In any warehouse or production facility, finding enough space for your conveyor systems can be a challenge. Wedge conveyors are flexible options that elevate your production flow, allowing you to reclaim valuable floor space in your facility.
In this article, we will explore wedge conveyor systems, including their benefits and possible applications.
What Is a Wedge Conveyor?
A wedge conveyor, also known as an elevator conveyor, is a specialized material handling system designed with a plastic chain link belt system to move products between the production floor and other levels of your facility.
They are most often found in distribution centers and warehouses and can be easily integrated with existing material handling systems because of their flexibility and ability to handle high-capacity projects. Wedge conveyors provide smooth, continuous transport of packages and products throughout your facility, making them an essential component in many material handling operations.
Benefits of Wedge Conveyors
Manufacturers face many challenges, including the logistics of moving products around their facility. Vertical conveyors, including wedge conveyors, are a valuable tool in facilities where multiple elevations are used in production processes.
Wedge conveyors offer many benefits, including:
- Easy to construct
- Lightweight
- Rapid transfer rate
- Made from durable stainless steel or aluminum
- Multiple configuration options
- Meet strict hygiene standards for packaging lines
How Does a Wedge Conveyor Work?
Span Tech’s Wedge Conveyors are designed to provide vertical movement in a durable, compact and all-mechanical design. Products are fed from a horizontal conveyor belt onto the wedge conveyor with about one product length between them, allowing enough space for products to negotiate the curves.
As an item reaches the wedge conveyor, two parallel conveyors use urethane gripper chains to wedge the sides of the product from either side. This action lifts or lowers it from the horizontal conveyor onto a receiving conveyor.
Wedge conveyors with pressure relief can be operated at variable speed ranges and are available in a variety of chain types and widths to accommodate different sizes and shapes of products.
There are no computers or logic/software components needed because the almost-silent vertical conveyor system is designed with all-mechanical movement, gripping products on their sides and sending them on their way. Depending on your facility’s needs, you can choose from the standard “positionable” or fully-adjustable wedge conveyor.
Applications for Wedge Conveyors
Because of their flexibility, wedge conveyors are perfect for use in a variety of applications including packaging, manufacturing and food and beverage industries.
Wedge conveyor systems are frequently used over walkways, under other conveyor lines, or to quickly change the orientation of a product or container (flip it over or face the opposing direction).
Take The Next Step
If you’d like to learn how a Span Tech plastic chain conveyor system can streamline your operations, contact a conveyor expert.
Article Credit: This story was first published on the Span Tech blog. March 3, 2023. Wedge Conveyors 101, Modified.
