Conveyor belts have evolved significantly since they were first introduced in 1892.
While original belt conveyors were deployed primarily in coal refining industries, modern conveyors become incredibly versatile, driving efficiency in multiple sectors. Noteworthy applications include automotive assembly lines, food packaging, bottling companies, and electronics manufacturing.
Although installing a belt conveyor may cost you thousands of dollars, the benefits are ultimately rewarding. We’ve prepared a comprehensive guide on how these heavy-duty machinery can improve workplace efficiency.
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1. Automating Product Movement
Transporting products manually through multiple points along the production or assembly line requires stationing several employees at different intervals. Besides being resource-intensive, overreliance on the human workforce can significantly reduce throughput.
Belt conveyors are precisely designed to address those concerns. Whether it’s food items or automobile parts, conveyor belts can accelerate production speed by automating the movement of products along different points in the manufacturing or assembly process.
2. Lowering Energy Consumption
Workplace energy bills can quickly rack up unnoticed. Without proactive interventions, water, gas, and electricity expenses may take up a sizable chunk of your operational costs. This could leave you little funds to finance other essential expenditures, ultimately hurting your bottom line.
Installing a conveyor belt is an ingenious way to reduce workplace energy expenditures. By automating the transportation of products, belt conveyors minimize the energy required to run packaging and assembly processes.
Besides, you can reduce waste by scheduling your conveyor belt systems to run at specific times.
3. Promoting Environmental Conservation
Environmental conservation was originally a corporate buzzword. However, the widespread enactment of stringent regulatory standards on carbon emissions (coupled with a significant increase in eco-conscious consumers) has made sustainable production an imperative for forward-thinking companies.
The fact that belt conveyors may be set to run only when required can reduce carbon footprint and accelerate the global quest for net-zero emissions. It’s your little way to contribute to the broader goals of environmental preservation.
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4. Reducing Item Damage and Mishandling
Manual labor accounts for a substantial amount of production waste. The wastage may be due to human clumsiness, fatigue, and judgment errors.
Installing conveyor belts can minimize production waste and optimize the flow of items along the belt channels. The machines are designed with proper spacing to encourage the smooth transportation of products and reduce damage caused by human mishandling.
5. Enhancing Speed Accuracy
As conveyor belts automate the movement of products, they can accelerate production speed considerably. Belt conveyors may also be calibrated to handle specific product volumes and weights, enhancing production accuracy.
Moreover, you could integrate a conveyor belt system with advanced warehouse management software to augment the tracking of products at various production stages. This may help to avoid high warehouse fees due to overproduction and operational downtimes caused by underproduction.
6. Minimizing Accidents
While the increasing mechanization of industries has reduced overreliance on human labor, machine breakdowns account for millions of life-threatening injuries worldwide. Workplace injuries can result in massive productivity losses, lawsuits, and reputational damage.
Belt conveyors are incredibly resilient due to their robust construction. With regular servicing, these machines can run for months without requiring significant repairs. That means less of your workforce is exposed to heavy workloads, elevating staff morale and employee efficiency.
7. Improving Hygiene Standards
Maintaining high hygiene standards is paramount for companies that handle hyper-sensitive products, such as foods and beverages.
Investing in conveyor belts reduces the need for manual handling of sensitive items. Besides, most belt conveyors designed for use in the food industry are constructed from materials that repel bacteria and contaminants.
Such conveyor belts are easy to clean, too. You can quickly sanitize them to keep your products and employees safe from cross-contamination.
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8. Maximizing Floor Space
Floor space can adversely impact your overheads, mainly if you operate in a rented production facility. Since every square inch counts, you deserve machinery that improves operational efficiency without taking up much of your factory floor.
Unlike many industrial equipment, conveyor belts can be installed to utilize the overhead space and even routed over immobile obstacles. That makes them easier to customize to suit any floor size.
9. Fostering Standardization
Upholding product standardization is a best practice in nearly all corporate sectors. The biggest benefit of product standardization is enhanced consistency and compatibility.
By maintaining consistent packaging, conveyor belts let you deliver standard product quality to your clients each time. This can build strong brand loyalty while boosting your inventory management efforts.
10. Cost Effective
Conveyor belts may attract high upfront costs in equipment purchase and installation. But considering the promise of long-term reliability, these machines are worth every penny.
Belt conveyors save on cost by reducing the overreliance on the human workforce, increasing throughput, and minimizing production waste. Provided that you keep up with regular inspections and servicing, operational downtimes caused by appliance breakdowns will be few and far between.
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The Bottom Line
The perks of installing conveyor belts far outweigh the drawbacks. From automating repetitive item handling tasks to enhancing employee safety, minimizing overheads, and fostering product standardization…there are multiple benefits to unlock from incorporating belt conveyors into your workplace.
However, the efficacy of conveyor belts depends on the machine’s quality.
Research extensively before selecting the best belt conveyor for your company. Key purchase considerations include your products’ (type, weight, and dimensions), average production rate, and a belt conveyor’s construction.
Remember also to implement a robust maintenance plan for your conveyor belt. That entails routine cleaning, inspection, repairs, and replacements.
