What makes up a conveyor? First, we must start off with what is a
conveyor? A conveyor moves material. That material can be anything from
cardboard, wood, metal, and plastic boxes. How many ways can a conveyor move
material? There are two types of conveyors, gravity conveyors and belt
conveyors.
Gravity conveyors move material by, you guessed it, gravity. Gravity
conveyors use wheels or rollers. They help move materials easier with as little
of a slant as possible. Both the wheels and rollers are held together by
channel frames and frame spacers. Which can be mad out of either steel or
aluminum.
Wheel conveyors are put on axles with spacers in between each other
to keep them from moving side to side. Every axle is three inches apart, so for
every foot in length on the conveyor there are four axles. The number of wheels
on an axle varies depending on the width of the conveyor. There is a minimum
number of wheels a conveyor should have though. Every foot there should be at
least 10 wheels.
Roller conveyors are also put on axles, but their axles are spring
loaded on one side. This makes it so the axle can be moved to one side and the
roller can easily be replaced or removed for maintenance. Rollers should be put
as close together or far apart as necessary. There should always be always at
least 3 rollers under your materials otherwise it may tumble.
You may be wondering, “Well, what can I put on a conveyor?” Any
items with a smooth, flat bottom. These items can be wider than the conveyor, 6
in. over on each side is not too much. Extra wide items like plywood, can be moved
O.K., but center it carefully. Bent pans and tote boxes will not move easily. Use
as many wheels as possible for the best results. What can’t go on a conveyor? Items
with an uneven or open bottom, or with a rim on the bottom. These items should
never be bigger around than the rollers are long.
How are conveyors setup? Conveyors can be setup to be a
portable and permanent system. A portable conveyor has hooked couplings and a
tripod stand. A permanent conveyor has butt couplings with permanent stationary
supports.
