Conveyor Belt Cleaner FAQ 101: Understanding Century Conveyor Systems’ Epic Approach

conveyor belt cleaner

A conveyor belt cleaner can play an important role in keeping a material handling system operating efficiently, particularly in warehouses, distribution centers, fulfillment facilities, and other environments where conveyors move products continuously. When conveyor equipment is integrated into a larger automated operation, cleanliness and maintenance become part of a much bigger consideration: maintaining reliable material flow from one stage of the operation to the next.

Century Conveyor Systems specializes in conveyor and material handling automation for warehouses, distribution centers, shipping operations, and fulfillment facilities. Its approach includes system design, installation, controls, maintenance, repair, replacement parts, and ongoing support. That broader perspective is useful when evaluating equipment such as a conveyor belt cleaner because the cleaner is not an isolated component—it needs to work as part of the conveyor system and the facility around it.

The following FAQ explains what businesses should understand about conveyor belt cleaners and how the topic relates to Century Conveyor Systems’ conveyor and fulfillment solutions.

conveyor belt cleaner

What is a conveyor belt cleaner?

A conveyor belt cleaner is a device or maintenance component designed to help remove material, debris, residue, or other unwanted buildup from a conveyor belt during operation or maintenance.

The basic purpose is straightforward: a conveyor belt transports products, and material can sometimes remain on or around the belt after the product has moved onward. Without appropriate cleaning and maintenance, accumulated material can interfere with conveyor performance, contribute to wear, or create housekeeping challenges.

The specific type of cleaning equipment required depends heavily on the conveyor’s application. A conveyor handling packaged goods in a distribution center can have very different cleaning requirements from a conveyor used for bulk material or food-related applications.

This is why selecting a conveyor belt cleaner should generally begin with understanding the complete conveyor application rather than choosing a component based only on the belt itself.

Why is conveyor belt cleaning important in an automated material handling system?

Conveyor systems are often central to automated material movement. Century describes warehouse conveyor systems as the backbone of automated operations, where conveyors continuously move products through processing, sortation, and distribution activities.

That means an issue affecting one section of a conveyor can potentially affect processes farther downstream. In an automated environment, equipment is interconnected, so maintaining the conveyor is about more than keeping an individual belt visually clean.

Regular attention to conveyor cleanliness can support several operational objectives:

  • Maintaining consistent product movement
  • Reducing the accumulation of unwanted material
  • Supporting preventative maintenance practices
  • Helping protect conveyor components from unnecessary buildup
  • Maintaining an orderly work environment
  • Supporting reliable operation across connected conveyor sections

Century offers conveyor preventative maintenance as well as conveyor repair and parts services. Its maintenance approach recognizes that conveyor equipment needs ongoing care after installation, rather than being treated as a one-time capital investment.

Does Century Conveyor Systems offer a specific conveyor belt cleaner?

Century Conveyor Systems’ published website describes a broad range of conveyor systems, service capabilities, and material handling solutions. Its offerings include belt and roller conveyors, sortation conveyors, modular belt conveyors, pallet handling systems, conveyor service, preventative maintenance, repair, and replacement parts.

The company information available publicly does not identify a single product specifically branded as a “Century Conveyor Systems conveyor belt cleaner.” Therefore, businesses should not assume that the phrase refers to one standardized Century product.

Instead, a conveyor belt cleaning requirement should be evaluated within the context of the conveyor system being designed, installed, serviced, or modernized.

This distinction matters because the appropriate cleaning method can depend on factors such as belt construction, conveyed products, conveyor configuration, operating environment, production requirements, and the type of residue being removed.

How does a conveyor belt cleaner fit into Century’s broader conveyor services?

One of the important considerations when evaluating conveyor cleaning equipment is the relationship between the component and the rest of the conveyor.

Century describes itself as a full-service material handling integrator. Its services cover system design and validation, installation, startup support, controls engineering, mechanical engineering, project management, preventative maintenance, repair, and parts.

That makes maintenance part of the overall lifecycle of a conveyor system.

A conveyor belt cleaner may therefore be considered alongside other maintenance and service requirements rather than as a standalone purchase. If a facility is experiencing belt contamination, tracking problems, buildup, or recurring maintenance issues, the underlying conveyor configuration may also deserve evaluation.

A comprehensive approach can help determine whether cleaning equipment, maintenance, replacement parts, adjustments, or a larger system modification is appropriate.

What types of conveyors does Century work with?

Century’s order fulfillment information describes several conveyor configurations, including live roller and gravity conveyors, belted conveyors, modular belt conveyors, conveyor diverts, zero- and minimum-pressure accumulation conveyors, extendable conveyors, spiral conveyors, and pallet conveyors.

Belted conveyors are particularly relevant to a conveyor belt cleaner discussion. Century explains that belt-over conveyors use belts wrapped over the slider or rollers of a conveyor bed. These systems can provide stable conveyance for small polybags, parcels, and irregular carton sizes, while also supporting applications such as inclines, declines, and gapping.

Modular belt conveyors use individual belt sections rather than a single vulcanized rubber belt. According to Century, these modular belts can be removed, cleaned, or modified more easily and can be useful in applications requiring additional traction, tight transfers, or easier accumulation handling.

These differences demonstrate why there is no universal conveyor belt cleaning solution. The belt’s construction and the way the conveyor operates can influence what type of cleaning and maintenance approach makes sense.

Is a conveyor belt cleaner useful for fulfillment centers?

It can be, depending on the products, conveyor design, and operating environment.

Fulfillment centers place significant demands on material handling equipment because products may move through numerous stages between order receipt and shipment. Century describes order fulfillment as a process that extends from receiving an order through processing and ultimately moving the item to the shipping dock.

Conveyor systems can automate movement between these stages, reducing manual interactions and helping facilities process products efficiently.

In that environment, maintaining conveyor equipment is part of maintaining the overall material flow. A conveyor belt cleaner can be one component of a broader maintenance strategy where appropriate.

However, cleaning requirements for a fulfillment center handling cartons and polybags may differ substantially from requirements for another industry. The right solution should be based on the actual material being conveyed and the conveyor system’s operating conditions.

How should a business choose the right conveyor belt cleaner?

The first step is to define the application.

Important questions include:

  1. What type of belt is being used?
    Belt construction can influence which cleaning methods are appropriate.
  2. What products travel on the conveyor?
    Cartons, polybags, food products, pallets, bulk materials, and other products can create very different cleaning requirements.
  3. What type of residue or debris needs to be removed?
    Dust, product fragments, packaging material, moisture, adhesive residue, and other contaminants may require different approaches.
  4. How fast does the conveyor operate?
    Operating speed can influence how and when cleaning equipment can be used.
  5. Where is the conveyor located in the process?
    A conveyor at an induction station may have different requirements from one positioned near packing or shipping.
  6. How does the cleaning method affect maintenance?
    A solution should ideally fit into the facility’s existing maintenance program rather than create an additional source of complexity.

Century’s engineering and service capabilities can be relevant when these questions involve the conveyor system as a whole. The company provides system design, mechanical engineering, installation, preventative maintenance, repair, and parts support.

