MOTION DESIGN GUIDE

CONVEYORS

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MOTION DESIGN GUIDE I CONVEYORS

Image courtesy mk North America

Conveyors move loose bulk material or discrete packaged products from

one place to another in automated material-handling settings. The array
of materials, controls, and modular subcomponents for conveyors has
only proliferated in recent years … allowing all-new conveyor designs for
customized sorting, filing, and warehouse-automation tasks.

In this Design Guide, the editors of Design World detail the most common
conveyor types and variations as well best practices for sizing, selection, ▼
and installation.
▼
LISA EITEL
Executive editor

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Basics of conveyors — and conveyor-selection criteria.............................................3

Pallet conveyors (and how they differ from other options).......................................7

Rotate and transfer modules for conveyors ..............................................................9

What is a zero pressure accumulation conveyor?....................................................11

DANIELLE COLLINS
Customizing belt conveyors for discrete product transport ..................................12 Contributing editor

Maintaining conveyor systems.................................................................................14

The Inersection of production and warehouse automation.....................................15

Conveyor with plastic modular belting....................................................................16

Chain-on-edge conveyors and where they’re used..................................................18

Power and free conveyors and their applications....................................................19

Pitch in the context of roller-chain conveyors..........................................................20

Precision-link conveyor.............................................................................................21
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Basics of conveyors —
and conveyor-selection criteria
C
onveyors are automated tracks that move bulk material
or discrete products from one area to another. They’re
the backbone of material-handling applications that
need top efficiency and throughput. Recent advances in
materials, controls and modular subcomponents have spurred
new large conveyors for bulk material transport, miniature
conveyors for discrete sorting, and everything in between.
Just about any product made of metal, food, cosmetics,
medical supplies, plastics or boxes moves on a conveyor
during manufacture. No wonder that conveyors come in
all shapes and sizes — from belt widths of less than 2 in.
(for moving extremely small parts) to several feet wide for
transferring bulk substances.
Once viewed as an afterthought, conveyors have become
an integral component in myriad automated facilities and
applications. To select a conveyor, first answer these
questions about the application.
1. What types of product is the application moving?
Conveyors for material handling of bulk product (as found in
mining or process applications) as well as large-scale single-
item transport (as in automatic car washes) are generally
more rugged than those for moving discrete product. So bulk
conveyors often employ steel-belted and rubber conveyance
surfaces or steel-chain (and roller-pin) conveyor variations
paired with large ac motor-based drives. Cleated belt and screw
conveyors are also common where product must go through an
elevation change during conveyance.
Conveyors for moving arrays of discrete product — the focus
of this Design Guide — take other forms. Some employ thin
flat belt made of engineered fabric with nylon, PVC, styrene-
butadiene synthetic rubber (SBR), or other durable synthetic
materials. Specially shaped motor-driven pulleys engage
(with tension-maintained friction) the conveyor belt and make
it (and any product riding on it) advance. Benefits of this
design include simplicity and cost-effectiveness; thinness
of conveyance medium for easier transfers off and onto the
conveyor-belt ends even for very small objects; the ability to
withstand a wide range of temperatures; and customizable
surfaces — for easy release of baked confections, for example.

Conveyors are classified by both their conveyance media and application. Some conveyors serve to transport bulk or discrete product in a steady
stream — with little interaction with transported goods along the way. These are ruggedized units optimized for high throughput. Slightly more
demanding conveyor installations shuttle product between locations or machines. Still more demanding are conveyors to move materials into or out
of machines or stations. These actually require positioning capabilities to ensure proper handling of product. The most demanding conveyors run
workpieces and other goods through assembly or other workstations and machinery without break. Many such conveyors for this demanding task
employ custom workpiece pucks to steady product while machines perform work on the items.

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 MOTION DESIGN GUIDE I CONVEYORS
(continued)
Basics of conveyors — and conveyor-selection criteria

This is a plastic modular belt conveyor. The wide belt relies on

segmented cleats to allow for proper belt support on the return.
Image courtesy mk North America

In other instances, conveyors consist of a series of both to each powered roller via cords or bands made of round
unpowered and powered cylindrical rollers. These roller-based polyurethane belt. These bands loop around and nestle into
conveyors work best for transporting flat-bottomed objects such grooves on the powered and unpowered roller ends; tension
as carboard boxes or molded part pucks. keeps the round bands firmly set in their grooves and facilitates
the transmission of power from motorized roller to ganged
Simple conveyors with only unpowered rollers work as manual
passive rollers.
conveyors (to let personnel push items along the low-friction
conveying surface) or gravity conveyors which incorporate In still other cases, conveyors for discrete product transport must
downward slopes — often as diverting-conveyor “offramps” to advance items with minimal energy loss and especially high
feed items to their final workplace or collection destinations. precision — to position workpieces or other items for assembly,
Here a competitive conveyor option is the ball-table conveyor for example. These often employ synchronous mechanical drives
— studded with freewheeling spherical rollers to let conveyed having toothed pulleys (sprockets) that positively mate with and
product freely glide along. drive either:
Lengths of timing belt engineered to maximize reliability
and precision while minimizing shock and noise. These are
Warehouse automation and production logistics are
most common in linear indexing applications because in
reliant on conveyors to satisfy the increasingly complex fact, timing belt conveyors are suitable anywhere precision
demands of ecommerce and distribution. product indexing or locating is required. Timing-belt conveyor
variations are also useful in parallel conveyors with open
centers, which run twin belts in tandem to advance items by
The motorized rollers on roller-based conveyors can either interfacing with their edges. These are often complemented
couple to a gearmotor on the conveyor flank or directly integrate by tight conveyor sidewalls that keep conveyed items centered
motors called drum motors inside their cylindrical bodies — in and oriented one way.
turn usually made of steel or (if intended for washdown settings)
stainless steel. Conveyors to position items with moderate Plastic modular belt — which are assembled arrays of links pinned
accuracy (say, for simple spacing of boxes) might employ only together for flexibility to bend around conveyor ends and (in some
motorized rollers. In contrast, systems or sections of conveyor cases) around conveyor curves as well. In addition to the ability
with laxer requirements (or relying on peripheral systems for to traverse curves, plastic modular conveyors can also traverse
final positioning functions) might gang a few unpowered rollers inclines — and form so-called gooseneck conveyors.

