A conveyor quotation is only as good as the information behind it. When a customer asks for “a conveyor for these parts”, the first answer should be a set of questions, not a price. The five steps below are the questions that matter.
Key takeaways
- Start with the process, not the conveyor type.
- Define the load and the rate before the layout.
- The layout constraints often eliminate half the options.
- Controls and safety are part of the selection, not an afterthought.
Step 1: process
What happens to the product on the conveyor? Is it transported, accumulated, cooled, dried, inspected or assembled? Does the product need to be accessible from both sides? Does it need to be held in a fixture? The process determines whether the conveyor is a transport device or a moving workbench.
Also define the environment: temperature, humidity, dust, oil, washdown, cleanroom, ESD. A conveyor that is correct for a dry assembly area may be wrong for a washdown area, even if the load and rate are the same.
Step 2: load
Record the product weight, dimensions, centre of gravity and bottom surface. A product with a soft or uneven bottom needs a different support than a rigid pallet. A product with a high centre of gravity needs a guide or a fixture.
Add the fixture weight and the dynamic load. A conveyor that carries 10 kg static may see 30 kg during a stop. The load calculation should use the worst case, not the average.
Step 3: rate
Define the required output in units per hour, and the takt time. Then define the accumulation requirement: how many units must be buffered, and where. A line with a 12-second takt and a 30-second test needs a buffer before the test, not after.
Calculate the conveyor speed from the pitch and the rate, not from a catalogue. A speed that is too high increases noise and wear; too low reduces throughput.
| Input | Example | Affects |
|---|---|---|
| Product weight | 2.5 kg | Roller, frame, drive |
| Product size | 300 × 200 × 80 mm | Width, pitch |
| Rate | 1,200/h | Speed, accumulation |
| Environment | ESD, 25 °C | Belt, grounding |
| Layout | U-shape, 9 m | Curves, transfers |
Step 4: layout
Draw the layout with the columns, the aisles, the doors and the maintenance access. A conveyor that blocks a fire exit or a forklift route will be rejected by the safety officer, no matter how well it performs.
Check the transfer heights and the operator access. A conveyor at 900 mm is comfortable for standing work; at 750 mm for seated work. A conveyor that is too high or too low adds fatigue and reduces output.
Step 5: controls and safety
Define the control architecture: standalone, PLC, or integrated with MES. Define the safety requirements: guarding, emergency stops, interlocks. A conveyor with a VFD but no safety circuit is not complete.
Include the documentation and spare parts in the specification. A conveyor that cannot be maintained locally will become a bottleneck.
Common mistakes
Choosing a conveyor type before defining the process. Sizing the drive from the average load. Ignoring the floor level and the columns. Forgetting the accumulation requirement. Treating safety as a separate purchase.
The cost of a wrong selection is not the price difference between two conveyors; it is the downtime, the rework and the lost output after installation.
Frequently asked questions
How long should the selection take?
For a simple transport conveyor, a few hours. For a complete line, one to two weeks of engineering, including the layout and the accumulation study.
Do I need a simulation?
Only for lines with many stations or mixed models. For simple lines, a spreadsheet with cycle times is enough.
What information do suppliers need?
Product drawing, weight, rate, environment, layout and the acceptance criteria. The five steps above are the minimum.
Send your answers to our engineers through the contact page; we will confirm the conveyor type and the layout with you.
