Definition: One that conveys, especially a mechanical apparatus that transports materials, packages, or items being assembled from one place to another. (Source)
Conveyors are used when:
1) Materials need to be moved frequently between specific points in the workplace,
2) Movement of materials take place in fixed paths/routes, &
3) There is a sufficient flow volume to justify the fixed conveyor investment.
They can be classified in different ways, some of which are:
1) Type of products handled - Unit load or Bulk load,
2) Location of the conveyor: Overhead, On-floor, or In-floor &
3) Whether or not loads can be loaded on to the conveyor
There are currently many industries making use of Conveyors, including: Food & Bakery, Paper Handling, Pharmaceutical/Medical, Health & Beauty, Automotives, Electronics, & Industrial & Consumer Products.
Companies in the above-mentioned industries can select from the myriad range of conveyors available in the market based on their specific requirements.
Let us now take a look at a few of the many different kinds of conveyor that are more widely used currently.
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1) Chute Conveyors
Areas of Application - Provide accumulation in shipping areas, widely used for the transport of both coarse grain material (such as cereals, mineral ore and coal) and fine powders (as used in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries).
Advantage(s) - Economical; one of the most inexpensive methods of facilitating movement of materials
Disadvantage(s) - Difficult to control the items that being conveyed by the chutes; may result in packages shifting and turning so that jams and blockages could occur.
Video on Chute Conveyor here.
2) Roller Conveyor
a. Powered Roller Conveyor
Areas of Application - Accumulation of loads (heavy-duty) and merging/sorting of operations.
Advantage(s) - Does not depend on load weight of material, able to control movement of materials on the conveyor (for e.g. stop movement as and when one is required to by setting timing of conveyor).
Disadvantage(s) - Provides limited inclined movement capabilities.
Video on Powered Roller Conveyor here.
b. Gravity Roller Conveyor
Areas of Application - For heavy-duty applications, and accumulation and sorting of operations.
Advantage(s) - Ablility to move objects without power (cost nothing to run), low capital costs and simple to install.
Disadvantage(s) - Gravity Roller Conveyors cannot convey materials that do not have fixed, solid forms (for e.g. loose powder), and they cannot convey upwards (only downwards due to gravity).
Video on Gravity Roller Conveyor here (with speech, requires Windows Media Player).
3) Vertical Lift Conveyor
Areas of Application - Additional production or distribution floor space is required, more aisle space for personnel and forklift traffic is required and when multiple floors are required to be tied together (so that there can be more space for production facilities).
Advantage(s) - Vertical Lift Conveyors are more economical than elevators. They can accommodate larger loads, both in size and weight.VRC’s have a smaller footprint then an incline conveyor, conserving valuable floor space.
Disadvantage(s) - Limited loading & unloading, as platform sizes and capacities may be limited due to the positioning of the load in relation to the guide structure.
Video on Vertical Lift Conveyor here.
More links to videos on Conveyors:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=d7fyVYXMIUM#
http://youtube.com/watch?v=7zycL3UI_fc
http://youtube.com/watch?v=E1L_SXlZLjQ
http://www.metacafe.com/watch/290944/choo_choo_train_sushi/
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