How To Purchase A Conveyor System

Often, selecting the correct conveyer system can be confusing to the point of feeling overwhelmed. To develop and purchase the “ideal” material handling system, the managers and planners often face a series of dilemmas to identify it. We will give you guidance in the selection of material handling systems.

Conveyor belts and their accompanying systems can range in complexity, depending on the job requirements. While various types of equipment are available to satisfy an application’s needs, the best mindset when considering a conveyor system is to be sure the system is designed with specific characteristics in mind. Ease of adaptability to changing needs should be a top priority. I would like to be informed of how safe it is to operate the system. Reliability relating to the system and necessary maintenance. And finally, the expense to run the system.

An effective conveyor belt does more than move product from one warehouse to another but many do not appreciate the inherent value of such a system. For this reason conveyor systems are quite often an item that is considered last in the process planning design cycle.

Conveyors are often among the last items purchased, meaning that the initial cost is the biggest consideration, and not overall value.

The view of considering conveyors as a commodity can be hazardous to an efficient system. The wrong conveyor type, or even a suitable type applied incorrectly, or for the wrong reasons, can quickly undermine the warehouse or distribution center’s operating efficiency and long-term strategy, often dissolving profitability and/or stripping a company of its competitive advantages.

Therefore, what is an effective way to go about choosing a suitable conveyor system?

The main objective for conveyor systems in any sort of business environment is to move your merchandise through the according steps while fulfilling orders, and to allow smooth processing through each of those steps to ensure that your system is entirely balanced and compensates for the differing amounts of time taken at each of those steps. Accumulation buffers can also enable ongoing production during localized backups or downtime elsewhere downstream in the process. Buffers are an important factor when selecting conveyor systems.

There are many particular qualities that need to be considered when creating, choosing, and appraising conveyors for your system but regardless of the kind of conveyor that is necessary, make sure to look for modularity. Select conveyors that feature pre-engineered sections, modules and components that can be freely combined to provide an initial customized layout, but can also be easily reconfigured if necessary.

Look for conveyors that can easily accommodate various product sizes, specifically greater widths. You want to look for conveyors that can fit present day demands and be able to accommodate future requirements.

Select a conveyor with proven durability. Focus on “leading edge,” rather than “bleeding edge,” technology. Look for conveyors that have been in operation for some time. Seek out current users, and references to assess how models have performed for others. Managers have a better appreciation for the reliability of their conveyors when the unit breaks down.

Many of the conveyor system users do not bother about what the system offers, as long as it is working. So, the easier the maintenance and repair of a system is, the less it will impact operations should it ever go down.