Can conveyor belt cleaning be part of preventative maintenance?

Yes. Cleaning and inspection can form part of a broader preventative maintenance program.

Preventative maintenance is intended to identify and address developing issues before they become larger operational problems. For conveyor equipment, this can involve inspecting components, identifying wear, checking alignment and tracking, addressing buildup, replacing worn parts, and maintaining equipment according to its operating requirements.

Century specifically lists conveyor preventative maintenance among its services and also provides conveyor repair and replacement parts.

A belt cleaner does not replace preventative maintenance. Instead, where appropriate, it can complement a maintenance program by helping manage material accumulation and supporting the cleanliness of the conveyor belt.

The most effective maintenance program is typically one that considers the complete conveyor rather than focusing on a single component.

Can a conveyor belt cleaner help reduce conveyor downtime?

Potentially, although the effect depends on the cause of downtime and the application.

If material buildup contributes to operational issues, keeping the belt cleaner may help address one factor contributing to those problems. But downtime can have many causes, including worn components, mechanical failures, tracking problems, electrical issues, controls problems, overloaded equipment, or inadequate maintenance.

Century’s approach covers multiple areas of conveyor support, including mechanical and electrical installation, controls engineering, preventative maintenance, repair services, and replacement parts.

This broader capability is important because simply installing a conveyor belt cleaner will not resolve every conveyor performance problem. If a facility experiences repeated downtime, the underlying cause should be identified before selecting a particular maintenance component.

What role does conveyor design play in belt cleaning?

Conveyor design can have a major effect on maintenance requirements.

Century explains that warehouse conveyor systems are engineered around the functions they need to perform. Different sections may be selected for processing, transportation, accumulation, sortation, loading, or other operational requirements.

For example, belted conveyors can provide stability for small or irregular packages, while modular belts offer a different construction and can be removed and cleaned more easily. Conveyor diverts, accumulation systems, spirals, extendables, and pallet conveyors introduce additional mechanical considerations.

Consequently, cleaning should be considered as part of the system’s design and operating requirements.

For a new facility, this means maintenance access and cleaning requirements can be considered during system planning. For an existing facility, the same principle can help identify whether a modification or modernization project would improve maintainability.

Is a conveyor belt cleaner enough to maintain a conveyor system?

No. A conveyor belt cleaner is only one potential component of a much larger maintenance strategy.

A complete conveyor maintenance program can involve routine inspections, cleaning, lubrication where applicable, component replacement, belt tracking checks, mechanical inspections, electrical inspections, controls maintenance, and prompt repair of developing problems.

Century provides conveyor service and parts support as part of its broader offering. The company states that it has an established conveyor maintenance and service department, along with replacement conveyor parts and equipment.

For facilities that depend heavily on automated material handling, this broader approach can be particularly important. A conveyor is a system of interacting mechanical, electrical, and control components, so maintenance decisions should account for those relationships.

How does conveyor maintenance support order fulfillment?

Order fulfillment depends on moving products through a series of operational steps. Century describes its fulfillment solutions as being designed to optimize output performance, reduce errors that can result in returns or product damage, and process items faster with fewer manual interactions.

Conveyors are an important part of that process because they provide continuous movement between operational areas.

Maintaining those conveyors helps facilities preserve the equipment’s intended operating conditions. Cleaning is one aspect of that maintenance, while inspections, repairs, replacement parts, controls, and system optimization address other aspects.

The goal is not simply to keep a belt clean. The larger objective is to maintain dependable material movement throughout the fulfillment operation.

When should a company contact Century Conveyor Systems about a conveyor belt cleaner?

A business should consider discussing the requirement with a conveyor specialist when cleaning becomes a recurring maintenance issue, when buildup is affecting conveyor operation, when an existing belt or conveyor is being replaced, or when a new automated material handling system is being designed.

It can also make sense to seek engineering input when a facility is experiencing repeated conveyor problems and is unsure whether cleaning, maintenance, replacement parts, modernization, or a larger system change is required.

Century provides conveyor system design as well as service, repair, preventative maintenance, parts, mechanical engineering, controls engineering, and installation. That range of capabilities allows a conveyor belt cleaning requirement to be considered within the larger material handling system.

What should businesses remember about conveyor belt cleaners?

The most important point is that a conveyor belt cleaner should be evaluated as part of the conveyor system, not as an isolated component.

Century Conveyor Systems works with multiple conveyor configurations and provides broader material handling engineering and service capabilities for warehouses, distribution centers, and fulfillment facilities. Its published solutions include belted and modular belt conveyors as well as numerous other conveyor technologies.

For an existing operation, the right cleaning approach depends on the belt, conveyed materials, operating environment, and maintenance requirements. For a new installation, cleaning and maintenance considerations can be incorporated into the system design from the beginning.

Ultimately, effective conveyor maintenance combines the right equipment with appropriate system design, inspection, preventative maintenance, repair, and parts support. A conveyor belt cleaner may be an important part of that equation, but its value is greatest when it is selected and maintained as part of a complete material handling strategy.

Conveying Systems FAQ 101: Understanding Century Conveyor Systems’ Solutions

conveying systems

Modern warehouses, distribution centers, and fulfillment facilities depend on conveying systems movement to keep orders flowing. As product volumes increase and customer expectations for fast shipping continue to rise, businesses are looking beyond manual transportation methods and investing in automated conveying systems.

Century Conveyor Systems provides engineered material handling and automation solutions designed around the way products move through a facility. Rather than treating a conveyor as an isolated piece of equipment, Century approaches conveying as part of a broader operational system that can incorporate conveyors, sortation, robotics, controls, software, storage, and other automation technologies.

This FAQ explains how Century Conveyor Systems approaches conveying systems, the different technologies available, and how those technologies can support order fulfillment and warehouse operations.

conveying systems

What are conveying systems, and how does Century Conveyor Systems approach them?

Conveying systems are material handling solutions designed to move products from one location to another within a facility. Depending on the application, they can transport cartons, totes, pallets, polybags, drums, oversized products, and other materials between different stages of an operation.

At Century Conveyor Systems, conveying systems are designed around the specific requirements of the facility rather than selected as a generic piece of equipment. The company describes its approach as turnkey system integration, meaning the project can encompass system design, validation, installation, startup, controls, automation, and ongoing service.

This distinction matters because the most appropriate conveyor depends on more than the physical product being moved. Factors such as product dimensions, weight, required speed, accumulation needs, facility layout, manual workstations, sortation requirements, and future automation plans can all influence the design.

For example, a packing area may benefit from live roller or gravity conveyors that interface effectively with manual induction. A line handling small or irregular parcels may require belted conveying for greater product stability. A high-output pallet operation may need chain-driven live roller equipment or another heavy-duty pallet conveying solution.

The objective is to create a coordinated flow through the facility instead of simply placing conveyor sections wherever space is available.

What types of conveying systems does Century Conveyor Systems provide?

Century works with several types of conveying systems, with each technology suited to different material handling requirements.

