Lineshaft roller conveyor

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This article is about Lineshaft roller conveyors. For information on Conveyors in general, see Conveyor systems.

Lineshaft roller conveyors are, as their title suggests, powered via a shaft beneath the rollers. These conveyors are suitable for light applications up to 20kgs such as cardboard boxes and tote boxes.

A single shaft runs below the rollers running the length of the conveyor. On the shaft there are a series of spools; one spool for each roller. A rubber o-ring runs from a spool on the powered shaft to each roller. When the shaft is powered the rubber o-ring acts as a chain between the spool and the roller making the roller rotate. The rotating of the rollers pushes the product along the conveyor. The shaft is usually driven by an electrical motor, which is generally controlled by the an electronic PLC. A PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) electronically controls how specific sections of the conveyor system interact with the products being conveyed.

Advantages of this conveyor are quiet operation, as well as easy installation and maintenance. They can be manufactured for almost all applications, at relatively low expense.

A disadvantage of the roller lineshaft conveyor is that it can only be used to convey certain produce. Items conveyed have to be of adequate size and shape so that they cannot fall between the moving rollers. If the product being conveyed is of varying size, the belt conveyor system is generally used as an alternative option.