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 MOTION DESIGN GUIDE I CONVEYORS
(continued)
Basics of conveyors

On this Ossid NextGen 500E shrink wrapper, several conveyors work in tandem to feed food on trays into the machine body; allow on-conveyor
application and flying-shear cutting of a web of plastic wrap; permit removal of air from the packages; provide transport through a heat station for
wrap shrinking; and take the case-ready wrapped food items out of the machine and onward. The machine packages up to 60 items per min.

Best of all, plastic modular conveyors can incorporate curves motor-based linear-transfer and linear-transport systems.
and elevation changes using a single drive. Refer to the final sections of this Design Guide for more
information on the former; visit this linear-transport deep link to
Plastic modular belts are sometimes studded with freewheeling
designworldonline.com for more on the latter.
rollers to allow conveyed items to slide freely — again, for
accumulation and similar functions. In other cases, such belts 2. What is the maximum weight of the product being
include motor-driven studs that complement the primary moved? Grocery-store checkout conveyors have far different
(medial) direction of conveyance by moving items laterally (side requirements than conveyors used in automotive engine
to side) over the conveyor width. assembly. Conveyors that handle changing loads require
additional engineering. Knowing an application’s maximum
One additional benefit is that plastic belt conveyors are ideal in
weight is key to properly sizing the conveyor’s motor so it’s not
very wide conveyor applications — even up to 10 ft wide.
too small and not oversized (read: overly costly and bulky).
With these synchronous-drive designs, a powered drive
3. How does surrounding equipment interact with the
sprocket advances the belt (along with any products riding on
product riding on the conveyor? As mentioned in the
that belt) while a matching unpowered pulley called the idler
section on load type above, some modes of material handling
keeps the belt taut.
employ conveyors as simple arteries to transport bulk or
Though we only touch on the basics of them in this Design discrete product in a steady stream … with little interaction
Guide, still other conveyor options for particularly demanding along the way. Slightly more advanced applications use
positioning applications include costlier (though in some conveyors to shuttle items between locations and machine
cases indispensable) precision-link conveyors as well as linear- inputs with reasonable accuracy.

CONVEYORS IN BULK MATERIAL HANDLING

Conveyors for bulk material handling are increasingly custom. Consider how natural-gas
extraction needs machinery to transport frack sand. Here, belt conveyors with cleats are common
… and now new cleat profiles, compounds, and endless-construction options extend life. More
specifically, newer synthetic rubbers, aramids, ethylene-propylene-diene-monomer M-class
(EPDM) rubbers, and woven-basalt layers help such conveyors last longer.
The way engineers specify large conveyors is also changing. First of all, basic manufacturing
processes are slowly incorporating job-specific subcomponents, so users can order equipment
tailored to the applications at hand. Second of all, consolidation in North American conveyor
distribution … plus more value-added services mean there’s more installation and maintenance support than ever for end users. Finally, online
design tools now let engineers design subcomponents and even record conveyor condition in the field for easy maintenance scheduling.

Shown above is the world’s largest gearless conveyor drive consisting of three sections running off five Integrated Drive Systems from Siemens.
Located at the Cuajone Mine in Peru, the conveyor replaced a railway system.

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 MOTION DESIGN GUIDE I CONVEYORS

(continued)
Basics of conveyors — and conveyor-selection criteria

Still more advanced are conveyors that take items into or out of
machines or stations. Particularly advanced conveyors run right through
active workstations and machinery. Some such installations employ
conveyor sections for positioning and (sometimes with custom pucks)
the steadying of items to let machines perform operations on the
conveyed workpieces as they remain sitting on the conveyor. In fact,
pucks excel at providing stability for small products whereas pallet
conveyors provide stable platforms for larger irregular parts. For
example, an automotive seat could be assembled on a pallet conveyor
without ever removing the seat from the pallet.
4. Does the conveyor need to operate at a certain speed? This is a
design parameter for which consultation with a conveyor-manufacturer
sales engineer is usually in order. Variations on the traditional and
ubiquitous fabric belt (the thin conveyance combining engineered fabric
with polymer or other synthetic elements) actually excel here — and can
be quieter than chain, plastic modular belt, and roller conveyors with some
measure of free motion intentionally engineered into their construction.
5. Does the application require the conveyor system to have inclines,
declines, or curves? If so, look for conveyors with flexible conveyance
surfaces and features such as cleats that secure or enclose product on
This is a pneumatic product-metering (gate) device on a
the conveyor. Fabric-belt conveyors necessitate costly standalone curved
flat-top chain conveyor. Image courtesy mk North America
sections to make path changes … so if viable, other belt or conveyor
types may be in order for this function. For example, flat-top chain
conveyors excel at moving product in three-dimensional space with a
single drive.
6. Will moisture be present in the application? Does the application
need to be sanitary? Here, specify rugged or washdown-ready
conveyors with open frames and belt elements. Case in point:
Increasingly common in the food-and-beverage industry are plastic
modular belt conveyors. The array of openings in their conveyance
medium means they’re easier to clean than conveyors based on
traditional belt types. These belts can also be easily disassembled to
allow cleaning of the conveyor frame.
7. Is the application setting otherwise unusual or exotic? In some
instances, conveyors (including those based on fabric belt, for example)
are specifically engineered to satisfy and withstand X-ray machine and
cleanroom conditions. Or conveyors may need to minimize and dissipate
the presence of static to satisfy the requirements of semiconductor and
electronics manufacture.
Here, the conveyor frame must discharge to ground any static generated
by the cyclical contacting and separation of belt and pulleys. In addition,
the belt itself — usually engineered-fabric belt constructed with either a
conductive polymer or fabric — must have surface resistivity low enough
to facilitate conduction to ground. ISO and OSHA have established This is a dual-lane plastic modular belt conveyor mounted over
standard equipment requirements for such environments. a gravity roller conveyor. Image courtesy mk North America

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pallet conveyors Image courtesy
mk North America

(Not to be confused with pallet-moving conveyors)

