10 Questions to Consider Before Purchasing a Conveyor System

Specifying the same old conveyor can come back to bite you. When business managers fall into the trap of choosing a system that’s not well suited to meet present and future needs, they have to live with limited flexibility, unnecessary costs and productivity losses.

Perhaps unaware of technological advancements, many managers tend to automatically choose to continue purchasing stationary heavy metal fixed-length conveyors, a choice that may lead to added costs, process interruptions.

To help you determine whether the conventional fixed-length metal conveyor a modular conveyor is right for your application, here are 10 questions you might ask before making a decision on your next purchase:

1. Can you use one conveyor to handle materials at two or more locations?
Moving a fixed metal conveyor is unheard of as they are designed for one purpose only so why wouldn’t you buy a conveyor that could be used for more than one process? Portability and even the ability to easily move a conveyor out of the way may be highly desirable attributes that add to productivity while lowering long-term investment and maintenance costs.

"We have customers who get multiple uses from their modular conveyors by simply rolling them from one plant location to another," says Dynamic Conveyor’s Paul Kuharevicz. "In one case, a manufacturer of plastic products uses the modular conveyor to offload and cool (via water bath) molded products, and then uses the same conveyor in its packaging operation."

Mobility is also important to Gulf Coast Wire Products, a manufacturer of crawfish traps in Kaplan, Louisiana, which uses a modular conveyor system to more efficiently accommodate production changeovers in its injection molding operation.

"One of the reasons we bought the modular conveyor system is that it is easily moved," says president Dan Duchamp. "Whether we need to change setups or service the injection molding machine there’s no interference from the conveyor because you can simply slide it out of the way. This is important when we have to change setups or service the molding machine. The conveyor is lightweight enough for one person to move or even lift without a strain."

2. How easy is conveyor repair or belt replacement?
When choosing a conveyor system one must take into account mishaps that can put a production line out of business for an excruciating period of time. Jammed drives, damaged belts and accessories can be time-consuming to replace. If a forklift whacks a metal conveyor, days or even weeks may be lost while the unit is welded or replaced.

Look for systems that can be repaired quickly and easily, without specialized labor. Modular conveyor sides, belts, flights, drives and accessories are all separate units. Whack a DynaCon system with a forklift, and it will likely "give," quite possibly with little or no damage. If there is damage, replacing a section is as easy as snapping it into place.

Also, consider the design of the conveyor belt. When belts constructed of interlocking links are damaged, you only need to replace the damaged section of the belt – which makes repair both easier and relatively inexpensive.

3. How quickly can I get replacement parts?
You cannot afford to wait days or weeks for replacement parts or accessories. While the costs alone may not seem significant, availability is crucial to production uptime.

With modular systems you can stock a few replacement modules or accessories according to your usage as does Duchamp. Otherwise, you will want a conveyor system supplier who has replacement units and components on hand, and who provides you the assurance that these can be supplied within a few days or even overnight if required.

"Because the modules are standardized, it is easy for the manufacturer to inventory spares, so you know they’re going to be available," says Duchamp. "Another advantage of modular parts is that it’s quite practical for us to store some spare parts."

4. How easy is it to change the configuration if my needs change?
There is nothing as sure as change in business today, so flexibility is often an important advantage. Reusability means capital preservation, always an asset.

With standardized modules available in a range of sizes and shapes, a modular system can provide manufacturers with important agility benefits. This is especially true to job shops and manufacturers who need to be able to retool a production line quickly to meet deadlines.

"We’ve replaced a number of other conveyors that were inadvertently choking production," Kuharevicz says. "That kind of reuse is certainly false economy."

Conversely, truly modular conveyor systems can be reconfigured quickly and easily, thereby promising virtually unlimited reuse and efficiency. It is a simple matter to change belting, add flights, radius turns and control accessories such as sensors, and shape these systems to optimize material handling operations.

Duchamp, whose operation integrates two DynaCon conveyors, says he had to extend the belting on one conveyor last year, an operation that was simple and inexpensive.

