A good conveyor system is very important for running a proper business. Maximizing efficiency and productivity is vital for the success of a business, and conveyors are great for achieving this. However, there are dozens of different kinds of belt conveyors and systems. This is why knowing how to choose the right conveyor system is so important.
Consider the Product
To start your decision, you want to consider the products or materials you need the conveyor to transfer first. Choosing the correct system to handle what you’re moving is immensely important. If you make an error at this step, you might waste lots of space and lose efficiency.
Type
The first thing you need to think about is the type of product you’re dealing with in your facility. Some products are easier to move than others. For example, pallets are much easier to handle than loose grain or liquids, which can scatter or spill. This is why you need to look for a conveyor that manufacturers have specially designed for the type of material you’re transferring. If you don’t, you will have many problems with your conveyors.
Weight
Taking the weight of what you’re moving into account is highly critical. If you don’t get a conveyor system that can handle the weight, it might break. Damage can also occur to your product. Worse than these possibilities, though, is the potential risks the system may pose to employee safety if it’s unable to handle the loads.
Size
Just like type and weight, the size of what you are handling should play a part in the way you select a conveyor system. Not only do you need a system capable of containing your product or material, but you also require a system that isn’t too big for the items it will be transferring. The reason for this is that an excessively large system can lose or damage your product as it falls off the conveyor.
Production Speed
It is important that you look at the speed of conveyor systems, as the one you choose will need to match your speed of production. A system that is too slow will hold up production and cause backups to occur. A system that is too fast will waste a lot of space or cause backups down the line.
Consider Layout
After you find the kind of conveyor that will fit your materials, you want to be sure that it’ll work in your workspace. No matter how perfect a conveyor system is, it won’t function as it should if it cannot fit in your facility. So, make sure that you plan carefully to make it align with your existing layout.
Planning
The first thing you need to factor in is where you need the items to go. Figuring out the exact location of pickup and the full transfer distance is vital to correctly planning the system’s arrangement. Make sure that there are no obstructions and seek to optimize the conveyor’s path for your purposes. Avoid using all of your space, as people need to walk around the work area as well.
Floor Space
You have a limited amount of floor space in your work area. Make sure you are using a conveyor system that fits inside that floor space and does not take up all the room. You want a system that carries the exact amount of goods you are dealing with daily. Otherwise, you’ll be wasting floor space.
Vertical Space
Many places do not use the vertical space above the ground. But there are plenty of conveyor systems that transport goods without taking up more floor space. These overhead systems are some of the best investments for maximizing space efficiency, especially if your building has high ceilings.
Consider Maintenance
When you are looking for a new system, you need to think beyond the initial installation. Conveyors are just like any other form of equipment and need regular maintenance. Not all conveyor systems are the same in terms of their requirements either. There are plenty of systems that call for more cleaning and upkeep than other types. If the system is electrical, you will also need to pay for its electricity bill as well. These are things that you must remember when you are looking at what to buy. It is best to understand what kind of maintenance you will need to perform before purchasing a system. This way, you won’t have unexpected problems.
Consider Workers
The most vital thing you should do when choosing a conveyor system is to keep the employees in mind. It can be good to get a system that can handle a lot of material, but if it is counter-productive for the workers who will interact with it, you will only lose money. Go for a system that will enable them to do their best work and provide them with all the correct tools.
Access
One of the first steps in making sure your system can provide for your employees is to make sure there is clear and direct access to all parts of the conveyor that need it. Whether it is for maintenance, unloading, loading, or material handling, you want all of your employees to reach the conveyor easily.
Efficiency
When you are planning your conveyor system, it is pivotal for people to access it with ease. But you also want them to do so as efficiently as possible. Make sure that there are clear areas for input and output that are at the golden height. The term “golden height” refers to the height where an injury is least likely to happen when workers carry something. You also want the system to flow at a speed where employees can actually work efficiently.
Safety
Most importantly, working around machinery like conveyor systems can be very dangerous. You want to be sure that the conveyor system won’t place any unnecessary risk on your employees. A good conveyor system will not drop or lose any materials that could injure a worker. Additionally, it will also cover any of its very dangerous mechanisms to limit the risk of snagging or other injuries.
By keeping in mind all of these factors on how to choose the right conveyor system, you should be able to find one that promotes efficiency and worker safety. Keep these things in mind when dealing with a belt conveyor systems manufacturer for your next upgrade.
