Struggling to keep up with order volume? Tired of workplace injuries caused by heavy lifting? Warehouse conveyor systems can transform your operations.
This article explains the different types of conveyor systems, how to choose the right one for your facility, and the benefits you can expect in terms of speed, safety, and efficiency.
What is a Conveyor System?
Warehouse conveyor systems are transportation devices that carry items throughout the facility and to another warehouse nearby if needed. You can operate the equipment manually, by gravity, or by a motor. Conveyors could also help improve warehouse operations by organizing transportation processes and minimizing human errors.
There are different kinds of warehouse conveyor systems for various types of stock items. The type of conveyor a warehouse manager needs will depend on the nature of the products they will store in their facility.
Benefits of Warehouse Conveyor Systems
Warehouse conveyor systems offer many benefits to a storage facility, and below are some of them.
1. Speedy Delivery
Warehouse conveyors are useful in large storage facilities because they speed up the delivery of items throughout the area. Compared to manpower, gravity-powered or motor-powered conveyors are faster in carrying items throughout a facility.
2. Minimized Risks
Another reason why warehouse conveyor systems are advantageous is that they minimize the risk of accidents. Workers carrying large items are prone to accidents due to the strain of heavy lifting. Conveyors minimize risks because these items can be transported on stable platforms without the machines experiencing fatigue.
3. Increased Productivity
Since warehouse conveyor systems do all the heavy lifting, this also improves productivity among the workers. By removing strenuous tasks from human workers, they will have more energy to handle other tasks.
What to Consider When Choosing a Warehouse Conveyor System for Your Facility
Choosing a suitable warehouse conveyor system is essential because installing the wrong one could set you back hundreds of thousands of dollars. With the wrong conveyor system, warehouse operations could be compromised and even halted. Accidents could even occur if the conveyor system you chose doesn’t match the kind of load you want to carry throughout your facility.
Fortunately, there is an easy way to choose the right warehouse conveyor system for your facility and stock items. Before purchasing any conveyor system, consider the following factors.
1. Stock Item
You should consider the details of your stock item before purchasing any warehouse conveyor systems. Take note of how fragile your stock items are and check conveyor systems that are capable of carrying delicate units on time.
Also, consider that you’ll be stocking items of various sizes in your warehouse. So, it would make sense to get a conveyor system that can accommodate units of different sizes.
2. Warehouse Throughput
Warehouse throughput is the number of units that are being processed and moved around the facility. If your throughput is high or more stock items are to be processed daily, you need a conveyor that can carry several units quickly. You should also check warehouse conveyor systems that efficiently carry several items without compromising the integrity of each unit.
Installing a conveyor system that can effectively carry many stock items from the storage area to the shipping dock minimizes lags in delivery. If your warehouse can deliver on time and your stock items are always in perfect condition, your customers will be happier and satisfied.
3. Long-Term Goals
Long-term goals should also be considered when choosing warehouse conveyor systems. Any company that wants to stay profitable will eventually want to expand.
If you want your business to expand and attract more clients, choose warehouse conveyor systems that match your growing demands. Check conveyors that can be adjusted to accommodate more units or heavier loads. Better yet, consult an engineer or a conveyor expert on what machine you could use for your facility.
Different Types of Warehouse Conveyor Systems
These are the kinds of warehouse conveyor systems in use today:
1. Belt Conveyor
A belt conveyor is one of the most common warehouse conveyor systems. It consists of pulleys and belts where the items to be transported are loaded. It is often used to transport items of various sizes and shapes.
2. Roller
A roller conveyor is a system of circular tubes where stock items are placed. The items can roll on top of the conveyor system either automatically or manually. For the latter, roller conveyors are often placed on a higher level so that gravity will help pull the stock items down to a lower level.
3. Slat/Apron
Slat/apron conveyors are slats chain-linked to each other and operated by a set of pulleys. Warehouse conveyor systems like this are helpful for items that need to stand upright while it’s moving. Slat conveyors are often used in manufacturing plants as well as warehouses.
4. Ball Transfer
Ball transfer conveyors are a group of rotating steel balls. They are often used for packaging items or stocks that need to move in more than one direction.
5. Overhead
An overhead conveyor is a single-rail system that is attached to the ceiling. This conveyor is suitable if the warehouse has limited floor space or a crowded storage area.
6. Pneumatic
Pneumatic conveyors are a transport system that uses air to carry items from one point to another. They are useful for transporting dry goods such as cement, flour, pellets, and sand.
7. Bucket
A bucket conveyor uses metal buckets to carry items that cannot be loaded onto a flat surface. It usually carries sand, gravel, and liquids to other facility areas.
8. Chute
A chute conveyor is the simplest and cheapest form of transport system in the warehouse industry. An inclined chute transfers items from a higher level to a lower one using gravity. This type of conveyor is cheap and easy to use.
9. Magnetic
Magnetic conveyors are magnets attached to stationary plates or any non-magnetic slider beds. They carry magnetic materials, mainly metal scraps. These conveyors transport metal items that cannot be packaged during transit.
10. Vertical
A vertical conveyor is an elevator for transporting stock items from one level to another. These warehouse conveyor systems are apt for transporting items up and down a facility.
11. Wheel
This metal frame connects a set of wheels and allows for the manual rolling of items placed on top of it. Wheel conveyors are affordable and easy to operate, and people commonly use them in reception and dispatch areas.
12. Walking Beam
Warehouse conveyor systems like this use static and moving supports to transport pieces sequentially. The walking beam conveyor is suitable when the warehouse manager needs to ensure equal spacing between transported items.
Summary
Choosing warehouse conveyor systems requires planning and careful consideration of the items in your storage facility and your client’s demands. It is essential to know the specifics of the items you will store in your facility and the number of items in transit throughout the warehouse.
Using the right warehouse conveyor systems will make life easier for your workers and your operations much smoother. With a storage facility working in optimal conditions, you can become more profitable while keeping your personnel safe.
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