Five Benefits of Using a Belt Conveyor
Naturally, there are plenty of warehouses and factories across the country where all incoming and outgoing flows are handled entirely by hand. When a business grows from small to large, it may not be the case that the first thing you look at is whether or how a Belt conveyors can streamline and simplify your daily routine—the focus is on more storage space, more room, forklifts, or packing tables, etc.
However, when you consider the cost, belt conveyors can offer an excellent return on investment (especially if they’re used). With this post, we hope to inspire more people to consider belt conveyors as a viable solution at an earlier stage of their warehouse automation journey.
The Five Benefits
The benefits of a belt conveyor vary depending on the size of the system. Below, we list five common benefits of using a smaller system or in a smaller warehouse, which we then discuss in more detail under each heading:
- Improved ergonomics and safety for staff
- Reduced walking time/forklift operation
- Optimal use of space
- Improved operational efficiency
- Safer handling of cargo
Improved ergonomics and safety with a belt conveyor
As unfortunate as it may sound, according to the Swedish Work Environment Authority, the second most common workplace injury is injuries related to “movements under load”—and this type of injury is particularly common in warehousing operations.
If you run a business where packed orders involve handling heavy boxes or heavy goods, belt conveyors are a valuable and smart solution for material handling.
The main advantage is that it reduces both the number and the strain of heavy lifting. A belt conveyor that transitions into a downward-sloping roller conveyor at pallet level = a simple solution for reducing back-straining lifts.
Reduced walking time/forklift operation
One obvious advantage of a belt conveyor is that it can reduce the amount of walking and forklift driving in the warehouse. It may sound obvious, but letting a Belt conveyors Handling a transfer of 10–20 meters—50, 100, or 500 times a day—ultimately streamlines a whole host of steps.
Do you have any simple material flow in your business that fits the description above? Maybe you should let a belt conveyor handle the job.
Optimal use of space
An often-overlooked advantage of a belt conveyor is that it allows for creative solutions to move goods in tight or underutilized spaces. Moving goods within a warehouse typically takes up quite a bit of space—a forklift aisle needs to be wide enough for both the forklift and the goods themselves.
Belt conveyors can run, for example, over, under, and through pallet racks.
Belt conveyors can fit through a small hole in the wall.
Belt conveyors can be suspended from the ceiling.
Could any of the above solutions help you optimize the use of your storage space?
Improved operational efficiency
In addition to the positive impact that reduced forklift operation and walking time have on equipment wear and tear and reduced congestion in the warehouse, a belt conveyor can also significantly increase handling efficiency.
Belt conveyors typically transport goods at speeds of up to 0.5–1 m/s and, of course, require no human intervention during transport. In addition, belt conveyors are often strategically positioned in terms of both location and height, which helps to both speed up and reduce the number of steps involved in processes such as packing or storage, depending on where the belt conveyor is used.
Safer handling of cargo
In operations involving goods that are easily damaged (abrasion, crushing, cracks, etc.), a belt conveyor is an excellent way to reduce “hazardous” steps. In addition to the actual transport, heavy lifting and internal transport by forklift are the most risky aspects for goods that need to be handled with care.
Belt conveyors can eliminate risky steps, and, most importantly, they allow you to standardize the handling of this type of cargo so that it is done the same way every time—thereby eliminating any risk of damage.
More about belt conveyors
If you’d like to learn more about belt conveyors and how they can improve your operations, we have plenty of resources available here below our guides.
Of course, you’re also welcome to contact us if you have any questions.
