Gravity Conveyors

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Gravity roller conveyors use the force of gravity to convey a load from A to B. They can be used to decouple the unloading process in the container from the palletizing process on the inbound floor. This is typically usefull for manual unloading of multi-SKU containers.

When unloading multi-SKU containers, the different products need to be sorted to individual pallets. It is highly inefficient to place an array of pallets inside the container, as the unloading operator has to walk a few meters to the right pallet for each carton. Instead, the unloading operator in the container places the carton on a gravity conveyor and a second operator palletizes the cartons on the other end of the gravity conveyor outside the container.

Advantages

Cost-Effective: Gravity conveyors are generally less expensive to purchase compared to powered conveyor systems. They have no energy costs and minimal maintenance expenses. Prices range approximately from 1 – 10k euro.
Simplicity and Reliability: They are simple to set up and require minimal installation time. With fewer moving parts, gravity conveyors are robust and less prone to mechanical failure.
Flexibility: Easy to extend or reconfigure as operational needs change. Many gravity conveyors are lightweight and can be easily moved or repositioned within a facility. Available in different configurations (e.g., straight, curved) to fit various layouts and space constraints.
Accumulation behaviour: Items on gravity conveyors tend to accumulate This functionality is useful to decouple two separate processes like unloading and palletizing.

Disadvantages

Suitability constraints: Not ideal for handling fragile items, very light items, or items with irregular shapes that might not move smoothly. Can only handle a certain range of item weights. Very heavy items might require powered conveyors or alternative methods
Limited control: The speed of items moving on gravity conveyors depends on the incline angle and weight of the items, making it hard to control. They lack the ability to start and stop the movement of items automatically, which can be a limitation in certain processes.
Incline requirement: Requires a certain incline to function effectively, which might not be feasible in all layouts. On flat or shallow slopes, manual pushing might be required to keep items moving.

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