Live Roller and Gravity Conveyors

Live roller conveyors use powered rollers to move products, while gravity conveyors rely on gravity rather than a motor. According to Century, these systems can be used in areas such as packing lines, divert lines, extendable conveyor applications, and end-of-line operations.

Gravity conveying can be useful where powered transportation is unnecessary, while live roller equipment can provide controlled powered movement where the application calls for it.

Belted Conveyors

Belted conveyors provide a stable conveying surface for products that may not move effectively on rollers. Century specifically identifies belt-over applications as useful for small polybags, parcels, and irregular carton sizes.

Belted conveying can also provide advantages for inclines, declines, gapping, and applications where maintaining product stability is important.

Modular Belt Conveyors

Modular belts are constructed from individual sections rather than one continuous vulcanized belt. The modular construction can make individual sections easier to remove, clean, or modify.

Century identifies modular belt conveying as a solution for specialized handling applications, including operations requiring additional traction, tight transfers, or easier accumulation. The company also notes applications involving food handling and other specialized product flows.

Conveyor Diverts

Diverts allow products to move from one conveyor line to another without necessarily requiring a large standalone sortation system.

Depending on the application, divert mechanisms can include roller-ball systems, skate wheels, rising platforms, swinging arms, push trays, and other configurations. This gives system designers different ways to route cartons to their intended destinations.

Zero- and Minimum-Pressure Conveyors

Accumulation is an important consideration when products need to wait temporarily without disrupting the rest of a line.

Century describes zero-pressure accumulation as a configuration designed to keep products from touching one another. Minimum-pressure accumulation allows products to slow down and lightly contact each other.

These technologies can be particularly useful when products are fragile or when controlled spacing is necessary before another stage of fulfillment.

Extendable Conveyors

Extendable conveyors can telescope into and out of areas such as trailers. They can help bring the conveying point closer to the associate loading or unloading the vehicle.

Century identifies both gravity-powered and powered extendable configurations. Gravity versions can use skate wheels, while powered versions can use telescoping belts.

Spiral Conveyors

Spiral conveying systems move products vertically through a gradual curved incline. This allows a facility to connect different elevations without relying exclusively on long straight inclines or other vertical transportation methods.

For facilities where floor space is limited, vertical conveying can be an important part of the overall layout.

Pallet Conveyors

Pallet conveying systems are designed for heavier and larger loads. Century identifies several pallet-handling technologies, including pallet drag chain conveyors, pallet gravity conveyors, chain-driven live roller conveyors, and Poly-V conveyor sections.

The appropriate configuration depends on factors such as pallet characteristics, weight, throughput, staging requirements, and the desired movement pattern.

Together, these options allow conveying systems to be configured around the requirements of individual areas rather than forcing every product through the same conveyor technology.

Why are conveying systems important for order fulfillment?

Order fulfillment involves much more than transporting a package from point A to point B. Products may need to move through receiving, storage, picking, packing, labeling, sortation, and shipping before an order leaves the facility.

Century describes warehouse conveyor systems as the backbone of automated operations because they provide continuous movement between these different stages.

The value of conveying systems comes from connecting processes. When products must be manually transported between workstations, employees can spend significant amounts of time moving material instead of performing tasks that directly contribute to order processing.

An engineered conveyor system can automate much of that transportation.

For example, products can move from one processing station to another without requiring an employee to push a cart or carry individual packages across the facility. Conveyors can also be combined with accumulation, diverting, sortation, scanning, controls, and other technologies to coordinate how products move through the operation.

Century’s order fulfillment approach focuses on optimizing output, reducing errors that can contribute to returns or product damage, and processing items with fewer manual interactions.

The result is not simply a faster conveyor. It is a material flow strategy in which transportation becomes an integrated part of the fulfillment process.

How can Century’s conveying systems work with warehouse robotics?

Conveyors and robotics do not necessarily compete for the same role. In an automated fulfillment environment, they can perform complementary functions.

Century offers robotic fulfillment solutions involving automated guided vehicles (AGVs) and autonomous mobile robots (AMRs).

AGVs generally follow defined navigation methods and are suited to applications involving repeatable routes. Century notes that AGVs can transport pallets, cartons, and non-conveyable products and can be equipped with attachments that allow them to interface with the material being handled.

AMRs offer a different type of flexibility. They navigate without fixed tracks and use sensors and programming to move through a facility. This makes them suitable for applications in which products or totes need to travel through changing routes.

For example, an AMR can support goods-to-person fulfillment by retrieving totes and bringing them to packing or order fulfillment personnel.

Conveyors can provide the fixed, continuous transportation infrastructure within an operation, while robots can provide flexible transportation where fixed conveyor paths may not be practical.

This combination is particularly relevant to facilities that want automation without relying exclusively on permanently installed transportation equipment.

Can conveying systems be customized for different products and workflows?

Yes. Customization is one of the most important considerations when designing a conveying system.

A carton, polybag, pallet, drum, and irregularly shaped package can have very different conveying requirements. Even two facilities handling similar products may require different designs because their layouts, throughput requirements, labor models, storage systems, and order profiles differ.

Century’s system engineering approach accounts for these differences when designing material handling solutions.

For smaller parcels, a belted conveyor may provide the stability required to maintain consistent movement. For palletized products, heavy-duty conveying technologies may be more appropriate. In another section of the facility, gravity conveying may be sufficient for staging or manual operations.

Conveyor diverts can create routing points, accumulation sections can regulate product flow, and spiral conveyors can connect different levels.

This modular approach means the conveying system can be built around the workflow instead of forcing the workflow to conform to one conveyor type.

How do conveying systems support automation beyond transportation?

A conveyor is only one part of a modern material handling ecosystem.

Century’s broader solutions include sortation systems, robotic palletizing, controls and software, print-and-apply equipment, storage systems, and other automation technologies.

Controls can coordinate conveyor movements and equipment interactions, while warehouse management and warehouse control systems can help connect operational requirements with physical material movement.

Sortation equipment can direct products toward different destinations. Print-and-apply equipment can support labeling processes. Robotic palletizing can automate the handling of completed cases or other loads.

This interconnected approach is important because adding a conveyor does not automatically create an automated warehouse. Automation depends on how individual technologies communicate and work together.

For example, a product may enter the facility, travel through a conveyor network, be routed through a divert or sortation system, receive a label, and eventually reach a packing or shipping area. Each stage has a specific function, but the conveying system provides the physical movement that connects those processes.

What should a company consider before investing in conveying systems?

The first consideration should be the operational problem the conveying system is intended to solve.

Companies should evaluate the types of products being moved, their dimensions and weights, current and projected throughput, facility layout, accumulation requirements, manual touchpoints, destinations, and integration requirements.

It is also important to consider what the facility may look like several years after installation. A conveyor designed only around today’s volume may require substantial modification if product volumes, SKU profiles, or fulfillment processes change.

Other questions include:

  • Where are the largest sources of manual transportation?
  • Which products require special handling?
  • Where are bottlenecks occurring?
  • How much accumulation is required?
  • Are products fragile or irregularly shaped?
  • Will robotics eventually be added?
  • Does the system need to interface with existing controls or software?
  • Could the facility require additional capacity later?
  • What maintenance and replacement-parts support will be needed?

