Conveyor rollers are convenient roller systems that safely move products across warehouses, factories, and other industrial facilities swiftly and efficiently. Most consist of high-quality steel or stainless steel and can support heavy objects without difficulty.
However, plastic and rubber conveyor rollers are also available.
There are two primary conveyor roller designs:
- Traditional conveyor rollers
- MDR conveyor rollers
Traditional Conveyor Rollers
Traditional conveyor rollers are non-electric transportation systems consisting of ball bearings, a shaft, and a steel tube. Many have a low-friction material coating that smoothly moves items from place to place. Although traditional conveyor rollers don’t utilize sophisticated technology, they can take efficiency to new heights while making things more convenient for employees.
Again, there are numerous types of conveyor rollers that can make your business more efficient. Below are some of the most common types of conveyor rollers.
Gravity Rollers
Gravity conveyor rollers are the least advanced conveyor roller model but also one of the most affordable. They feature free-rotating rollers that utilize gravity to transport products from place to place.
The rollers often consist of steel, aluminum, or plastic that support most light and medium weighted items. However, they have trouble moving heavy objects since they don’t have a built-in motor.
Gravity rollers are also customizable, allowing business owners to equip accessories like pop-up tops, curves, hanging bricks, slide rails, and supports. Although most companies view gravity rollers as temporary transportation systems, they are an economical option that can significantly improve business operations.
Belt-driven Conveyor Rollers
Belt-driven conveyor rollers are an MDR model that features a motorized belt that makes moving objects across a facility nearly effortless. They are more efficient than traditional belt conveyor rollers since they don’t require items to stop at control points.
These MDR conveyor rollers support medium to heavy-weighted objects with wider frames.
Belt-driven conveyor rollers also allow operators to stop and reverse the belt, giving them more control over the transportation system.
However, belt-driven conveyor rollers only come in two shapes (straight and V-shape) and degrade rather quickly if they encounter excessive heat, moisture, or debris.
Nevertheless, these conveyor rollers are exceedingly beneficial to companies that need to move large, dry products across facilities swiftly.
Chain-driven Conveyor Rollers
Chain-driven conveyor rollers function similarly to belt-driven roller systems but utilize chains instead of motorized belts. They are incredibly robust and support heavy objects of all shapes and sizes. These roller systems won’t deteriorate in damp conditions (if well maintained) and allow reversible operations when needed.
Chain-driven conveyor rollers come in two primary designs
- Roll-to-roll
- Single-strand
Roll-to-Roll
Roll-to-roll models are heavy-duty conveyor rollers that utilize a chain that wraps around each roller and connects to two sprockets within the rollers. They are more powerful than the single-strand variation and can transport oversized projects efficiently.
Single-strand
Single-strand chain-driven conveyor rollers utilize one non-looped chain that connects to roller sprockets. They also feature a hold-down bar that keeps the chain continuously engaged.
Although these MDR conveyor rollers support medium to heavy-weighted items, they aren’t as strong as roll-to-roll models.
Line Shaft Conveyor Rollers
Line shaft conveyor rollers use a rotating shaft that connects to each roller by urethane belts and drive spools. They are easy to maintain and operate almost silently.
However, the drive spools sometimes slip when heavy objects apply too much pressure on the rollers, making them less ideal for heavy-duty transportation. Fortunately, the excess stress only affects the weighed-down area, allowing the machine to continue operations in non-affected regions.
These MDR conveyor rollers span over 100 feet and come in straight and curved designs. They allow reverse operation and can improve any warehouse’s efficiency.
Zero Pressure Conveyor Rollers
Zero pressure conveyor rollers, also called pressureless accumulating conveyors, are advanced roller systems that prevent goods from touching each other during transport.
They use sophisticated motors and sensors to control specific zero pressure areas on the track, creating buffer zones between items. Some rollers utilize motors that connect to the machine’s control system, allowing photocells to determine when a product reaches or surpasses track zones.
Business owners can buy zero-pressure conveyor roller kits to upgrade their existing transportation system or purchase a complete unit. These cutting-edge conveyor rollers are the most innovative and efficient model available, making them the go-to choice for large factories, warehouses, and other industrial facilities. Although these MDR conveyor rollers usually carry higher price tags, many business owners believe it’s a small price to pay for outstanding efficiency, longevity, and consistency.
Powered Conveyor Rollers
These MDR conveyor rollers combine motorized and non-motorized rollers to transport goods quickly. Every tenth roller has an internalized motor that pushes items forward to manual rollers connecting to several O-rings. Powered conveyor rollers carry small, lighter products without issue but struggle to move heavy objects without halting the track.
However, powered conveyor rollers work well for smaller warehouses needing to transport small, lightweight goods.
Choosing Materials for Conveyor Systems
Conveyor systems can be built to the specifications needed for their intended applications. When considering a conveyor system for your operations, choosing the materials used for the conveyor belt will be one of the decisions that you must make.
Different Types of Conveyor System Materials
Each of these conveyor system materials has distinctive characteristics in terms of performance.
Stainless Steel Rollers
Stainless steel rollers and steel alloy are often the choice for heavy-duty applications, making them a great choice for handling heavy loads. Stainless steel rollers on a conveyor belt provide strength for tough jobs or when coming into contact with corrosive elements. A stainless steel roller conveyor system is best in manufacturing and industrial settings.
Plastic Rollers
In the food industry, plastic rollers are often chosen because they are cost-effective. They are also capable of handling lighter loads. They resist corrosion and rust, are easy to clean, and abide by noise standards.
