Gravity skatewheel material handlers, often referred to as a gravity skatewheel conveyor, is material handling equipment used to move lightweight and small items within a manufacturing or industrial facility. This roller conveyor system is straightforward in design and relies on gravity to move products along the conveyor path.
Gravity skatewheel conveyors are made up of a series of wheels or rollers (skate wheels) mounted on axles and set at an incline or decline. Items placed at the higher end of the conveyor naturally move downwards under the force of gravity, riding on the skate wheels. The angled configuration and the rolling wheels create a smooth and controlled flow for the products without the need for external power, such as motors or belts.
Energy-Efficient Material Handling
This equipment is ideal for handling lightweight, non-palletized items like boxes, totes, cartons, and small packages. They are commonly used in scenarios where there is a need to facilitate manual material handling, sort items, or merge multiple lines of products. Skate wheel conveyors are often found in shipping and receiving areas, order-picking zones, packing stations, and assembly lines.
Gravity skatewheel conveyors are popular for several reasons: they are cost-effective, easy to install, and require minimal maintenance. Because they are gravity-powered, they are energy-efficient, eco-friendly, and easier to service and maintain. Their simplicity makes them flexible and versatile, allowing for easy reconfiguration and adaptation to changing operational needs.
While they fit the bill for smaller items, they are not suitable for heavy-duty or irregularly shaped items, as the items may not roll smoothly on the skate wheels. Loose items will fall through the gaps and they lack the precision and control provided by powered conveyors, which limits their use in applications requiring specific positioning or timing.
Integrating Gravity Skatewheel Material Handlers
Adding a gravity-driven conveyor system that relies on the force of gravity and rolling skate wheels to move lightweight items efficiently can be an asset in almost any loading/unloading space and other areas in a facility. It is a valuable tool in material handling, especially for applications where simplicity and cost-effectiveness are prioritized.
Storee Construction has been providing production upgrades like gravity skatewheel conveyor systems since 1966. We can integrate a system into your existing production floor or design-build and engineer standalone systems if the circumstances call for it. We’re here to make life on the work floor better and more productive for your crews.
Other production upgrades include processing and packaging equipment, industrial HVAC and loading dock spaces, and anything else that plays a part in your facility’s infrastructure. We’ll perform a production audit of your plant and make recommendations on where processes can be improved, either with new equipment, a floor plan change, or just safer movement on the floor.
Our team has a proven reputation for consistently providing reliable and high-quality upgrade services to many large facilities. We understand the importance of every upgrade project and provide key insight at every stage of the process. Our expertise can significantly reduce costs, delays, changes, and overall frustration that comes with managing upgrades.
Let us take the stress off your hands and provide you with the upgrade solutions you need. We look forward to hearing from you!