Answering these questions before equipment selection helps create a system based on operational requirements rather than simply selecting a conveyor based on its physical specifications.

Does Century Conveyor Systems provide support after installation?

Century’s services extend beyond system design and installation. The company states that it provides ongoing parts and service support, including conveyor repair and preventative maintenance.

This is an important consideration for facilities that depend on conveying systems as part of daily operations. Conveyor equipment can become a critical link between receiving, fulfillment, packing, and shipping, so maintenance becomes part of maintaining overall operational continuity.

Century lists services including conveyor preventative maintenance, repair and parts, mechanical and electrical installation, controls engineering, project management, and 24/7 support.

A lifecycle approach also means that the relationship does not necessarily end when a new conveyor system is started. Maintenance, replacement parts, troubleshooting, modernization, and future automation can all become part of the system’s operating life.

How can conveying systems prepare a warehouse for future automation?

A well-designed conveying system can provide a foundation for additional automation.

Century notes that automation can be added to conveyor lines and describes its robotic fulfillment solutions as scalable, allowing additional systems to be implemented as needed.

This is particularly relevant for businesses that are automating in stages. A company may initially automate transportation between a few high-volume work areas and later add robotics, sortation, automated storage, palletizing, or other technologies.

Planning for that progression from the beginning can help avoid designing a system that works only as a standalone conveyor installation.

Future-oriented conveying design can consider available space, controls architecture, connection points, throughput requirements, product changes, and potential integration with robotic equipment.

The goal is not necessarily to automate every process immediately. Instead, the conveying infrastructure can be designed as part of a broader material handling strategy that can evolve as operational requirements change.

What makes Century Conveyor Systems a systems integrator rather than simply a conveyor provider?

The distinction comes down to the scope of the solution.

Century describes itself as a full-service integrator that can combine conveyor systems with robotics, warehouse management systems, reporting software, storage, sortation, controls, and other material handling technologies.

That means the focus is on the complete workflow rather than on selling a single conveyor component.

A project can begin with system design and validation and continue through equipment integration, installation, startup, service, and maintenance. This gives businesses one broader framework for addressing the movement of materials throughout their facilities.

For an operation considering conveying systems, that approach can be useful when the material flow problem involves more than transportation alone. If bottlenecks involve picking, sortation, packing, storage, palletizing, or software coordination, the conveyor may need to be designed alongside those processes.

What is the main takeaway about Century Conveyor Systems’ conveying systems?

Conveying systems can serve as the physical foundation connecting different stages of a modern warehouse or fulfillment operation. The most effective solution depends on the products being moved, the required throughput, facility layout, accumulation needs, automation objectives, and long-term plans.

Century Conveyor Systems approaches conveying as part of a larger material handling system. Its solutions encompass technologies ranging from belt, roller, gravity, modular, spiral, extendable, divert, and pallet conveyors to robotics, sortation, controls, software, and ongoing service.

For businesses evaluating conveying systems, the central question is therefore not simply which conveyor to purchase. It is how material should move through the facility today, how that movement can be automated, and how the system can support the operation as requirements evolve.

By engineering conveying around the broader workflow, businesses can create a material handling environment in which transportation, automation, and fulfillment processes operate as connected parts of the same system.

50,000 SKUs and Counting: Why Your Pick Method Matters

warehouse conveyor

Hardware distributors, fastener companies, and industrial supply operations carry tens of thousands of SKUs. Fifty thousand is common. Sixty thousand isn’t unusual. Every one of those items needs accurate storage, retrieval, and labeling — and in most of these buildings, a person is still walking to a bin to pick it by hand.

Here’s the strange part: these are probably the most automation-ready companies that haven’t automated yet. The operational profile is almost perfectly matched to proven technology. It’s not that automation doesn’t work for high-mix distribution. It’s that nobody has shown these operations a system that fits how they actually work today and where they’re going next.

This article lays out what that profile looks like, the four pressure points that eventually force the automation decision, and which picking methods actually fit a high-SKU operation.

The High-Mix Profile: Why These Operations Are Built for Automation

The characteristics of hardware and fastener distribution are unmistakable:

  • Extremely high SKU counts — 50,000+, with a long tail of slow movers
  • Small items stored in bins or drawers
  • Piece-picking across multiple zones
  • Mixed carton sizes going to retail stores and e-commerce orders out of the same building
  • Constant pressure on inventory accuracy

Every one of those characteristics has a proven automation answer. Yet the typical pick error rate in a manual high-SKU environment runs 2 to 5 percent. At 50,000 SKUs and real order volume, that’s tens of thousands of incorrect orders a year — each one generating a return, a re-ship, a replenishment error, or an unhappy retail account.

Meanwhile, goods-to-person automation typically delivers a 60%+ reduction in labor per pick in exactly these environments. The math has been working for years. What’s usually missing is a design that starts from the operation’s actual inventory profile instead of a product brochure.

The Four Pressure Points That Drive the Automation Decision

In our work with high-mix distributors, the decision to automate almost never comes from a single failure. It comes from four pressures compounding until the status quo costs more than the system that would fix it.

1. Inventory accuracy

When you carry 60,000 SKUs and pick by hand, small errors compound. A bin that’s off by ten pieces creates downstream problems in customer orders, replenishment, and returns processing — and nobody catches it until a customer does. Goods-to-person picking eliminates most of that at the source, because the system tracks every retrieval and presentation instead of relying on a picker’s count.

2. Labor spent on low-velocity SKUs

High-SKU operations have a long tail of items that move slowly. Keeping a picker walking to those locations all day is one of the most inefficient things a warehouse can do — you’re paying travel time for items that might get picked twice a week. Zone-based carton flow for fast movers and goods-to-person for the long tail both attack this directly.

3. Mixed carton and order profiles

Retail replenishment, e-commerce, and contractor orders all move through the same building with different carton sizes and different compliance requirements. Handled manually, that means dedicated teams per channel or constant channel-switching. Shipping sortation driven by a warehouse control system makes it manageable in one flow.

4. Replenishment timing

In a high-SKU pick environment, keeping bins stocked without disrupting active picking is a logistics problem in its own right. WCS-controlled replenishment logic handles it automatically — no second team working around the first, no stockouts discovered mid-wave.

If two or more of these are recurring conversations in your operation, the picking method is the underlying issue — not the people running it.

Warehouse Picking Methods That Fit High-SKU Operations

The right system for a 60,000-SKU hardware distributor looks different from the right system for a 5,000-SKU consumer goods operation. Order picking methods aren’t interchangeable — they’re matched to inventory profile, order mix, and throughput. Four capabilities matter most in high-SKU environments.

Goods-to-person picking

AMR-driven storage and retrieval that brings inventory to the picker instead of sending the picker to inventory. Floor travel — the largest single component of manual pick labor — drops dramatically, and pick accuracy rises because the system presents exactly one location at a time. For the long tail of slow-moving SKUs that defines high-mix distribution, goods-to-person automation is usually the highest-leverage move available.