P
allet conveyors transfer discrete products on carriers skids with bottom boards) for storing and handling bulk goods.
called pallets moved by belt, timing belt, roller chain, flat- Some roller and chain-driven conveyors are marketed as “pallet
top chain, or (for heavy loads) powered rollers. In some conveyors” or pallet-moving conveyors for the transportation
cases, these pallets are permanently or semi-permanently of these wooden or plastic pallets through a factory or
attached to the conveying belt to travel at a unified speed at a warehouse. Those are not the conveyors covered here.
set spacing. Note too that the pallet conveyors covered here are also
Pallet sizes are fairly standardized to metric dimensions distinct from so-called puck conveyors — which are sometimes
(typically with a WxL footprint of 240 x 240 mm or larger) found in the same markets and even in the same facilities.
although some manufacturers offer pallets in inch or non- Both conveyor subtypes support one-piece flow, which is
standard metric dimensions. In most cases, conveyor pallets essentially single-file workpiece conveying. However, puck
are tooled with custom fixtures to locate and secure the conveyors are targeted to the moving of very small products
product on the pallet. These specialty pallets — accurately such as individual beverage bottles, delicate medical devices,
positioned as they are on the conveyor and ensuring pharmaceutical goods, lightbulbs, and cosmetics. Curved
workpieces are precisely cradled within them — render the sections from 15° to 180° or so let conveyors change the
whole conveyor a precision machine capable of supporting direction of transport while maintaining puck orientation ...
a variety of advanced on-conveyor processes. This makes but curved sections are only useful for smaller pucks and when
pallet-based conveyors a suitable solution for high-precision using flat-top chain.
assembly, machining, inspection, and positioning tasks Unlike pallets, which can be manufactured of aluminum or any
associated with flatscreen manufacture and large automotive number of materials, these pucks are nearly always injection-
assembly operations (to give just two examples). molded, thermoformed, or 3D-printed cups or customized
cradles to stabilize small workpieces while preventing product-
WHAT THESE PALLET CONVEYORS AREN’T to-product contact. Plus, puck conveyors tend to run at far
faster speeds than pallet conveyors.
Note that the pallets discussed here are different from the There are other differences. In contrast with pallet conveyors
large pallets made of wood or plastic (and akin to shipping that often fix the pallets to the conveyor or tie the pallet speed

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 MOTION DESIGN GUIDE I CONVEYORS

(continued)
PALLET CONVEYORS

This SPU recirculating pallet conveyor from mk North America

is suitable for in-line accumulating applications. This version
shown here is a single-wide variation that excels in buffering areas
compensating for varying cycle times upstream and downstream.

to that of the conveyor, these puck conveyors almost always sides of a workpiece. For access to the bottom of the
allow the pucks to ride freely on top of the conveyor surface. workpiece, pallets can be made with an open center.
That can sometimes mean the conveyor and puck have Side note: Where pallets aren’t fixed to the conveyor, they
different speeds — especially where the conveyor surface can move individual products through non-synchronous
advances below a puck temporarily parked at a workstation to movement, so each product can be independently transported
let the cradled workpiece receive a cap, label, volume of some and routed. Because the pallets are precisely machined,
liquid, or attachment of some subassembly. In some instances, they can be accurately positioned and located with sensors
pucks are even diverted and merged for offline operations, — as well as positioned with locating pins. The latter system
and accumulation allows products to be buffered ... in turn includes a pneumatic device to stop the pallet; then a
smoothing the flow of downstream operations. pneumatically actuated pin that fits into a bushing on the
pallet locks the pallet in place.
BACK TO PALLET CONVEYORS
As mentioned, pallet conveyors also support one-piece-flow
assembly. In some cases, two conveyors (a parts-feeding line
Pallet conveyors are suitable for transporting products in three and an assembly line) run in tandem. The assembly conveyor
dimensions. Engineers can easily change line height elevations is usually independent and to the front of a one-person
with vertical transfer units — which essentially function as workstation; a logistics parts-feeding line is behind. IIoT
elevators for pallets and their parts. For large pallets (or pallets connectivity and controls use RFIDs on assembly-conveyor
on other conveyor platforms) lift-and-transfer designs allow for pallets to track every assembly in real time ... and document
directional changes. individual product movements.
Conveyor modules called lift-and-rotate units can either Most pallet conveyors (especially those used in automation)
be used to maintain the pallet’s leading edge or change are modular and based on standard conveyor sections as
the pallet’s leading edge. The units can also give operators well as legs and lift-transfer-rotate modules that can be
or robots on one side of the line easily access to product reconfigured as needs change. Many of these modular
on other sides of the pallet. In some designs with square components are specialized for work in cleanroom, dry room,
pallets, these units can also lift and precisely position items at washdown, and ESD-compatible applications.
workstations or inspection areas needing access to multiples

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 rotate and transfer
modules for conveyors
▼

Image courtesy
mk North America

A
s was just covered, pallet conveyors — conveyors that Typical lift-and-rotate designs allow for 90° and 180° pallet
move products on individual carriers or workpiece pallets rotations, but some manufacturers offer turntable-style modules
— offer significant flexibility for assembly, automation, that can rotate the pallet in smaller, predetermined increments
and inspection processes, with the ability to move products ... provided there is no interference with the conveyor or other
asynchronously in virtually any configuration imaginable, structures.
including curves, turns, and small elevation changes. Beyond
these basic movements, special modules for pallet conveyors Lift-and-rotate units are generally driven by pneumatic cylinders.
can transfer products horizontally or vertically — to another That said, servo and stepper-driven units are available when
conveyor or offline process — or re-orient the pallet (and precisely controlled rotation is required. These motor-based
therefore the product) on the conveyor without changing the options also excel in environmentally sensitive facilities as they
direction of transport. don’t employ compressed air to operate. Motor-driven lift-
and-rotate units can even couple with electric pallet stops for
The conveyor units described here are often called conveyor positioning not possible with pneumatic solutions.
modules because each one is essentially a complete section of
conveyor — with its own drive mechanism, switches, stops, brakes,
LIFT-AND-TRANSFER CONVEYOR MODULES
and (if necessary) enclosure.

