Gone are the days where manual labour was used to move items from one place to the next within production, manufacturing and mining industries. Not only did human handling of the products risk the quality of the product, it also put the workers’ safety at risk.
Since it was first introduced in the late 19th century, the use of conveyor belts has expanded into many different sectors throughout the world, and today most industries could not survive without them.
Nowadays, conveyor system technology is far more sophisticated than it used to be, to the point of some systems being fully automated. In the same token, the variety of ranges available to suit various applications has grown immensely, to keep up with the escalating number of market niches needing conveyors to keep up with their ever-increasing consumer demands. With so many different components, types and belt materials used in belting conveyors however, knowing which one is right for your specific needs may be daunting.
When it comes to selecting a conveyor belt, there are certain factors to consider, which include the layout and size of your facility, the environment in which it will perform, the speed at which you need products moved and of course, what the product is, among others. Given that there are so many factors to consider, the best option is to talk to your belting supplier to establish which type of belt conveyor system will be the safest and most effective option to meet with your productivity requirements.
While it may seem a bit pricey initially, you’ll soon come to realise the benefits of a belt conveyor. Minimal human labour is required where a conveyor system is used, reducing production costs while increasing the output. Conveyor belts improve work efficiency by ensuring that goods are moved at a specific speed to meet required timeframes set for the production process. Unlike the wavering output speeds and quality of manual labour, conveyors consistently operate at the optimal speed and quality, so production is never slowed down and the quality remains the same. Less human interaction also means less damage and contamination to the product, resulting in the reduction of losses and a boost in sales.
Conveyors are able to work consistently for longer hours than humans, guaranteeing continuous quality production, even in the odd hours. They can easily move heavy, bulky loads across several floors – something that would be strenuous for humans to do.
Overall, conveyors provide manufacturers and distributors with long hours of quality performance at optimum speeds, consistently yielding superior products with ease, warranting maximum profits with minimal effort, but only if they’re carefully designed according to the company’s specific needs.