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Since the advent of the Industrial Revolution, a gravity conveyor has been a standard piece of equipment in manufacturing facilities and production lines. They can be found in almost all industrial processes from automotive to packaging. These simple transporting machines have helped increase production output since that time, helped lower employee overhead, and kept manufacturing costs to a minimum. Because they use the force of their own kinesthetic motion, these simple pieces of equipment require no electrical input for operations — this also decreases noise on the manufacturing floor. Depending on the materials being handled, transporters may be constructed from aluminum or steel (galvanized or stainless), but might also include components fabricated from PVC or plastic.
A gravity conveyor is an excellent addition to the manufacturing and processing industries for the transportation of products and goods. They use the force of gravity to move product between locations for processing. There are two main layouts: roller and skatewheel designs. The most basic is the roller design. It consists of a set of rollers between a pair of parallel rails and a standing support. The rails can be curved or straight and configured in any manner necessary for optimal workflow. They are also expandable making them easy to collapse and move (if necessary) to specific locations, and can handle 45 to 2,500 pounds. The load weight will determine the slope for smooth transportation of products. The skatewheel design is a more economical model as it requires less of an angle for materials to flow and can transport over longer distances. They are preferable for flat, smooth bottom materials, such as cartons and corrugated boxes.
With such an uncomplicated operational process, a gravity conveyor is easy to install into an existing or new production line. A professional installer will need to know the load weights for the various products that will be ferried along the line, product dimensions from smallest to largest, and how much space there is to put the transportation system in. The rail frame will need to accommodate the largest size product while still being able to move smaller pieces smoothly. Too heavy of a load can break a roller or several wheels and may cause a halt in production. If the rollers or wheels are spaced too far apart, smaller objects may become stuck and slow or stop the process. Installation will consist of placing the rail system and adjusting the height of the supports for maximum material flow. The right support height will create optimum production movement – not too fast, not too slow – and will cut down on glitches and jams.
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