HOW LIFT-AND-ROTATE MODULES WORK Some operations require that the product be taken offline to
a station separate from the conveyor line ... or to a secondary
conveyor near the primary line. These include:
Pallet conveyors are often used because the product being
transferred needs to be precisely located on the conveyor — • Curing as well as buffering
typically for precision assembly or inspection operations. But • Inspection as well as processing
if, during the transfer, some operations need to take place on
different sides of the product, a lift and rotate module can
facilitate this. These specialty conveyor modules lift the pallet Lift-and-rotate modules change the orientation
slightly above the conveying media and rotate the pallet so that of the pallet (and the product) while maintaining
its orientation is changed ... the direction of transport.
... but the original direction of transfer is maintained.
In these cases, a lift and transfer module (sometimes called a
Lift and rotate modules are also useful on conveyors with transverse conveyor) transversely moves the pallet. These
rectangular layouts. Here, a lift and rotate unit placed at the conveyor modules lift the pallet a small distance above the
corner (where the conveyor makes a 90° turn) ensures the pallet conveyor and transfer it to a conveyor or workstation at right
maintains the proper orientation relative to the direction of angles — 90° — to the direction of the primary conveyor.
conveying, even after it turns the corner.
Note: Lift-and-transfer units can contain a conveyor or work
without one. Most go without.
Lift-and-route modules change the
Transfer units are commonly bidirectional, meaning they can
orientation of the pallet (and the product)
transfer pallets both to and from the primary conveyor.
while maintaining the direction of
transport. Most lift-and-transfer units use pneumatic lifts to raise and lower
the pallet and belt or chain conveying media to transfer the
product horizontally. More specifically, the pneumatic cylinder

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 MOTION DESIGN GUIDE I CONVEYORS

(continued)
rotate and transfer modules for conveyors
raises a small conveyor section (typically timing belt or driven allow “over-under” conveyor designs in which a second conveyor
roller) positioned 90° to the original direction of travel. The pallet segment runs above (or below) the main conveyor. They also allow
is then driven off the conveyor within the module onto the next automatic transfer of pallets to a workstation located at a higher
conveyor ... which is just that much higher in elevation to match or lower elevation than the conveyor.
the belt height of the conveyor within the module. One the pallet
is transfered, the pneumatic devices lower the conveyor back into Note: VTUs are used to change the elevation of pallets loaded
the frame of the mainline conveyor. with workpieces as well as empty pallets.

Standard units maintain the orientation of the pallet (meaning Vertical transfer units can also be used for static operations that
its orientation relative to the direction of conveying will change take place in the midst of product transport, such as temporary
by 90° once it is transferred) although some manufacturers offer storage or buffering while a longer process – such as glue or
transfer units that can also rotate the pallet if necessary. adhesive curing – takes place. Vertical transfer units can be
operated by pneumatic or electric lifts, with electric lifts allowing
VERTICAL TRANSFER UNITS multiple, programmable stop positions and tight control over
velocity.

A type of conveyor module caled a vertical transfer unit or VTU lets

pallets of pallet conveyors vertically transfer to a different elevation
— above or below the primary conveyor. Elevation changes

Vertical transfer units

move products vertically to
workstations or conveyors above
(or below) the primary conveyor.
KHL 2010 vertical transfer unit
example courtesy mk North They can also be used for
America storage or buffering.

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What is a zero
pressure accumulation
conveyor?

A
common function of a conveyer system is to accumulate Roller conveyors that use motorized rollers can also achieve zero
products — in other words, to stop them from moving pressure accumulation by incorporating individual zones driven
along the conveyor to create a buffer, establish a queue, or by a 24-Vdc motors. However, roller conveyors that use belt or
smooth out differences in material movement between upstream chain-driven rollers operate a bit differently. Like other designs,
and downstream operations. the conveyor is divided into zones. But in these designs, when the
photoelectric sensor in one zone detects that the zone ahead is
But traditional accumulation methods allow products to bump into occupied, the belt or chain or roller array is pneumatically lowered
each other and stack up as they stop, one-by-one, behind the lead away from the rollers, stopping movement in that zone.
product. This causes a build-up of pressure between products
— referred to as backpressure — which can lead to product
damage. And in traditional accumulation systems, the conveying
media continues to run even when the products are stationary, Many belt and chain-driven roller
creating unnecessary friction and wear and reducing efficiency. conveyors pneumatically engage or
disengage the belt or chain from the
The solution to these problems is a zero pressure
accumulation conveyor. Accumulation conveyors can use a rollers to allow and prevent product from
variety of conveying media broadly based on either: flowing.
• Belts and chains
• Rollers.
Each zone in a zero pressure accumulation conveyor has a
predefined length suitable for one product, pallet, tote, or carton,
Regardless of the conveying media, zero pressure accumulation is
although some models — particularly those with rollers as the
achieved by establishing individual product zones. Belt and chain
conveying media — allow zone lengths to vary along the conveyor
conveyors can be setup this way or setup so that each zone is
to accommodate products of different sizes. And some designs
driven by its own 24-Vdc motor and monitored by a photoelectric
allow for zone lengths and configurations to be reprogrammed,
sensor.
providing the flexibility to accommodate larger or smaller
Note that these individual dc motors replace the traditional setup products without significant changes to the conveyor itself.
of a single ac motor that controls an entire conveyor section.
Zero-pressure conveyor accumulation is especially useful for
As each product moves along the conveyor, the controller uses preventing damage when the product being conveyed is very
feedback from the photosensor in the product’s current zone to fragile or when large and small (or light and heavy) products are
determine whether the zone ahead is occupied or not. If the next interspersed along the conveyor. It also significantly improves
zone is occupied, the controller stops the product from moving the efficiency of the conveying system, because the conveying
until it the zone ahead is free. medium is stopped when product isn’t flowing, and reduces wear-
and-tear by eliminating the friction that results when rollers, belts,
or chains continue to operate under stationary products.
Zero-pressure accumulation conveyors
might use a 24-Vdc motor to drive each
product zone, rather than using a single
ac motor to drive an entire conveyor
section.

