Other Conveyor Systems
Conveyor systems are a useful piece of equipment to have in many industries and sectors to move stock, equipment and products efficiently and safely from one spot to another. They can add to a businesses' savings in terms of labour costs, loss of stock from accidental damage or breakage, and reduce the risks of workplace injuries from manual handling.
Uses for Conveyor Systems
Conveyor systems have many practical applications. Used in manufacturing factories across the board, they operate in food and beverage processing, clothing, chemical, automotive, computer, and so forth. In distribution centres and warehouses, they transport items for picking and packing. In horticulture and agriculture, exposed produce and crops display on moving conveyors for selection and quality checks.
Types of Conveyor Systems
The most common types of conveyor are fundamentally belt and roller systems. With a belt conveyor system, a belt that is continually rotating around pulleys or drums moves items. With roller conveyor systems, individual rollers turn automatically or are manually or gravity driven to create the momentum as items move along the line. Other types of conveyor systems include designs specifically for certain types of industries, such as conveyors with attached hopper bins and buckets, for controlled feeding and collection of bulk materials. Additionally, portable table conveyors with or without inclines and scissor lift conveyors are great for loading and loading trucks and docks. The design of elevating conveyors moves items from one level to another and can be at specific degree angles, stepped like an escalator, or spirals to save valuable warehouse and workshop space.
Tips for Safe Use of Conveyor Systems
While conveyor systems are ideal for reducing the risk of manual handling injuries from lifting heavy and awkward shaped and sized objects, there are nevertheless a few safety tips to keep in mind. With the moving and turning components on conveyor systems, there are a few hazards with potential for harm. Always ensure you have guarding in place where needed to protect workers from accidentally getting their hands caught, or falling onto the conveyor in the event of a trip or slip. Make sure any operators of the conveyors are not wearing loose clothing or gloves that can could catch in the equipment, and regularly check that your conveyors start, stop and emergency stop controls are working and within reach of operators at all times. Make sure you, or the people who will be operating your conveyor receive prior training on how to operate and maintain the equipment safely and according to manufacturer's instructions. Keep your equipment well maintained and replace any conveyor parts and accessories parts as and when needed.