Carton-flow pick modules with zone picking

For high-velocity SKUs, zone-based pick modules with carton flow rack shelving concentrate thousands of facings into a compact footprint. Pick-to-light guidance takes the search out of each pick, and tote conveyor integration does the horizontal travel between zones. Critically, this handles the density of a hardware or fastener operation without requiring a complete facility rebuild.

Shipping sortation and WCS controls

Controls-driven sortation routes completed orders to the correct carrier lane, pack station, or staging area automatically. The warehouse control system underneath handles replenishment logic, wave management, and real-time visibility across every zone — the connective tissue that lets retail, e-commerce, and contractor orders share one building without sharing each other’s problems.

Scan, label, and verify

Scan tunnels, dimensioning, and print-and-apply labeling built into the outbound line. For operations serving retail accounts with compliance labeling requirements, this is not optional — and it cannot be an afterthought bolted on after the system is designed. Chargebacks are how retail partners tell you your labeling process needs work.

How to Know It’s Time

Some practical diagnostics for a high-SKU operation still picking manually:

  • Your SKU count has grown significantly since your current pick setup was designed
  • Inventory accuracy is a recurring issue that never quite gets resolved
  • Pickers spend a visible share of the day walking to slow-moving locations
  • Peak requires temp labor just to hold your normal error rate
  • Retail compliance chargebacks are trending the wrong direction
  • Replenishment regularly interrupts active picking

None of these fix themselves at higher volume. They scale with it.

Start With a Site Walk

If your operation carries more SKUs than your current picking system was designed for, the conversation is worth having. A site walk takes an hour. The analysis that comes out of it usually pays for itself before a system is even specified — because it tells you which picking method fits your actual inventory profile, which parts of your operation should stay exactly as they are, and where the practical upgrade path runs.

Ready to look at your operation? Schedule a site walk — no pitch, just an engineering conversation about how your building actually works.

Rick Maldonado works with distribution operations across the country on automation projects ranging from single-zone retrofits to full facility designs.

Rick Maldonado, Director of Business Development (713) 867-5309 | rick.maldonado@centuryconveyor.com

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FAQ 101 Automated Solutions: Century Conveyor Systems’ Fantastic Automated Solutions

automated solutions

Warehouse operations are under constant pressure to move to automated solutions, fulfill orders faster, control operating costs, and maintain accuracy as customer expectations continue to rise. For distribution centers and fulfillment facilities, automated solutions can provide a way to improve material flow while reducing dependence on repetitive manual handling.

Century Conveyor Systems specializes in automated material handling and turnkey system integration for warehouses, distribution centers, shipping operations, and fulfillment facilities. Its approach brings together conveyor systems, robotic fulfillment, robotic palletizing, controls and software, sortation, storage systems, print-and-apply equipment, and ongoing service capabilities.

The following FAQ explains what makes Century Conveyor Systems’ automated solutions different and how the company’s approach can address several common warehouse and distribution challenges.

automated solutions

What are Century Conveyor Systems’ automated solutions?

Century Conveyor Systems’ automated solutions are engineered material handling systems designed to improve how products, cartons, totes, pallets, and other items move through a warehouse or distribution facility.

Rather than treating automation as a single piece of equipment, Century approaches it as an integrated system. Depending on the requirements of a facility, that system can include conveyor equipment, robotic technologies, sortation, pallet handling, warehouse controls, software, storage systems, and other material handling technologies.

This matters because warehouse automation works best when individual components operate as part of a coordinated process. A conveyor may transport an item, for example, while a control system determines where it needs to go and a sortation device directs it to the appropriate destination.

Century’s role as a system integrator means the company can work across these different technologies and manage the project from system design and validation through installation, startup support, parts, and service.

Why would a warehouse need automated solutions?

The biggest reason is that growing operational demands can eventually exceed what manual processes can efficiently handle.

A facility may be dealing with increasing order volumes, longer travel distances, labor-intensive picking, repetitive pallet movement, congested work areas, or a growing need to process products consistently throughout the day. Simply adding more manual labor does not necessarily solve those problems.

Automation can instead change the way work moves through the facility.

Century’s order fulfillment approach focuses on optimizing warehouse touchpoints to improve output, reduce errors that can lead to returns or damaged products, and process items more quickly with fewer manual interactions.

That makes automated solutions particularly relevant for organizations looking beyond short-term labor adjustments and toward a more scalable material handling strategy.

How do conveyor systems fit into Century’s automated solutions?

Conveyors are one of the foundational technologies in a warehouse automation system because they provide a consistent method for moving products between operational areas.

Century offers several conveyor configurations, including live roller, gravity, belted, modular belt, pallet, spiral, and other specialized conveyor applications. The appropriate technology depends on factors such as the product being handled, desired throughput, available floor space, accumulation requirements, and the way different workstations interact.

For example, belted conveyors can provide stable transportation for small polybags, parcels, and irregular cartons. Gravity and live roller conveyors can be useful in areas that need to interface with manual induction or packing processes. Spiral conveyors can move products between levels while conserving valuable floor space.

The key advantage is not simply having a conveyor. It is having the right conveyor configuration integrated into the overall material flow.

Can automated solutions reduce manual material handling?

Yes. Reducing unnecessary manual transportation is one of the central opportunities provided by warehouse automation.

In a traditional facility, employees may spend substantial portions of their shifts walking, transporting cartons, moving pallets, retrieving inventory, or carrying products between process steps. These activities consume time without necessarily adding value to the product itself.

Century’s automated solutions can shift some of that transportation work to conveyors, automated guided vehicles, autonomous mobile robots, and other equipment.

The result can be a workflow in which employees spend more time performing tasks that require human judgment or interaction while automated equipment handles repetitive transportation.

This is particularly relevant to goods-to-person operations, where automation can bring inventory or totes to workers rather than requiring workers to repeatedly travel to retrieve products.

What role do robots play in Century’s automated solutions?

Robotics provide another layer of flexibility beyond fixed conveyor infrastructure.

Century identifies two major categories of warehouse robots: automated guided vehicles (AGVs) and autonomous mobile robots (AMRs).

AGVs can be used to transport pallets, cartons, or other loads along defined routes. Depending on the application, they can use technologies such as magnetic tape, QR codes, inductive wires, or laser-based navigation.

AMRs operate differently. They are trackless and use sensors and programming to navigate through a facility. This allows them to move more freely and makes them particularly useful for applications where transportation paths may need to be flexible.

For example, AMRs can transport totes or carts through a distribution facility and can support goods-to-person workflows by retrieving inventory and delivering it to packing or fulfillment personnel.

The important distinction is that robotics do not necessarily replace conveyor automation. In many facilities, robots and conveyors can complement one another.

Are Century’s automated solutions scalable?

Scalability is one of the most important considerations when investing in warehouse automation.

A company may know that its order volume will increase but may not know exactly how quickly that growth will occur. Installing a system designed only for today’s workload can create limitations later, while investing too heavily in capacity too early can create unnecessary costs.

Century highlights scalability as a benefit of its robotic fulfillment solutions. Additional robotic systems can be implemented as operational requirements change, allowing an organization to expand its automation strategy over time.