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Customizing
belt conveyors
for discrete product
transport
Flat belt conveyors with rolling nose bar idler rollers.
Image courtesy mk North America

M
ost conveyors in light to medium-duty discrete- processing, or for jobs that require elevation changes.
transport applications (as in conveyors for retail, Engineers can specify higher magnet strength for use in
off-highway, consumer-grade exercise equipment, inverted applications.
and office machines) use the thin synthetic belt we described
On some legacy designs, centering polymer tracking guides
earlier in this Design Guide — that relatively flat fabric-based
(usually V guides) molded into or welded onto the belt mate with a
medium that wraps around two or more pulleys. An electric
matching channel in the conveyor bedplate or frame. This feature
motor powers these pulleys that in turn have geometry
can prevent the belt from laterally tracking to one side or the
specialized for the reliable advancement of the conveyor belt.
other. Note that most manufacturers recommend other solutions
Styles and materials abound to meet specific applications. to prevent tracking issues. Click here for more information.
Monofilament construction (whether in endless or spliced
The engineered fabric belt on some conveyors is perforated
variations) imparts high tensile strength, strength, and flexibility.
to support vacuum conveyor functions. The conveyor frame
Perhaps confusingly, belts using friction with their pulleys for features a sealed bedplate section that’s fitted with a pump; belt
advancement can be classified as low friction. Note that this perforations over this section draw air to hold light or flimsy parts
designation actually indicates that the top of the belt (on which on the conveyor belt — even on inclines or during fast transport.
articles ride) allows product to slide a bit for accumulation at
stations. In contrast, high-friction belts have more grip on their Metal-free conveyors have Delrin bedplates instead of the
product-facing surface to better hold products to the belt for traditional steel bedplate under sections to complement
predictable advancement. metal-scanning equipment checking food or other conveyed
product for metal shavings. (Delrin is an inflexible polymer that
In fact, engineers often customize these conveyors in other works as a tough heat-resistant metal substitute.) Upon the
ways to meet exact application specifications. detection of metal contaminant, a retractable tail conveyor or
Magnetic conveyors are built with ceramic magnets for other reject mechanism allows the discard of affected product.
applications that need parts to adhere to the belt during

In some instances,
single-drive multi-belt
conveyors serve multiple
product lanes for top
efficiency. Two or more
conveyors run off a
single gearmotor on a
common drive shaft.
Multi-belt conveyors
can also move very
wide products — and
are indispensable for
handling workpiece
pallets.

In select arrangements,
the conveyor belts even
mount to a unifying
frame.

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 MOTION DESIGN GUIDE I CONVEYORS

(continued)
Customizing belt conveyors for discrete-product transport

Pivot conveyors mount to a pivot base to swing out of the

way when workers need to walk through the line. In other
arrangements serving a similar purpose, interlock
switches and a timer can let conveyor sections clear
before a gate opens. Then in some cases, controls
automatically resume product flow after the conveyor
returns to the inline position.
Single-drive multi-belt conveyors serve two or more
lanes of product for the sake of efficiency. Here,
two or more conveyors run off a single gearmotor
on a common drive shaft or coupled shafts. In
some arrangements, the belts even mount to a single
conveyor frame.
Backlit conveyors have light fixtures installed inside the
frames to emit light through translucent belts. Such
conveyors are used in applications calling for inline vision or
Timing-belt conveyors with servo drives accurately start and stop for visual-system interface inspection processes by supplying
precise part location. Some also let operators control acceleration … so
work as assembly-line conveyors. Encoders on conveyor drives track the
enhanced contrast between the product and conveyor belt.
shaft rotation or count pulley revolutions for indexing belt control. Parts can be stopped directly over the lighted section or
can continue through uninterrupted. The most common
applications that backlit conveyors support are those relying
on visual part inspections for quality control.

DEEP DIVE: WHAT IS A KNIFE-EDGE CONVEYOR UNIT?

A knife edge conveyor unit is a uniquely designed subsystem

for the transferring of small parts off or on a conveyor or
between conveyor sections. The term knife edge refers to the
subsystem’s defining element — a tightly tapered and rounded
end. Knife-edge conveyor subsystems often incorporate small
rollers or a steel plate called a nosebar having one end rounded
to a small radius —down to a few millimeters in some cases.
Then the product-carrying conveyor belt wraps around this
tight geometry to allow easy transfer between conveyor-system
Some controls can automatically resume product flow after a conveyor sections while ensuring that parts don’t fall in the gap at the
returns to the inline position. Image from WTWH Media videography
conveyor end.
Knife-edge conveyor subsystems excel at transporting items
such as credit cards and even smaller and more delicate items
such as electronics and pharmaceuticals ... as well as
limp or floppy items such as cookie dough.

Knife-edge conveyor units have

a small radius R to minimize
the gap between adjacent KNIFE-EDGE
RADIUS R
conveyors that workpieces or
other items must traverse. KNIFE-EDGE
CONVEYOR END

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TRADITIONAL
CONVEYOR END mknorthamerica.com
 Motion components
needing relubrication
include chain drives,
bearings not sealed for

Maintaining
life, and motor gearboxes
(usually after some multiple
of 1,000 operation hours).

conveyor
Any lubrication of the
conveyor belt itself is
usually combined with
cleaning schedules.

systems
O
nce conveying equipment is up and running, it’s scrapes and scuffs; and fine wear particulate near or under
imperative that it continue operating well. It doesn’t mechanical-subcomponent contact points. These and
do anyone any good to have equipment worth obvious visual evidence of overloads, spills, or tampering
hundreds of thousands of dollars sitting idle because the necessitate prompt servicing.
conveyor that feeds it product is down for maintenance. Where conveyor behavior is unpredictable and the mechanical
Best practice is to establish a preventative or even predictive- components pass inspection, a faulty switch, actuator, or
maintenance program to head off problems at the pass. controller maybe to blame.
But when they do occur, problems with conveyors are often To establish a more proactive preventative maintenance
audible. Clapping and knocking can mean there’s a bearing program, first consider how much the conveyors operate.
issue or that there’s been stretch in the conveyance material Conveyors that run more frequently (or under extreme or
that needs addressing. Grinding and scraping may indicate dirty conditions) need more service. Also inventory all facility
an issue with some bearing on a pulley or other high-speed conveyors and log key information — including the make
axis. Scraping can also mean something is trapped on the and model of all conveyor parts and their dimensions, motor
underside of the belt. (Such noises may also arise from types, and bearing serial numbers where applicable. Then log
some component exhibiting lost motion and rubbing on the all maintenance and schedule future inspections and collect
conveyor frame.) Squealing or chirping generally often means the manufacturers’ phone numbers. There’s no right or wrong
there’s an issue with belt tension, belt-guide mount, or drive way to create an inventory database; it can be as simple or
or idler pulley position or lubrication status. extensive as the facilities manager requires. The purpose is to
In other instances, conveyors will display visual signs of get control of the conveyor fleet and monitor it for improved
wear, aging, or malfunction — such as belt sticking, slipping, performance and uptime.
jamming, jerking, floppiness, or persistent misalignment; Make a bench stock of common replacement parts for the
loose or skewed pulleys and sprockets; rust on chain or other conveyors. Keep wear items such as rollers, belts, and bearings
metal power-transmission elements; uneven wear marks or on hand. After operating conveyors for a while, operators come
to know what other parts may require additional maintenance
… best practice is to keep extra stock of those items too.
For fabric-based belt conveyors, a general rule is to keep at
least two replacement belts on hand. If personnel see frayed
or ripped belt, replace it immediately. Although belt swaps
interrupt production, ignoring signs of wear puts the conveyor
at risk of failure during production, which in turn can damage
surrounding (often expensive) machinery. Some conveyor
manufacturers even offer kits that include common replacement
parts for an easy and time-saving way to stock repair parts.
Keeping such kits onsite can help conveyor end users avoid
issues caused by long lead times (even to many weeks) for
some conveyor products.
Establishing an ongoing preventive maintenance program for
conveyors is one way to trim downtime by catching potential
problems before they shut down an entire line. Note: Never stand
on a conveyor system without first consulting its operating manual.

