-resistant materials used in conveyor systems[edit]

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. Where static control is a factor, special materials designed to either dissipate or conduct electrical charges are used. Examples of conveyor handling materials include UHMW, nylon, Nylatron NSM, HDPE, Tivar, Tivar ESd, and polyurethane.

Growth of conveyor systems in various industries[edit]

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[edit]

• Aero-mechanical conveyors
• Automotive conveyors
• Belt-driven live roller conveyors
• Bucket conveyor
• Chain-driven live roller conveyor
• Drag conveyor
• Dust-proof conveyors
• Gravity conveyor
• Gravity skatewheel conveyor
• Motorized-drive roller conveyor
• Overland conveyor
• Pharmaceutical conveyors
• Plastic belt conveyors
• Wire mesh conveyors

Mechanical Conveyors Selection And Operation Pdf Printer Problems

Pneumatic conveyor systems[edit]

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:

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.

Vibrating conveyor systems[edit]

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 ^[2] 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[edit]

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. Corel draw x5 free download full version with keygen for windows 8. They are made at varying levels and can work in multiple environments. They are used in food packaging, case packing, and pharmaceutical industries and also in large retail stores such as Wal-Mart and Kmart.

Vertical conveyor systems and spiral conveyors[edit]

Vertical conveyors, 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 attached conveyor away from the remaining conveyor for access to the facing surfaces of the parallel conveyors.^[3] Vertical lift conveyors can be manually or automatically loaded and controlled.^[4] 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.

Like 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. A helical spiral or screw rotates within a sealed tube and the speed makes the product in the conveyor rotate with the screw. The tumbling effect provides a homogeneous mix of particles in the conveyor, which is essential when feeding pre-mixed ingredients and maintaining mixing integrity.^[5] 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.

Like spiral conveyors, vertical conveyors that use forks can 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 must have input and output of material loads moving in 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.

Vertical reciprocating conveyors (or VRC) are another type of unit handling system. Typical applications include moving unit loads between floor levels, working with multiple accumulation conveyors, and interfacing overhead conveyors line. Common material to be conveyed includes pallets, sacks, custom fixtures or product racks and more.^[6]

Heavy-duty roller conveyors[edit]

Heavy-duty roller conveyors are used for moving items that weigh 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 conveyors, chain-driven live roller conveyors, pallet accumulation conveyors, multi-strand chain conveyors, and chain and roller transfers.

Gravity roller conveyors are 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 cannot be moved on traditional roller conveyors can be moved by a multi-strand chain conveyor.

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

See also[edit]

References[edit]

1. ^'Overhead Conveyors and Material Handling'. Mhel.co.uk. Archived from the original on 2016-09-02. Retrieved 2016-08-23.
2. ^'Archived copy'. Archived from the original on 2018-01-03. Retrieved 2018-01-02.CS1 maint: Archived copy as title (link)
3. ^'Vertical Lift Conveyors'. Freepatentsonline.com. Retrieved 2013-03-27.
4. ^'Conveyors'. Mhia.org. 2005-07-16. Archived from the original on 2012-03-04. Retrieved 2013-03-27.
5. ^'Spiroflow'. Retrieved 27 May 2019.
6. ^'Vertical Lift & Reciprocating Conveyor Manufacturer Industrial Kinetics'. Iki.com. Retrieved 30 August 2019.

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'

Mechanical Conveyors Selection And Operation Pdf Printer Software

External links[edit]

• The importance of conveyor and sortation systems for controlled growth (2:03 min. video)