Norpak’s tips on picking the most appropriate gravity roller conveyor

Hytrol gravity roller conveyors are available from the Norpak inventory.

Among the many styles of material-handling equipment available from Norpak Handling Ltd. are gravity roller conveyors. These are popular systems with rollers or wheels, transporting items via gravity. Gravity roller conveyors are an essential part of material handling in such fields as packaging, manufacturing, and package distribution.

A recent blog post by Norpak discusses the factors that businesses should consider before purchasing and installing gravity roller conveyors.

A step-by-step selection process

Gravity roller conveyors are available mainly in straight, curved, spur, or merged designs, and picking one is a step-by-step process. A key criterion to weigh is the size and weight of the smallest and largest load that will be transported. Once the customer calculates these figures, other vital factors can be determined, like spacing between two consecutive rollers, their diameters, and width of the frame and floor supports.

Another key factor is axle centre, or the distance between the centre of two adjacent rollers. In a gravity roller unit, at least three rollers must always be in contact with the item’s bottom, to ensure seamless movement with no excess vibrations. Next up is the rollers’ individual diameters and axle sizes. Smaller and larger diameters have varying benefits and disadvantages; smaller rollers are economical, but with limited load-bearing capacity, for example.

The between-frame width is the distance between the two parallel rails on a conveyor frame, as measured from the inside. This varies depending on the placement of rollers with respect to rails. If rollers are high above the rails, items can exceed the frame width if it is stable and collision-free, but if the rollers are recessed, item widths cannot exceed between-frame width.

Frame material depends on the specific application. Aluminum frames are ideal if the user needs easy installation and light load transportation, but steel frames are better for heavier items. Customers should also consider floor supports, which usually come in H-shaped or tripod configurations, depending on whether the installation is permanent or temporary.

Several styles of Hytrol gravity roller conveyors are available from Norpak, including straight lightweight and medium or heavy duty.

To learn more, contact Norpak.

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