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 The INERSECTION of production and
warehouse automation
O ne trend in today’s logistics is tighter integration of assembly-production-
finishing functions and warehousing.
Traditional facilities separate production areas from parts warehouses — and external
logistics (which usually use trucks bring items into and out of a facility) integrate
only with the warehousing operations. In some instances, automatic guided vehicles
(AGVs) might travel the plant floor and feed assembly or finishing lines at regular
intervals. Then personnel at stations execute fairly specific operations — picking
pieces and finishing assemblies, for example.
But automated plants today are looking to satisfy end-user demand for
increasingly customized product. Just consider how amazon.com offers a huge
array of choices for nearly any product type imaginable. That demands far more
items in any given warehouse than in the past — and facilities that can handle the
exponential rise in part numbers.
Here and in similar operations with comparable complexity, overreliance on
manual labor adds too much cost into the final delivered-product cost. Using
AGVs to supply all the items or parts to work or assembly stations would quickly
choke even expansive operations with unsafe and insufficient traffic. Totally
automating finishing processes using robots is often unsuitable or impractical.

Some advanced conveyors save assembly personnel from having to

hunting for subcomponents by predictably presenting items.

Conveyors — as used in Tesla’s Gigafactory, for example — are a great solution

to these limitations. Conveyors free personnel from rote jobs so they can focus
on more complicated factory tasks — supplanting bins, AGV part racks, and
a mishmash of unergonomic pallets and boxes around a work cell with more
efficient presentation of parts to be assembled or otherwise processed.
Pioneered by the Toyota’s World Class Manufacturing (WCM) concept, conveyors
complement use of what’s called the Golden Area — the immediate area around
a worker in which no time is wasted. A typical setup for workpiece assembly might
leverage the conveyor to bring subcomponents into the Golden Area on pallets
loaded in an organized 5S mapping — with fasteners always at the upper left
on the pallet and a coverplate for the workpiece at the pallet’s lower right, for
example. That was assembly personnel never need to search for items or forget to
include a subcomponent.
In addition, conveyors support operations with exceptionally numerous item
variations, tracking codes, and delivery requirements. In some instances,
conveyors for production and warehouse automation also interface with
automated IoT-capable workzones … and adjust how they feed or accumulate
items at stations based on the status of workzones upstream or down. Some
CNBC’s Uptin Saiidi recently toured Tesla’s
Gigafactory in Nevada. Click on the thumbnails to conveyors even accept controls that maximize efficiency by tracking order or item
watch this CNBC International video in its entirety volume and adjusting conveyor operation on the fly to accommodate.
— and see the factory’s conveyors in action.

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conveyor
with plastic
modular belting
P
lastic modular belting for conveyors — also called link- • The ability to thoroughly clean the conveyor without
style belting — was first used in large-scale industrial- necessitating lifts for cleaning the conveyor underside
automation applications in the 1980s. It consists of • Accommodation of paddles, cleats, and other features to
either toothed bars of plastic or thousands of engineered- facilitate uphill conveying, spacing, and steadying of product
plastic pieces joined together by pins in a staggered pattern
for flexibility. • (Due to the modular nature of the belt design) quick
swapping in and out of paddles, cleats, and other features ...
Though traditional timing belts are the cost-effective gold and the ability to quickly replace broken belt links
standard for positioning conveyors and reliable side-to-side
centering known as tracking, plastic modular belting is used in • An easily cleanable assembly with the ability to drain
a small but growing number of these designs. water as well a belt design that’s easy to entirely remove
from the conveyor frame (to meet the most stringent FDA
food-processing facility guidelines)
Caveat: Plastic modular belts are not a substitute for
• Availability in widths far wider than those possible
timing belts where high precision is needed. traditional belt conveyors — even to 10-ft-wide single
belts
The main design benefits of plastic modular belting (thanks
• Freedom from the typical 2:1 length-to-width ratio limit
to lateral flexibility and an open and commutable conveyance
of synthetic belts. Synthetic belts shorter than 2x width
surface) are:
require dedicated tracking mechanisms such a V-guides ...
• The ability to convey over inclines, declines, turns, and which increases cost and equates to additional conveyor
long straight stretches with a single link-style belt and failure points. With plastic modular belts, the 2:1 ratio is a
drive nonissue due to their positive-drive nature.