This can be particularly useful for businesses experiencing seasonal demand, expanding product lines, entering new markets, or increasing fulfillment volumes.

A scalable approach also encourages companies to think beyond a single automation project. Instead, the initial system can become the foundation for future improvements.

How can automated solutions improve order fulfillment?

Order fulfillment involves a chain of activities that begins when an order is received and continues until the completed shipment reaches the shipping dock.

Every handoff represents an opportunity for delay, damage, misrouting, or unnecessary labor.

Century’s fulfillment systems are designed to address the flow between these stages. Conveyors can transport cartons and other products, accumulation systems can manage spacing, diverts can route products toward different destinations, and robotic systems can automate transportation within the facility.

Sortation can further separate products according to their destination or processing requirements.

When these technologies are properly coordinated, the facility can create a more predictable flow of materials instead of relying on employees to manually coordinate every movement.

That consistency is one of the major reasons automated solutions can have an impact beyond simple transportation speed.

Can automation help reduce product damage and fulfillment errors?

Automation can contribute to greater consistency in product handling, which can help address certain causes of damage and fulfillment errors.

Century specifically emphasizes reducing errors that can result in returns or item breakage as part of its order fulfillment strategy.

One example is zero-pressure accumulation. These conveyor systems use sensors and other equipment to create controlled spacing between products so that items do not collide with one another. This can be especially useful when handling fragile products.

Automated diverts and sortation systems can also help direct products to the appropriate lines or destinations without requiring every carton to be manually redirected.

Automation does not eliminate every possible source of error, but designing the material flow around controlled, repeatable processes can reduce the number of manual interactions where mistakes may occur.

What makes Century’s approach different from simply buying automation equipment?

The difference is system integration.

A warehouse can purchase individual conveyors, robots, controls, or storage products from different suppliers, but those components still need to work together as a functional system.

Century positions itself as a full-service integrator rather than simply an equipment provider. Its process includes system design, validation, implementation, installation, startup support, and ongoing parts and service.

That integrated approach is important because the success of an automation project depends on more than the specifications of individual machines.

The equipment needs to fit the physical facility, the products being handled, the required throughput, the workforce, the operational processes, and the software and controls governing the system.

In other words, effective automated solutions are designed around the operation rather than added to it as disconnected equipment.

Can Century automated solutions work with existing warehouse infrastructure?

They can be designed around a facility’s existing requirements, and automation does not necessarily mean replacing every component already in operation.

Century offers retrofit and modernization capabilities in addition to new automation systems. This is significant for organizations that already have conveyor equipment or other material handling infrastructure but need greater capacity, improved controls, updated technology, or additional automation.

A modernization strategy can allow a company to address specific limitations rather than starting from scratch.

For example, an existing conveyor line might be supplemented with new controls, sortation, robotic transportation, or other equipment. The right approach depends on the condition of the current system and the organization’s operational goals.

This flexibility can make automated solutions relevant to both new facilities and established warehouses.

What types of products can Century’s automated solutions handle?

The company’s solutions are designed for a broad range of material handling applications. Century states that it can engineer systems for items that go into boxes, pallets, totes, drums, or polybags.

That breadth matters because different products create different engineering requirements.

Small parcels may require stable belted conveyance. Heavy pallets may require specialized pallet conveyor equipment. Fragile products may benefit from controlled accumulation. Irregular products may need a different handling method than standardized cartons.

Rather than applying one automation technology to every product, the system can be designed around the characteristics of the items moving through the facility.

This product-specific approach is an important consideration when evaluating automated solutions.

How do controls and software contribute to automation?

Physical equipment is only part of a modern automated material handling system. Controls and software help coordinate what the equipment actually does.

Century provides capabilities involving control panels, programmable logic controls, warehouse management systems, and warehouse control systems.

These technologies can help connect the movement of physical products with the information required to manage that movement.

For example, a conveyor system needs to know when products should move, stop, accumulate, divert, or proceed to another processing area. Coordinating those actions requires controls and programming.

The result is a system in which equipment and operational information work together rather than existing as isolated components.

Are automated solutions only appropriate for large distribution centers?

No. The appropriate level of automation depends on the operation rather than simply the size of the building.

A large distribution center may benefit from extensive conveyor networks, sophisticated sortation, robotic fulfillment, pallet automation, and integrated software. A smaller operation may benefit from targeted automation addressing its biggest bottleneck.

The principle is to identify where automation can provide the greatest operational improvement.

For some facilities, that might mean automating carton transportation. For others, robotic fulfillment could be more valuable. Another operation may need better pallet movement, sortation, storage, or controls.

Century’s range of solutions allows automation to be considered as a collection of technologies that can be configured around the specific needs of the facility.

What should a company consider before investing in automated solutions?

A company should begin with the operational problem rather than the technology.

Important questions include:

  • What products need to be handled?
  • How much volume moves through the facility?
  • What is the current and expected future throughput?
  • Where are the biggest bottlenecks?
  • How much manual transportation is currently required?
  • Which processes generate the most errors or product damage?
  • How much floor space is available?
  • Which existing systems can be retained or modernized?
  • How much scalability will be required in the future?
  • How should the automated system interact with warehouse management and control software?

These questions help determine whether conveyors, robotics, sortation, pallet handling, storage systems, controls, or a combination of technologies make the most sense.

The goal should not be to automate everything simply because automation is available. The goal should be to create a material handling system that solves measurable operational problems.

How can a company get started with Century Conveyor Systems?

The first step is to discuss the facility, its current processes, and its automation objectives with Century.

A project can be evaluated based on the specific products being handled, throughput requirements, facility layout, existing equipment, labor considerations, and future growth.

From there, an automation strategy can be developed around the operational requirements.

For companies considering automated solutions, this approach can be more valuable than choosing equipment first and attempting to make the operation fit afterward. The right system starts with understanding how materials move through the facility and identifying where technology can make that movement faster, more consistent, and more efficient.

What is the biggest advantage of Century’s automated solutions?

Ultimately, the biggest advantage is the ability to combine multiple automation technologies into a coordinated material handling strategy.

Conveyors can provide continuous product movement. Sortation can direct products to their destinations. Robotics can provide flexible transportation. Palletizing equipment can automate demanding end-of-line tasks. Controls and software can coordinate equipment and information. Storage systems can improve how inventory is organized and accessed.

Individually, each technology addresses a specific problem. Together, they can create a more connected fulfillment operation.

That is the central idea behind Century Conveyor Systems’ automated solutions: automation should not be viewed simply as a collection of machines. It should be engineered as an integrated system designed around the way a warehouse actually operates.

For distribution centers and fulfillment facilities looking to increase throughput, reduce unnecessary manual handling, improve consistency, and prepare for future growth, a carefully engineered automation strategy can provide a foundation for long-term operational efficiency.

Material Handler FAQ 101: Understanding Century Conveyor Systems’ Material Handling Solutions

material handler

Material handlers are at the heart of an efficient warehouse or distribution operation. Every carton, pallet, tote, package, and other product must move through a facility reliably and efficiently before it reaches its final destination. A material handler plays an important role in that process, but modern material handling increasingly involves more than manual movement. Conveyor systems, automated guided vehicles, autonomous mobile robots, sortation equipment, and other technologies can work together to create a faster and more reliable material flow.

