Why You Need Pallet Conveyors in Your Material Handling Process

Standard pallets can hold up to 4,600 lbs., and businesses have primarily used forklifts and pallet jacks to manage these loads and their cargo. Consequently, this requires a significant amount of manpower, time, energy, and resources to move them. However, pallet conveyors greatly reduce the amount of equipment, labor, and time to move pallets while increasing safety, efficiency, and profit.

• There are several benefits to integration of pallet conveyors in the material handling process.
• Reallocation of resources and manpower to other areas or departments
• Cost savings, if not near elimination, of moving equipment such as forklifts and pallet jacks
• Increased safety to personnel
  • OSHA estimates between 35,000 and 62,000 injuries occur each year involving forklifts
  • 34,900 serious injuries annually
  • 61,800 non-serious injuries annually
  • Overturning forklifts is the most common incident

Safety alone will drive significant improvement to any company’s production timing, employee well-being and financial bottom line. The other stated benefits add to a company’s productivity and will increase efficiencies across the entire organization.

There are several pallet conveyor options a company can choose from and our experts at Russell Conveyor are ready to assist you in making the correct selection.

• Accumulation – There are several different designs of pallet accumulation conveyor, and all allow for zero pressure accumulation of products. Pallet accumulation technology can include photo eye controlled networked AC and DC motor controlled zoned accumulation.
• Gravity – Non-powered pallet conveyor solutions, gravity roller pallet conveyors move pallets manually along a track featuring a series of rollers laid in succession within the conveyor frame. The rollers help keep the pallet in motion by reducing friction between the rollers and the pallet itself.
• Transfer & Turntable – Non-powered pallet conveyor solutions, gravity roller pallet conveyors move pallets manually along a track featuring a series of rollers laid in succession within the conveyor frame. The rollers help keep the pallet in motion by reducing friction between the rollers and the pallet itself.
• Chain Driven Live Roller – Transfer cars handle distribution, supply, and order picking functions at conveyor line heads or between conveyor lines and palletizing stations.  Transfer cars are frequently used to distribute empty pallets in a large, multi-line palletizing system, as well as combine the full pallet discharges of the palletizing system into a common stretch wrapper.
• Drag Chain Conveyor – Also referred to as multi-strand conveyors, drag chain conveyors consist of parallel strands of roller chain used to convey loads, preferably with minimal starting and stopping required. Drag chains are the preferred method of conveyance for pallets or skids that do not travel well on roller conveyors or are not strong enough to support the load.
• Monorail – Pallet monorail systems are one of the fastest and most efficient ways to transport pallet loads throughout a facility. With a lower investment cost for high throughput applications, this track and trolley solution provides an alternative solution to roller conveyor systems.
• Belt Driven – Pallet monorail systems are one of the fastest and most efficient ways to transport pallet loads throughout a facility. With a lower investment cost for high throughput applications, this track and trolley solution provides an alternative solution to roller conveyor systems.
• 24V DC Powered Conveyor – Pallet monorail systems are one of the fastest and most efficient ways to transport pallet loads throughout a facility. With a lower investment cost for high throughput applications, this track and trolley solution provides an alternative solution to roller conveyor systems.
• Heavy Duty Slat Conveyor – Used to move heavy or oddly shaped objects, slat conveyors are comprised of one or more endless chains to which steel slats are attached. These are commonly used to convey hot, oily parts, items that must be conveyed through heat drying processes and various other assembly operations.

In short, you see the many ways and methods pallet conveyors can be used and employed, regardless of the company’s size. Since pallets are being utilized to store and move bulk items and heavy materials, then a pallet conveyor is a must to increase efficiency and production, reduce cost and workplace injuries, and ultimately reduce cost and increase profit.

Contact us at Russell Conveyor and let us learn about your current material handling process and needs. Our engineers and designers are ready to create the best integrated solution or you and the company.