Information About Conveyor Systems

Conveyors have long been used in industry and in military environments to move materials. There are many different types of conveyor systems. Some are powered, using some sort of electric motor and mechanized movement system, while some rely on gravity to move their loads. The method of conveyance varies greatly depending on the type of conveyor.
History of Conveyors
Conveyors were first used in industry beginning in 1795, and were primarily used to move grains a short distance. As technology progressed, conveyors grew in sophistication and ability, gaining leather belts and eventually electric motors. Today, conveyors may still move grains, or they may move auto parts, boxes to be shipped, or luggage to be picked up at airports, among many other uses.
Gravity Conveyors and Powered Conveyors
Some conveyors are built on an incline, with materials loaded at the elevated end stopped or loaded into a container at the lower end. These are called gravity conveyors, because gravity does most of the work in moving the materials. Loads are typically moved either in a chute, like a slide on a playground, or on rollers. Powered conveyors use a belt, chain or other moving mechanism driven by an electric motor to move their loads.
Types of Conveyors
In addition to being gravity-driven or powered, conveyor systems are differentiated by a number of different factors. Incline conveyors and decline conveyors move loads up or down; bucket conveyors carry their materials in buckets. Screw conveyors move their loads along a turning screw-like mechanism. Conveyors belt move their loads along a belt, and chain conveyors use chains.
Common Uses For Conveyors
Conveyors are frequently used in warehouses. They are also frequently used in ports to help unload ships. There are also many consumer applications for conveyor systems. When a customer brings a package to a shipper like UPS, FedEx or DHL, frequently the package will be placed on a conveyor that brings the package from the customer service area to a loading area in another part of the warehouse. When an airline customer picks up her luggage after a flight, she picks it off a conveyor system running from the plane’s unloading area to the baggage claim.
Conveyor Safety
One of the first things the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) did on its inception was to regulate the noise caused by conveyors. Manufacturers achieved this reduction by making more efficient bearings and other parts. OSHA also requires that conveyors are secure and that safety rails or netting are in place to prevent loads from falling on workers.