5. What are standard maintenance requirements for my conveyor?
Ease of maintenance and uptime are hand in glove. Both affect productivity and profits. "The cost of a conveyor can be far greater than purchase price," says Duchamp. "It’s the benefits, the things you can do with it, and the things you don’t have to do, such as maintenance. One of the main reasons we bought a DynaCon conveyor system was because it is durable plastic [polypropylene and polycarbonate] and non-corrosive."

Conveyor systems of plastic construction are much easier to keep clean than metal ones. Plastic can be cleaned with water or detergents without risking rust, which may be very important to applications such as food handling.

Also, most conventional conveyors require regular lubrication in addition to continuous belt tensioning whereas some modular conveyor systems are maintenance free.

Belting on traditional conveyors, like PVC belts, are also more difficult and time-consuming to install and service, require frequent realignment, and are more difficult to clean than plastic link-style belting.

6. Can I use the conveyor in my clean room?
The requirement to meet clean-room standards has become increasingly important for manufacturers in medical equipment, pharmaceutical, microelectronics, aerospace and other industries. Nearly all standard conveyor systems have problems meeting this standard due to the lubricants used on their rollers or dust emitting from variable-speed motors using brushes.

"The primary need is to use brushless variable-speed motors," explains Kuharevicz. "The other basic need is to use self-lubricating moving conveyor parts." Featuring brushless motors, DynaCon systems meet ISO Class-3 standards. "This type of system not only enables these manufacturers to handle Class-3 work, but can also step up production throughput," says Kuharevicz.

7. What belting options are available?
There is no need for users to settle for so-called "standard" belting when a wide assortment of belting designs should be available to best suit the application.

For that reason, choose a vendor that offers belts in a wide range of styles and widths.
DynaCon uses a self-tracking belt provided by Intralox, the largest manufacturer of modular plastic conveyor belts. Most styles are available in acetyl, polyethylene and nylon, which provide excellent traction and wear characteristics as well as excellent performance and service life in applications for food processing according to USDA requirements, as well as many other applications.

It is also important to employ a system using a self-tracking drive system where many belts can run in the same drive path off the same drive, enabling users to change belts as needed or add or subtract belt drive flights at any time.

8. Can my system include configuration options like turns and inclines?
A conveyor system should go wherever you need it to go, and by the most efficient pathway. This often involves special turns, inclines/declines and corresponding flights or lifts.

Modular systems should offer a wide array of accessories and specialized-application modules that completely integrate with other modules, thereby providing users with added configuration latitude, dependable performance and cost savings.

9. How comprehensive is warranty coverage?
Many conventional conveyors and even custom fabricated ones have a short limited warranty period. Basically an insurance policy, a short warranty policy can save on purchase price, but is usually a dangerous gamble especially when an expired warranty affects service response.

Purchase a conveyor system that carries a five-year warranty on materials and workmanship as well as a warranty on the motor and other electric components. Also consider the warranty on belts. PVC belts, such as those used on many standard fixed conveyors, need to be replaced every 18 months.

10. What is the cost and method of installing the conveyor and related items?
The answer will vary according to system, accessories and integration requirements. Many fixed metal conveyors involve expensive, specialized engineering and possibly costly and time-consuming installation techniques such as welding.

Conversely, modular conveyor systems can offer robust features while eliminating special engineering and installation requirements. "Our DynaCon system was easy to install, easy to reconfigure, and easy to move and easy to maintain," says Duchamp. "An individual can reconfigure the full unit or just pick it up and move it out."

Kuharevicz says it can be very helpful to consult a modular conveyor system specialist before deciding on a new system, a specialist such as a DynaCon distributor who is experienced with specific applications and is strongly supported by the manufacturer. "I realize that some users, especially smaller ones, will think that consulting a specialist may be somewhat extravagant. But it will most likely pay off in ways that can affect a company’s profitability, agility and future," he explains.

Cory Slotman is a product engineer for Dynamic Conveyor Corp. of Muskegon, MI, a manufacturer of modular conveyor solutions. He has worked in the Engineering Department since 1996. Additional information is available at www.DynamicConveyor.com or by calling 1.800.640.6850.