Use of Conveyors in Various Markets

Moving goods in a warehouse



Check-out counter in Marts

Escalators in Shopping Centres

Airport check-in

Production assembly line

Introduction to CONVEYORS

What are Conveyors...?

Point of contact between a power transmission belt and its pulley. A conveyor belt uses a wide belt and pulleys and is supported by rollers or a flat pan along its path. It consists of two or more pulleys, with a continuous loop of material (the conveyor belt) that rotates about them. One or both of the pulleys are powered, moving the belt and the material on the belt forward. The powered pulley is called the drive pulley while the unpowered pulley is called the idler. There are many considerations when choosing the right type of conveyor for a specific operation. For example, size of operation, pupose of the conveyor, type of goods being transported and the size and weight of the goods being transported.

Purpose:

To move materials/people over a fixed path

Advantages:

• Most conveyors are either auto or semi-auto, controlled by computers. hence, this cuts down on the manpower required to do the job.
• Conveyors transport goods from their starting point to their destination without much movement, either by manpower or mobile vehicle. This in turn helps to increase the speed of operation, ensures higher safety standards for the staffs and minimize damages to goods.
• By going through the conveyors, goods are easier to monitor by computers. This reduce loss of goods due to pilferage and improves inventory control.
  

Disadvantages:

• To set up an appropriate conveyor system that suits the purpose of the operation, it requires high start-up cost. Hence, when considering this option, the first consideration is that the magnitude of the operation must be big enough to justify the high start-up cost.
• The user must consider alternatives when the conveyor system breaks down. This will cause a cease in operation and loss in potential revenue.