”What Do Conveyors Do?” Part 1: A High-Level Overview of Conveyor Classifications

“What do conveyors do?” To those unfamiliar with the everyday workings of industrial facilities, all conveyors look the same. These individuals think all conveyors have the same function, too -- moving loads or items from one place to another. But this is a very surface-level understanding -- to answer the question “what do conveyors do?,” a more thorough look is required. Today we'll be looking at two kinds of conveyors: bucket conveyors and roller conveyors.

What are Bucket Conveyors?

Bucket conveyors specialize in moving dry, dusty materials such as aggregates and fertilizers. These conveyors are a staple for contracting jobs where clearing work sites quickly is critical, although they can be seen in agricultural, chemical, and the ceramic and glass industries, too.

What are bucket conveyors identified by? Unlike other conveyors, the conveyor belt is equipped with containers called “buckets,” which may carry loose materials vertically or at an incline away from a work site or to another location. When the buckets reach the end of the conveyor -- usually at the apex -- the buckets empty their contents and travel back down the conveyor to repeat the process. You can see how this can save you the effort of shoveling and moving materials yourself!

What are Roller Conveyors?

Roller conveyors are probably closer to what a layman would identify as a “conveyor.” They are ideal for side loading and unloading goods of all sizes and quantities. Manufacturing plants, shipping warehouses, and other industrial facilities use roller conveyors for their everyday operations. Even food service applications are common with stainless steel roller conveyors.

What are roller conveyors identified by? Roller conveyors use an electric belt or gravity to move items along sturdy metal tubes.These “rollers” can vary in diameter and are usually made of stainless steel or aluminum. Roller conveyors are held together on frames that vary from medium duty to extremely heavy duty. There are even maximum capacity roller conveyors that can support capacities over fifteen thousand pounds.

Are There Other Kinds of Industrial Conveyors?

The simple answer to this is… yes! We have barely scratched the surface of the many different types of industrial conveyors available to you. All of them have different functions and fulfill different needs. Be sure to return to our blog to learn which conveyor system will work best for your industrial needs.