Century Conveyor Systems helps businesses develop material handling and order fulfillment solutions designed around the specific requirements of their facilities. Rather than treating every warehouse the same, Century can engineer systems around factors such as product type, throughput, available space, handling requirements, and the amount of automation desired.

The following FAQ explains what a material handler means in a modern distribution environment and how Century Conveyor Systems approaches material handling as part of a larger automated fulfillment strategy.

material handler

What is a material handler?

A material handler is a person, machine, or automated system responsible for moving, positioning, transporting, or otherwise managing products and materials within a facility.

Traditionally, material handlers have included warehouse employees who move cartons, pallets, totes, and other products between receiving, storage, picking, packing, and shipping areas. However, modern warehouses increasingly use automated equipment to perform many of these same transportation functions.

For Century Conveyor Systems, material handling can encompass a much broader system of technologies. Conveyor equipment can continuously move products between operational areas, while robotic solutions such as automated guided vehicles (AGVs) and autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) can transport products without requiring every movement to be performed manually.

This distinction is important because a material handler does not necessarily have to be a person. In an automated warehouse, the material-handling function can be distributed across conveyors, robots, controls, sortation equipment, and employees working together.

How does Century Conveyor Systems approach material handling?

Century approaches material handling as part of the overall flow of a warehouse rather than as an isolated transportation task.

The objective is to understand how products move through a facility from the point they enter the operation through processing and ultimately to shipping. An effective material-handling solution should help reduce unnecessary movement, improve throughput, minimize handling errors, and support consistent order fulfillment.

This can involve combining multiple technologies rather than relying on a single piece of equipment. For example, conveyors may provide continuous transportation between workstations, while robotic equipment handles flexible movements that would be difficult or inefficient to accomplish with fixed conveyor infrastructure.

Century’s capabilities include conveyor systems, robotic fulfillment, controls engineering, mechanical engineering, project management, installation, maintenance, modernization, and other services that can support a complete automation project.

The result is a material-handling strategy designed around the operation instead of simply adding equipment to an existing floor plan.

What types of conveyor systems can support a material handler?

Different products require different methods of transportation, so there is no universal conveyor configuration for every material handler or warehouse.

Century works with several conveyor technologies, including live roller and gravity conveyors, belted conveyors, modular belt conveyors, conveyor diverts, accumulation conveyors, extendable conveyors, spiral conveyors, and pallet conveyor systems.

Live roller conveyors, for example, can be useful in packing lines, divert applications, and other areas where powered movement is needed. Gravity conveyors can provide a simpler approach where powered transportation is unnecessary.

Belted conveyors can provide stable transportation for small packages, polybags, irregular cartons, and other products that may not move as reliably on rollers. Modular belt systems offer additional flexibility because individual belt sections can be removed, cleaned, or modified.

For palletized materials and heavier loads, specialized pallet conveyor systems can provide the stability and durability needed for the application.

The important consideration is matching the conveyor technology to the material being handled, the required throughput, and the movement that needs to occur.

Can a material handler system reduce manual interactions?

Yes. One of the major objectives of warehouse automation is to reduce unnecessary manual interactions with products.

Manual handling can require employees to repeatedly walk, lift, carry, transfer, and reposition products. As order volumes increase, these repetitive movements can become a significant part of the fulfillment process.

A properly engineered material-handling system can automate many transportation steps. Conveyors can move products continuously between designated areas, while robotic systems can transport totes, cartons, pallets, or carts throughout a facility.

Reducing manual transportation does not necessarily mean eliminating employees. Instead, it can allow employees to spend more time performing tasks that require judgment, exception handling, customer-specific processing, or other activities that are difficult to automate.

Century’s order fulfillment approach focuses on processing items faster with fewer manual interactions while also working to reduce errors and product damage.

How can material handling affect order fulfillment?

Material handling has a direct effect on how quickly and consistently orders move through a warehouse.

An order fulfillment process includes numerous individual steps, from receiving an order and retrieving the appropriate products to packing and moving completed orders toward the shipping area. Delays in one part of that process can affect everything downstream.

A material-handling system can connect these stages so products move efficiently from one process to another.

For example, conveyors can transport cartons from picking areas toward packing stations. Diverts can direct products onto different lines based on their destination or processing requirements. Accumulation conveyors can help manage spacing between products. Extendable conveyors can assist with loading activities by bringing transportation equipment directly into a trailer.

When these technologies are designed as part of one coordinated system, material movement becomes an integrated component of fulfillment rather than a series of disconnected manual tasks.

Why is product stability important for a material handler?

A material handler must account for the physical characteristics of the products being transported.

Small packages, polybags, irregular cartons, fragile products, heavy pallets, and oversized loads can all behave differently while moving through a warehouse. A conveyor that works well for one product may not be appropriate for another.

Belted conveyor systems can provide greater stability for certain small or irregular products. Accumulation systems can also be configured to control how products interact with one another.

Zero-pressure accumulation is particularly useful when products should not touch during accumulation. Minimum-pressure accumulation, meanwhile, allows products to slow down and make light contact.

These distinctions can help protect products from unnecessary collisions and damage while also keeping material moving efficiently through the operation.

Can a material handler system handle pallets as well as cartons?

Yes. Material-handling systems can be designed for a wide range of load types, including individual cartons and palletized products.

Pallet handling requires equipment capable of supporting substantially heavier and larger loads than many traditional carton conveyors. Century offers several pallet conveyor approaches, including pallet drag chain, pallet gravity, chain-driven live roller, and Poly-V conveyor sections.

The appropriate technology depends on factors such as pallet weight, load characteristics, required throughput, and whether pallets need to be accumulated, staged, transported, or transferred between processes.

For high-output pallet operations, powered live roller systems can provide the ability to move multiple pallets through an operation. Other configurations can be used for staging or end-of-line accumulation.

This makes material handling adaptable to facilities that manage both individual packages and larger unit loads.

How do robots function as material handlers?

Robots can perform many of the transportation tasks traditionally associated with a human material handler or lift truck.

Century’s robotic fulfillment solutions include automated guided vehicles and autonomous mobile robots.

An AGV typically follows a defined navigation method, such as magnetic tape, QR codes, inductive wires, or laser-based systems. This makes AGVs well suited to applications involving predictable routes and transportation of pallets, cartons, or other loads.

AMRs take a more flexible approach. Rather than following a fixed track, they use sensors and onboard programming to navigate through a facility. This allows them to move totes, cartons, or carts through changing routes.

For goods-to-person operations, AMRs can retrieve inventory containers and bring them to packing or fulfillment personnel. This can reduce the amount of walking required from employees while maintaining flexibility as operational requirements change.

Is a material handler solution scalable?

Scalability is one of the most important considerations when investing in warehouse automation.

A system that works for today’s order volume may not be sufficient if a business expands, adds new product lines, opens additional sales channels, or experiences seasonal increases in demand.