Plastic modular
belts are suitable
for conveying food
products due to their
ease of cleaning.
When properly
designed, such
conveyors can also
go around curves
without necessitating
special track sections.
Image courtesy mk
North America

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 MOTION DESIGN GUIDE I CONVEYORS
(continued)
Conveyor with plastic modular belting

Proper operation of link-style belt conveyors necessitates The number of belt supports and types of supports (which
optimized drive-pulley design and spacing. The synchronous could be pulleys) is a factor of conveyor length and width.
nature of plastic modular belt drives actually makes these
conveyors relatively forgiving of belt-tension variations.
Plastic modular belting for conveyors — also called
That said, plastic modular belt conveyors do tend to have link-style belting — often feature a bricklay pattern of
more pulleys than comparable conveyor alternatives — and
elements for flexibility and cleanability.
the wider the belt, the more pulleys are needed.
To illustrate: Consider a conveyor that is 24 in. wide and
Another caveat is that plastic modular belt conveyors can
advanced by a head drive. In all instances, this setup will have
be relatively costly due in part to the way in which the
a drive shaft and a tail shaft. But a fabric belt conveyor on such
belts are manually assembled link by link — no matter the
a setup will have two “pulleys” which are actually drums — one
manufacturer.
at each end.
Conveyors based on plastic modular belting stay centered
In contrast, the same setup employing a plastic modular belt
(track) more reliably and allow a wider range of length-to-
could (depending on the belt vendor) have upwards of six
width ratios than other designs. However, as with any positive-
toothed pulleys per shaft — and possibly some idler discs on
drive conveyor, their rollers and belting must have exactly
the shaft as well.
matching pitches with exactly matching geometry.

Image courtesy
mk North America

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Chain-on-edge conveyors
and where they’re used
D
uring the transport of materials and parts through
assembly or processing stations, most conveyors hold the
items in a set orientation. This is actually helpful to any
processes — for part inspection or feeding an assembly robot,
for example. But some applications benefit from conveyor
designs that rotate parts during their travel. This is where chain-
on-edge conveyors excel.
Chain-on-edge (CoE) conveyors (sometimes called spindle
conveyors when the design sports rods to “spear” loads riding
the conveyor) are essentially conveyors with just a single strand
of engineered roller chain at their core. This chain is turned 90°
so that it runs on a side — and the flexibility is in the horizontal
axis. Typical chain-on-edge designs house the roller chain in
a steel-plate-reinforced channel. Horizontal flexibility allows
this style of conveyor to make horizontal turns. Vertical curves
(changes in conveyor elevation) are also possible with the chain-
on-edge design, though these curves must be gradual. These
turning capabilities make chain-on-edge conveyors much more
versatile than traditional chain conveyors.
Product rotation in a typical chain-on-edge conveyor is through
the use of spindles on the chain. The spindles are often setup
to spin freely and stop at preset positions (90° and 180° for
example) or to stop at custom positions. Stationary spindles are
also an option and common in the transport of smaller parts
requiring conveyance allowing access to all part sides but not
necessarily rotation during transport.
Although their unique feature is the ability to rotate parts
during transport, chain-on-edge conveyors can also transport
heavy parts that don’t rotate but need to be fully exposed on
their sides and top to other machinery. They can also operate
overhead — with hooks or other mechanical devices to bear
heavy loads that hang off the conveyor.
In heavy-load applications, items are carried on trucks or carts
Chain-on-edge conveyors with spindles pointing upward allow
attached to the chain. For especially large or asymmetrical
product to spin freely or stop at preset positions. Chain-on-edge
loads, the chain is also accompanied by external tracks or conveyors can also transport heavy parts that don’t rotate but need
outriggers that help support and guide the bulky conveyed to be fully exposed on their sides and top to other machinery.
items. Rider plates attach to the chain and pusher dogs — They can also operate overhead — with hooks or other mechanical
mechanical latch-type devices that engage and disengage with devices to bear heavy loads that hang off the conveyor.
the trucks — attach to the rider plates. In some chain-on-edge
designs, pusher dogs can also facilitate product accumulation or
transfer from one chain to another. has been painted, coated, or cured has likely been transported
Applications that call for a product to rotate during transport by a chain-on-edge conveyor. When used in painting and
including painting, coating, curing, cleaning, baking and drying. coating applications, chain-on-edge conveyors are typically
These applications are found extensively in the automotive enclosed in a protective housing with a covering that prevents
industry, but virtually any product with an outer surface that contamination of the chain and internal components.

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power and free conveyors
and their applications
U
nlike traditional linear conveyors, power and free released in the required sequence. All of this is accomplished
conveyors work in manufacturing environments where through mechanical linkages via the pusher dogs and trolleys,
products must be transported in a nonlinear fashion — without requiring complex automation.
that is, where materials aren’t necessarily delivered at the pace To maximize space, especially during accumulation, trolleys can
or in the order in which they were loaded onto the conveyor. be connected via rigid load bars that set the spacing between
This conveyor functionality complements manufacturing trolleys at as little as 6 in. (depending on the size and shape of
environments in which different production processes run at the load). Storage density can also be maximized with trolleys
different cadences — as well as operations with work items that hold the load diagonally relative to the conveyor path.
having different travel itineraries through the facility.
Circuits of conveyors up to 300 ft can be controlled with just one
Because of their flexibility in handling and delivering products, motor, and complex traffic patterns and timing sequences can be
power and free conveyors are also referred to as asynchronous controlled via sensors triggered by a PLC or PC-based controller.
or non-linear conveyors. Tip: Don’t confuse this designation In addition, barcodes or RFID tags on the trolleys can be used to
with the synchronous and asynchronous designations sometimes identify individual loads and carry instructions for sequencing.
given to the drive type of flat-belt and positive-drive (timing and
link-style) belt conveyors, respectively. While most power and free conveyors are mounted overhead,
above the working area, and carry products below the tracks,
The defining feature of a power and free conveyor is that it floor-mounted designs are available that carry the product
consists of two tracks — an upper track and a lower track. above the tracks. This is especially useful when overhead space
The upper track is powered by a chain, and the lower track is is a concern, or when potential contamination from the conveyor
unpowered. Trolleys, which carry the load, run on the lower or product is an issue, as is often the case in cleanroom
track which is in turn supported by rolling wheels. Mechanical environments. And when overhead space is limited but floor-
devices often referred to as pusher dogs on the powered track mounting is not an option, some manufacturers offer overhead
engage with the trolleys to move them and disengage with the versions with powered and non-powered tracks positioned side-
trolleys to stop them. by-side, rather than in a top-and-bottom configuration.
The pusher dogs are engaged and disengaged by cam action Power and free conveyors are custom-designed for each
caused by a trolley in front or by a stop blade positioned along application and can carry loads from just a few pounds to
the powered chain. Air-activated stops, triggered by switches, several hundred pounds. They’re used extensively in the
can also be used to control the movement of trolleys. automotive industry, where robot cells are sometimes used to
Much like cars on a road, conveyor traffic can also be merged or load and unload products from the trolleys or to perform work
diverted among multiple conveyor lines, and both sharp turns on the parts being conveyed as they’re held stationary. In fact,
and elevation changes can be executed. And unlike traditional power and free designs are also available in heat and corrosion-
linear conveyors, power and free versions can allow products to resistant versions, so they can transport loads through ovens or
accumulate, or “stack up” by holding trolleys stationary while washing and painting stations.
other trolleys catch up and join them. The trolleys can then be

In a power and free conveyor, the upper track is powered by a chain and the lower track is unpowered.
Trolleys (an array of which are shown here) ride on the lower track and are driven by devices on the
powered track called pusher dogs that engage and disengage with the trolleys.

