What is an industrial conveyor?
Types of conveyors, where they are used and how to choose the right one for your process.
An industrial conveyor is a mechanical system that moves materials or products continuously between process steps. It can be belt, roller, chain, modular plastic, vibratory or screw, depending on the load and path.
Common types: belt conveyors (bulk or packages), roller conveyors (accumulation/sorting), chain and slat conveyors (heavy loads), modular plastic (hygiene and curves), bucket elevators and screw conveyors.
How to choose: define the product (weight, shape, fragility), throughput, path (straight, curve, incline), environment (temperature, moisture, hygiene), cleaning and maintenance needs. Check minimum pulley diameters, friction, standards (CE/FDA/USDA) and safety requirements.
Good design reduces bottlenecks, unplanned downtime and energy use, while improving traceability and operational safety.