Everything You Need to Know About Slider and Roller Bed Conveyors

Slider beds are flat surface conveyors with belts supported by a metal sheet that slides on steel bars. Slider beds are perfect for moving bulky and heavy materials on an incline or decline. They can also stop or compile items as needed.

Advantages of Slider Beds

• Reduced Friction: With no protruding elements, slider beds minimize friction, preventing unnecessary wear and tear.
• Versatile: Suitable for various materials, including small components and fragile products.
• Cost-Effective: Slider beds often prove cost-effective for applications with specific material handling requirements.

Ideal Applications of Slider Beds

Slider beds excel in handling delicate or oddly shaped items. Industries requiring gentle material handling, such as electronics or pills, benefit from the precision slider beds offer. The smooth surface minimizes the risk of product damage during transportation.

Weaknesses of Slider Beds

While slider beds offer many advantages, assessing your specific workplace needs is crucial. Consider factors such as load capacity, speed requirements, and the nature of materials being transported. Slider beds may not be suitable for fragile or lightweight materials.

Roller beds, unlike slider beds, use rollers to support the belt. They can handle light to medium-weight materials such as small parts, packages, and cartons. You can also use roller beds when the product needs to accumulate, or there is a need for curves or turns.

The types of rollers include plastic rollers, nylon rollers, rubber-coated rollers, and steel and stainless-steel rollers.

To add to your new knowledge about roller bed conveyors, you should know there are a variety of roller bed conveyors. The types of roller conveyors are listed below:

•  Gravity roller conveyors
•  Belt-driven live roller conveyors
• Chain-driven roller conveyors
•  Line shaft roller conveyors
• Zero-pressure roller conveyors
• Motor-driven live roller conveyors
• Merge roller conveyors

Advantages of Roller Beds

The main advantage of roller beds is their ability to move a wide variety of materials and shapes. They are also quieter than slider beds and require less maintenance. Other advantages include:

• High Load Capacity: Roller beds can transport heavier loads, making them suitable for industries dealing with bulk materials.
• Continuous Movement: The rollers ensure a constant flow of materials, reducing the risk of jams or disruptions.
• Durability: Roller beds are robust and designed for prolonged use, making them durable for demanding applications.
• Speed: Roller beds can move quickly and safely, which reduces the risk of product damage and safety incidents.
• Efficiency: Because they move so quickly, roller beds make operations efficient.
• Personalized: The variety of configurations these conveyor systems can achieve makes them easy to engineer into nearly any space.

Ideal Applications of Roller Beds

Industries dealing with bulk materials, such as manufacturing or logistics, benefit from the efficiency of roller beds. The structured layout of rollers ensures consistent movement, making them suitable for heavy-duty applications.

Some examples of industries that use roller beds are airports, assembly lines, packaging, and food and beverage companies. Sometimes, metalworking companies will use roller conveyors to help separate scrap metal from other forms of metal. Think of a roller bed conveyor as a sorting conveyor for everyday objects.

Weaknesses of Roller Beds

Before opting for a roller bed, consider the material you are moving and its shape. You must also consider the space you’re working with.

Roller beds may not be suitable for materials that are too small or oddly shaped. Despite their efficiency, roller beds might not be ideal for every scenario. Evaluate factors such as product fragility, necessary precision, and budget constraints before deciding.

In conclusion, both slider beds and roller beds have their advantages and ideal applications. You should consider the type, weight, and shape of a material before designing your conveyor system.

Contact Russell Conveyor for a detailed consultation on selecting the appropriate conveyor system for your business.