Roller Track Conveyor
In any given manufacturing or warehouse environment, there are many ways to move materials. They include simply human labor, fork carts and forklifts, and other equipment like roller carts that are designed to provide simple, straightforward movement from one workstation or cell to another.
There’s one device that does it in an absolutely unique way that makes it one of the best tools on the factory floor—the roller track conveyor. Roller track conveyers combine a simple design with the power of gravity or an external power source, and they can be used to move bulky or heavy materials over any desired distance on the factory or warehouse floor.
But some manufacturing companies have no idea what they can do or the benefits they can get from this unique form of equipment. To help clarify those capabilities and benefits let’s take a closer look at roller track conveyors—what they are, how they work, the industries in which they’re used and the advantages they can provide.
Roller Track Conveyors: An Overview
We’ll start with a simple definition: What is a roller track conveyor, exactly?
To a large extent, the basic definition is obvious and at least somewhat recursive. These devices are conveyor belts where the movement of materials is provided by a series of metal or plastic rollers that are connected by rods and shafts.
For such a simple system, they pack a wallop when it comes to the work they can perform. Roller track conveyors can move bulky, heavy materials over a significant distance, and they can even do it without an external power source.
The Rollertrack Conveyor and the Power of Gravity
When used without an external power source, roller track conveyors instead rely on the power of gravity. To do this, the angle of the track is pitched at a downward slope, and a simple push can be used to start whatever materials are about to be sent on their way.
But roller track conveyors just don’t rely on the power of gravity. In some manufacturing or warehouse environments, roller track conveyors may have an upward slope, and an external power source is used to provide the power to move materials.
Using an External Source to Power the Belt
There are several advantages to using an external power source with roller track conveyors. One is perhaps the most obvious—external power saves labor, which means workers don’t have to do the work that come lifting heavy materials, not to mention the injury risk that comes with lifting or moving heavy, bulky or hazardous material.
Another advantage of using external power is the ability to add automation. This can make it even easier to move materials because the sequence of steps is automated, and it also makes it possible to synchronize the movement of materials in different sections of the assembly line.
But that’s not all. Automation means software can be added to the process of moving materials, and software can provide a much higher, precise level of control.
Automation software can also be used to collect data, and that data can be used to analyze performance, measure and improve efficiency and generate reports that can be used by management to improve the process as a whole.
What Industries Use Roller Track Conveyors For Their Process Systems?
Roller track conveyors are especially common in manufacturing, and they’re frequently found in warehouse operations and distribution centers as well.
In some ways it would be easier to list the industries that don’t use roller track conveyors, but here’s a quick list of some of the most common applications:
- Automotive. Given that Toyota pioneered many of the manufacturing principles used to build contemporary cars, it shouldn’t be all that surprising that auto manufacturers rely on roller track conveyors for many essential assembly line functions.
These conveyors ensure the smooth delivery of parts, and they help boost efficiency in a way that adheres to many of the principles of lean manufacturing that still featured prominently in making cars today.
- Food and beverage. If you’ve ever been inside a factory or distribution center where food is either being processed into a final product or prepped for shipping, you’ve probably seen a roller track conveyor moving these products.
They help manufacturers adhere to sanitation and safety requirements and regulations across the food and beverage industry, and they facilitate fast shipping to get them into the hands of customers as quickly as possible.
- Pharmaceutical and medical applications. The companies involved in preparing and shipping these products have to handle delicate drugs and devices that are difficult to process. Some are potentially dangerous if mishandled, and these materials need to be moved and processed while the usual array of large, bulky boxes and other objects are being moved as well.
Roller track conveyors help them do this effectively, and they protect workers who can be at risk if they’re not handled properly. They help increase safety and efficiency throughout the facility and across the company as a whole, and millions of doctors and patients around the world benefit from the duties roller track conveyors perform and the work they do.
Benefits of Roller Track Conveyors
While some of the benefits provided by roller track conveyors have already been mentioned, it’s helpful to consolidate some of the basic ones into a single, short list:
- Efficient, smooth movement of materials. In addition to handling and moving heavy, bulky materials, roller track conveyors also help keep them safe by doing the job with minimal effort, and the materials themselves are handled with less friction.
This increases efficiency both within a cell and at each workstation, which makes it possible to achieve the necessary level of efficiency to assure profitability.
- Cost effectiveness. These conveyors have a simple design, and they’re built from high quality metal and plastic, so they’re cheaper to use than many other forms of equipment that move materials.
The initial investment is lower, and so are the maintenance costs. They save a lot of companies a lot of money, which is one of the major reasons why they’re so popular.
- Lower energy consumption. One of the underrated advantages of roller track conveyors is the energy cost savings they can provide.
Many of these conveyors rely exclusively on the power of gravity to move materials, which means some of the money normally used to pay utility bills can be put to better use. This is why it makes sense to analyze performance up and down the line with the goal of using more roller track conveyors in those sections of the assembly line where it makes sense to do so.
WorkSmart Can Help You Use Roller Track Conveyors to Enhance and Improve Your Assembly Line
At WorkSmart Systems, we’ve helped many manufacturing companies integrate roller track conveyors into their assembly lines and processes. We can help you define your overall approach, pinpoint the equipment you need, and use roller track conveyorss to improve performance and make your assembly line more efficient.
You can find out more about us at www.worksmartsystems.com, and we also have a separate but related website, www.quixxsmart.com, that will help you with the specific equipment. You can also reach us by phone at (978) 356-5000, and you can email us at sales@worksmartsystems.com.
Learn More: Roller Tracks
