Explore Custom & Standard Conveyor Offerings

Fluent Roller Chain Conveyors are specifically designed to move high volume...
Fluent Light Duty Roller Chain Conveyors are specifically designed to move...
Fluent Slider Bed Conveyors Are Specifically Designed To Process Lightweigh...
Fluent Trough Idler Conveyors Are Specifically Designed To Process Sand, Gr...
Fluent Conveyors Sorting Systems Are Designed For Single Stream, Aluminum,...
Fluent Conveyors Custom Sorting Systems Are Designed To Optimize Each Speci...
Fluent Custom Conveyors Are Made To Order & 100% Designed To The Specific C...
Fluent Package Handling Conveyors Are Specifically Designed To Convey 1,000...

Conveyors

Moving materials from one location to another in a commercial or industrial setting is made much easier with the right conveyor system. For production, packaging, and shipping, conveyors allow for a more efficient movement in production lines and heavy duty transportation. Due to their flexibility, conveyor equipment can be found in a wide range of environments, and vary in terms of their complexity and design. By using the right conveyor equipment, it is much easier to transport both materials and goods, but there is a wide range of conveyor solutions available. Choosing the right conveyor belt system is vital, and it can be a challenge to ensure that you have the proper conveyor machine setup that is fit for purpose.

Considerations for the Right Conveyor Systems

The vast majority of conveyor belt system types use a similar design, although there are variations. Typically, a conveyor system will consist of a support frame for the essential rollers, conveyor belts, and wheels. Powering systems can be wildly different, though, and might include options such as a motor-powered conveyor, gravity-powered, or even manual options. In order to choose the right conveyor machine, many factors will need to be taken into account. This will include the types of expected material being handled, the workload, and the working space where the conveyor system will be located. However, when the right conveyor equipment is in place, even the heaviest, most over-sized and varied material can be transported quickly, boosting productivity and ensuring that employees are safer.

Types of Conveyor System

Although there are some popular designs for conveyor systems, there are also options for the bespoke and custom conveyors that your industrial space needs. If your work environment requires little in the customization, then the most commonly seen types of recovery systems include:

●       Belt system

●       Roller Chain

●       Powered or motorized roller 

●       Slat

●       Bucket

●       Vertical

●       Wheel (skate)

●       Ball transfer

●       Overhead conveyor

There are many more options to consider, but these are consistently used for production lines, industrial settings, and heavy duty transportation industries. Choosing the conveyor machine that suits the environment and the workload is critical for improved performance.

Essential Specifications for Conveyor Systems

When you are deciding on the best types of conveyor solutions, there are some key areas to consider before making a decision. Your conveyor belt system will need to factor in the following:

●       Load Capacity: Also referred to as flow rate, this is one of the more important aspects to consider. The maximum load capacity needs to be higher than you expect your materials to be. This will ensure that wear and tear is minimized and that employees are kept safe from harm.

●       Speed: A factory conveyor belt will need to operate at a different speed to an airport conveyor belt system. Belt speed is a crucial factor to get right, and there are plenty of options for custom conveyors that work at the pace your workspace needs. Belt conveyors will tend to be rated in feet per minute, while other conveyor belt types like a powered roller conveyor will describe the linear speed of specific items.

●       Throughput: This is one of the more important measurements that you will need to consider. Throughput is the system's capacity for handling materials in a set amount of time. For example, throughput measurement will often refer to heavy duty transportation in terms of cubic feet per minute. This type of specification is more commonly seen in industrial conveyor system.

What is a Conveyor Belt?

All conveyor systems will use a belt, but not all belts are the same. When buying or upgrading a conveyor system, the belt type is one of the most critical areas to get right. Conveyor belts are where the products or materials are loaded onto, and the propulsion system will then move the belt in an endless loop. Not only do you need to ensure that your conveyor belt is the right length and width, but it will also need to be made from the right material. This will depend on what is being transported, the speed of the system, and the throughput workload. 

The Importance of Environment

It is vital that you take the environment into account when looking at your options for belting products, conveyor systems, and conveyor equipment. You will need to have a clear understanding of:

●       Humidity levels

●       Temperature

●       Vibration

●       Environmental materials (such as settings where there are high volumes of flammable, fragile, or dangerous materials)

It is always best to discuss your conveyor solutions with professional suppliers of conveyors, conveyor systems, and belting products. The more suitable your conveyor system is for the workload and environment, the longer your conveyor equipment will last. Talk to the experts today!

Frequently Asked Questions
  • Are your conveyors made in the USA?

    Fluent Conveyors offers industrial grade conveyors that are exclusively made in the United States. Our corporate HQ is in Colorado and our 80,000 square foot manufacturing facility is located in the Midwest (Minnesota).

  • Can you use specific motors on your conveyors?

    Fluent Conveyors has standard motors and gearboxes that we have designed our conveyors around. However, Fluent can use a specific motor/gearbox if it is necessary for the customer’s application. Depending on the type this can cause an additional fee due to the extra engineering involved.

  • What is a conveyor belt system?

    Conveyor belts are typically found in warehouses, manufacturing facilities, distribution centers etc. The focus of a conveyor belt system is to remove human handling and increase processing time and safety. There are several different forms of conveyors, all which process uniquely and have different usage cases. A few examples include gravity, skate conveyors, roller conveyors, troughs, motorized etc.

  • How do conveyor belt systems work?

    Conveyors are offered by many different manufacturers all of which typically have a specific niche they focus on. Each conveyor type has different functionality on how the mechanical operations work. A few examples are chain and sprockets, pulleys, motorized pulleys, powered rollers, gravity, pneumatics, hydraulic etc.

    When the drive portion of the conveyor engages the belt, whether through chain and sprocket, or pulley and friction, the belt or rollers are driven in the desired direction.

    The conveyors are designed to be loaded in one or multiple locations. Once the material is loaded onto the conveyor (and the motor is engaged) the moving belt/rollers will carry the material along the conveyor.

    The material can then be transferred from the conveyor in various ways. Diverters, plungers, and robotics can push or pick the material off the conveyor at desired intervals. The material can also run to the end of the conveyor and be transferred to other conveyors, other machines, or bins and piles with the use of chutes and hoppers.