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Pitch in the context of
roller-chain conveyors

R
2x PITCH
oller chains are one of the most common types of transport WEAR + 2x PITCH
ELONGATION
from pin and bushing wear
media for conveying systems. While they’re available in
many designs and variations to meet different application
requirements, they all have one thing in common. To specify a
roller chain, a design engineer needs three basic dimensions: The
chain pitch … the roller diameter … and the width between inner INNER
WIDTH
link plates.
In general terms, pitch can be specified with reference to any feature ROLLER DIAMETER
— such as a hole or an edge — that is repeatable on each adjacent
part. In terms of conveyor chain, pitch is usually defined as the Roller chains are specified by three pitch, roller diameter,
distance between links, as measured from the center of the roller pin and width between inner links. Chains identical in these
on one link to the center of the roller pin on the next link. In contrast, dimensions will work on the same sprockets. Elongation of
pitch length arises from pin and bushing wear. Choosing a
some precision link conveyors refer to the pitch as the link size. chain with a smaller pitch can reduce the amount of wear and
The pitch of a conveyor chain or link is a determining factor for amount of pitch elongation with it.
several performance characteristics of the conveyor. For example,
there’s an inverse relationship between sprocket speed and chain
SPEED LIMITS FOR ROLLER CHAIN
pitch. Smaller pitch chains generally allow the sprocket to run at a
higher rotational speed. 120
MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE SPROCKET SPEED (rpm)

100

Where n = Sprocket speed (rpm) and V = Chain speed (m/min.)

80
P = Chain pitch (mm) and N = Number of sprocket teeth
Also note that the smaller the pitch, the more teeth will be needed
60
on the chain sprocket. And a higher number of sprocket teeth means
that more chain links will be engaged during motion. This allows the
chain to travel with less speed fluctuation and a smaller articulating 40

angle, producing less vibration and better smoothness of motion.

More sprocket-link engagement also provides less wear between the 20
N12
chain bushing and pin, meaning longer life of the chain. For these N10
N8
reasons, manufacturers generally recommend using the smallest chain 0 200 300 400 500 N6
pitch that satisfies the application conditions. CHAIN PITCH (mm)

Wear to the pins and bushings can also cause the pitch to elongate.
The smaller the chain pitch, the higher the permissible
Manufacturers typically recommend replacing the chain when the rotational speed of the sprocket.
extension of the pitch length reaches 2 to 3% of the normal pitch value.

Note that this article only covers pitch in the context of one conveyor
type. On belt conveyors and plastic modular belt conveyors, pitch refers
to the spacing between cleats — and is extremely critical when designing
timing belt conveyors. For more information on this topic in context, visit
mknorthamerica.com/blog/what-are-timing-belt-conveyors.

PITCH

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precision-link conveyors
Summary of one type of transfer system
P
recision-link conveyors index components with high aluminum frame and steel plates; the link track is machined,
accuracy and speed to give manufacturers a way to hardened, and ground steel. Some advantages of aluminum-
simply operations relating to assembly, marking, welding, extrusion frames are that they are very straight over long
and manufacturing. Specialized designs abound, and the last distances, are easily machined, and allow for easy mounting
decade has brought more use of application-specific offerings — of accessories.
especially for the subcategory that industry calls transfer systems. Precision-link conveyors allow automated processes right
One such conveyor is the precision-link conveyor — for on the conveyor. After each indexed stroke (to advance the
assembly, marking, welding, as well as mechanical and optical links) equipment mounted around the conveyor executes
inspection of parts. parallel and serial tasks. Most installations include multiple
workstations along one or both long conveyor axes.
Standard precision-link conveyors deliver standard link-
positioning accuracy of ±0.08 mm (±0.003 in.) or better. So unfinished products are often mounted to the conveyor one
time and then removed from the end of the conveyor — usually
While there are belt-driven versions, many of these precision-
as completed product. In other words, precision-link conveyors
link conveyors consist of one continuous run of high-precision
are usually designed and engineered to be core product-
drive chain. Then each chain link (often aluminum) contains four
positioning chassis of machines executing critical functions.
cam followers that guide the link along hardened and fine-
milled guide rails. In some cases, the cam followers are sealed Precision link conveyors are designed to run high-volume
and lubed for life. manufacturing to millions of cycles without intensive
maintenance. Typical maintenance involves tension checks and
Dowels and bearings complete the chain assembly: The cam
adjustments of the chain … and cleaning of the conveyor if it
followers are pressed into needle bearings at the link joints to
runs in a dirty environment.
eliminate wear and prevent moving parts from contacting the
links themselves. Precision-link conveyors are unsuitable for feeding parts to
a line, where a process is not being done on them. This is
Each chain link also includes tapped holes and dowel holes to
because their accuracy is not required.
accommodate individual pieces of product to be transported
and otherwise machined or worked. Link fixtures can either Similarly, due to their cost they’re also inappropriate where
interface with station tooling installed inboard or externally. application accuracy isn’t critical.
Typical precision-link conveyor frames are made of extruded

Some precision-link conveyor manufacturers offer

models with fixed strokes and models having
completely programmable servo drives for flexibility.

Aluminum-extrusion frames simplify the mounting

of accessories on precision-link conveyor systems; in
some instances, cover plates shield the conveyor from
particulate ingress and boost safety by enclosing pinch
points.

Inset: A section of track up close shows typical

subcomponents including:

• Links (in grey)

• Connection pins (in green)
• Support rollers (in purple)
• Support tracks (in yellow)

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