Rubber Coated Rollers
Rubber coated rollers are best when you need a good grip on the materials. If your roller conveyor needs a no-slip grip on the materials, you can choose from rubber coated roller options such as silicone or acrylic to get the job done.
Conveyor rollers provide companies with numerous benefits, ranging from increased efficiency to prompt transportation. Below are just some of the benefits conveyor rollers offer.
Increased Efficiency
Conveyor rollers make transporting heavy and oversized products less strenuous. Instead of carrying burdensome goods across a warehouse manually or with a dolly, employees place objects on the conveyor roller and let the track transport them to their destination. They decrease transportation times, allowing workers to focus on other tasks without hindering product transit.
Low Maintenance
Most conveyor rollers require minimal maintenance and preserve their efficiency better than other transportation systems. Replacing broken or malfunctioning rollers is incredibly easy and only takes a few minutes to complete. Although employees must clean the conveyor rollers every so often, it doesn’t require extensive maintenance to ensure optimal functionality.
Traditional conveyor rollers are also relatively easy to repair. Most parts are readily available and don’t demand exceedingly high prices. If you want a low-maintenance transportation system that will withstand the test of time, consider purchasing a high-quality conveyor roller.
How to Design the Right Conveyor System for Your Operations
Choosing a roller conveyor or a conveyor belt means thoroughly assessing the needs of your business. Many factors will go into this decision, such as whether to choose gravity rollers or a powered option. Conveyor speed is another critical detail, as is roller length, load capacity, design of conveyor frame, and support rollers.
To ensure smooth operations, it is vital to think of the carrying capacity, and efficient transport you need from your roller conveyor. Regardless of usage, robust construction is required to ensure that it stands up to your operating conditions.
With so many different types of conveyor rollers, it can be difficult to determine the type of roller conveyor that will best serve your business. For these reasons, choosing a reputable roller conveyor company is essential. They will help you to determine the right size, material, load capacity, and design to allow it to provide the unique benefits required for getting the job done.
If you need a first-class conveyor roller for your business, contact Conveyor Systems & Engineering Inc. We carry numerous types of conveyor rollers that will help your business thrive in today’s competitive market. Our advanced transportation systems will help your company reach its full potential at a rate that won’t stress your financial means.
Conveyor Systems & Engineering Inc. is one of the nation’s leading conveyor roller manufacturers. We’ve been constructing high-quality custom conveyor belts and rollers for over 27 years and can equip your facility with an efficient transpiration system that allows your company to operate at its highest efficiency level. If you need a custom conveyor roller or belt for your business, contact Conveyor Systems & Engineering Inc.
Whether you need a traditional conveyor roller for your warehouse or an MDR transportation system for your factory, contact Conveyor Systems & Engineering Inc.
Give Conveyor Systems & Engineering Inc. a call at (847) 350- today! Use our Roller Builder to get a custom quote on your conveyor roller project!
carrying idlers and return idlers
Metso Energy Saving Idlers (ESI) boost the energy efficiency for overland conveying solutions in mining applications. With over 30 years of industry experience, Metso has found a way to provide up to 15% power savings for material transportation contributing to your sustainability strategic priorities.
- More savings from the decreased power consumption
- Less spillage and wear leading to an extended component lifetime
- Cost efficiency from reduced CAPEX and OPEX with minimal downtime
- Part of Metso Plus offering
Troughers are the most common idlers used on the carry side of the conveyor.
Extending their life expectancy can be a challenge. Our proven seal design and low maintenance rollers lead to less downtime and increased profits.
Metso’s troughing idlers come in 20°, 35°, and 45° and meet all CEMA dimensional requirements.
Damaged conveyor belts can result in downtime and high replacement costs.
Our impact idlers are designed to be used in impact areas where belt damage is common.
Impact rolls are designed with rubber tires which absorb impact forces minimizing belt damage.
When conducting visual or magnetic inspections, conveyed materials that are not properly flattened can cause issues.
Metso’s picking table idlers spread the material out by using a longer center roll and short concentrator rolls angled at 20° making inspection or tramp iron detection easier and more reliable.
In feeder applications, wide coverage is needed.
Metso provides a flat belt idler with a single roll placed horizontally supported on each end.
It has a rise bracket to provide the widest coverage while metering material flow.
Material spillage can occur when conveyor belts become misaligned. Strategically placing self-training idlers along the conveyor keep the belt running true.
Metso’s self-trainers are like troughing idlers, but with the ability to pivot at the center and are guided by edge rollers which in turn aligns the belt.
High belt tensions can cause idlers to fail. Live shaft idlers are designed to handle higher allowable loads than flat belt idlers.
Live shafts are comprised of a single roll with a pillow block bearing at each end.
The flat return is the most common idler on the return side of a conveyor.
Metso’s flat returns support the belt to prevent stretching, sagging, and failure.
These idlers consist of a single steel roll mounted on two drop brackets.
A big concern in applications with sticky material is removing material that has become affixed to the belt.
Metso’s rubber disc returns assist by removing carryback.
The rubber disc returns are similar to the flat returns, but have rubber discs strategically placed along the roll, as opposed to a steel shell found on the flat returns.
Aligning high tension fabric or cable belts can be problematic.
Metso’s v-return idlers provide a truer tracking belt and a longer life than standard flat returns. They consist of two rolls in a v-shaped profile of either 10° or 15°.
Belt, structure, and component damage can all occur when conveyor belts become misaligned.
Self-training return idlers eliminate this concern by ensuring the belt is tracking true.
Metso’s self-trainers are like flat return idlers, but with the ability to pivot at the center guided by edge rollers which in turn aligns the belt.