Century’s robotic fulfillment approach emphasizes scalability, particularly because additional robotic units can potentially be implemented as requirements grow. This can provide a different path to expansion compared with systems that require extensive permanent infrastructure.

Conveyor systems can also be designed with future automation opportunities in mind. Additional technologies can potentially be incorporated into a conveyor line as operational requirements change.

The goal is not simply to automate today’s workload. A well-planned material-handling strategy should give a facility room to evolve.

What makes Century Conveyor Systems different from simply buying material-handling equipment?

Equipment is only one component of an effective material-handling solution.

The challenge is determining how different pieces of equipment should work together within the facility. Conveyor selection, product characteristics, controls, layout, throughput requirements, installation, maintenance, and future expansion can all influence the success of an automation project.

Century Conveyor Systems provides engineering and implementation capabilities that span multiple parts of the project. Its services include concepts and design, controls engineering, control panel design and fabrication, mechanical engineering, electrical and mechanical installation, project management, preventative maintenance, repairs, and modernization.

That broader approach can be particularly valuable when a business needs more than an individual conveyor or robot. Instead of viewing a material handler as a standalone piece of equipment, Century can approach material movement as part of the facility’s complete fulfillment architecture.

When should a company consider automating its material handling?

Automation may be worth considering when manual transportation is becoming a constraint on productivity, accuracy, capacity, or consistency.

Signs can include employees spending excessive time walking between work areas, increasing order volumes, repetitive transportation tasks, product damage caused by unnecessary handling, difficulty maintaining throughput during peak periods, or a need to improve the consistency of fulfillment operations.

Automation can also make sense when a facility needs to use its available space more effectively. Technologies such as spiral conveyors can move products between levels while occupying less floor space than some alternative configurations.

The right decision depends on the facility and its operational goals. A material-handling assessment should consider current processes as well as anticipated future requirements.

What should a company consider when selecting a material handler solution?

The most important consideration is that the solution should match the operation.

Companies should evaluate what products need to be moved, how much those products weigh, how frequently they need to move, where they need to go, how quickly they need to get there, and how much human interaction is appropriate.

Throughput is another critical consideration. A system designed for low-volume operations may not perform effectively in a high-output distribution environment.

Facility layout also matters. Available floor space, building height, existing equipment, workstations, loading areas, and traffic patterns can all affect the design.

Finally, companies should consider maintenance and future expansion. A material-handling system is a long-term investment, so reliability, serviceability, and the ability to adapt can be just as important as initial performance.

Can Century Conveyor Systems help modernize an existing material-handling operation?

Yes. Material-handling automation does not necessarily require building an entirely new facility.

Existing conveyor systems and other equipment can sometimes be upgraded, expanded, or integrated with newer technologies. Modernization can be particularly useful when an existing operation is functional but no longer provides the speed, flexibility, or control required by current business demands.

Century offers retrofit and modernization capabilities as part of its broader automation services.

This approach can allow a business to improve an existing material-handling infrastructure rather than treating every automation project as a complete replacement.

What is the main benefit of working with Century on material handling?

The central benefit is the ability to approach material movement as an integrated part of warehouse performance.

A material handler should do more than move an item from one location to another. The overall system should help products move through the facility efficiently, safely, consistently, and with as little unnecessary handling as practical.

Century Conveyor Systems combines conveyor technologies, robotic fulfillment solutions, engineering, controls, installation, service, and modernization to address those requirements.

For companies looking to improve order fulfillment, the material handler is therefore not just an employee, conveyor, or robot. It is part of a larger system designed to connect the different stages of warehouse operations.

How can a company get started with a Century Conveyor Systems material-handling project?

The first step is to evaluate the existing operation and identify where material movement creates bottlenecks, unnecessary manual work, delays, errors, or capacity limitations.

From there, a material-handling strategy can be developed around the facility’s specific products, processes, throughput requirements, available space, and future goals.

Century Conveyor Systems can engineer solutions involving conveyor systems, robotic order fulfillment, controls, and related automation technologies. The company also provides project management, installation, service, and modernization capabilities to support implementation beyond the initial system design.

Ultimately, the best material handler solution is one that fits the way a facility actually operates. By combining the appropriate transportation technology with thoughtful engineering and automation planning, businesses can create a more efficient path from receiving and processing through fulfillment and shipping.

Pallet Conveyor FAQ 101: Understanding Century Conveyor Systems’ Pallet Conveyor Solutions

pallet conveyor

When warehouses and distribution centers need to move heavy loads efficiently, a pallet conveyor can become a critical part of the material handling system. Pallets are fundamentally different from cartons, totes, polybags, and other smaller unit loads: they are heavier, larger, and often require equipment designed specifically for stable, controlled movement.

Century Conveyor Systems approaches pallet handling as part of a broader warehouse automation strategy. Rather than treating a pallet conveyor as an isolated piece of equipment, Century designs conveyor and material handling systems around the requirements of the facility, the products being moved, the desired throughput, and the level of automation required.

Below are some of the most important questions businesses should ask when evaluating a pallet conveyor from Century Conveyor Systems.

pallet conveyor

What is a pallet conveyor?

A pallet conveyor is a material handling conveyor specifically designed to transport pallets and other heavy or oversized loads through a warehouse, distribution center, manufacturing facility, or fulfillment operation.

Unlike conveyors designed primarily for cartons or small packages, pallet conveyor systems are built around the dimensions, weight, construction, and handling characteristics of palletized products. Depending on the application, the conveyor may use chains, rollers, gravity, or other mechanisms to move and position the load.

Century Conveyor Systems identifies several pallet conveyor configurations, including pallet drag chain, pallet gravity, chain-driven live roller, and Poly-V conveyor sections. The appropriate configuration depends on factors such as pallet weight, load characteristics, required throughput, accumulation requirements, and how the conveyor needs to interact with other equipment.

The important point is that “pallet conveyor” does not describe one universal machine. It is a category of material handling equipment that can be engineered in different ways to suit a particular operation.

Why would a warehouse need a pallet conveyor?

The primary reason to use a pallet conveyor is to create a reliable method for transporting palletized loads without depending entirely on manual movement or lift trucks.

In a busy distribution environment, pallets may need to travel between storage, picking, staging, production, packaging, shipping, or other operational areas. Moving every pallet manually can introduce additional labor requirements and create unnecessary traffic throughout the facility.

A properly engineered pallet conveyor can establish a predictable transportation path. It can also become one component of a larger automated material handling system.

Century describes warehouse conveyor systems as the backbone of automated operations because they can provide continuous movement for processing, sortation, and distribution. Pallet handling can therefore be integrated into the larger flow of a facility instead of functioning as a disconnected transportation task.

This distinction matters when evaluating automation. The objective isn’t simply to purchase a conveyor that moves a pallet from Point A to Point B. The objective is to create a material flow that supports the overall operational goals of the warehouse.

What types of pallet conveyor does Century Conveyor Systems offer?

Century’s pallet conveyor solutions include several configurations designed for different load-handling requirements.

Pallet drag chain conveyor

A pallet drag chain conveyor supports pallets and oversized loads on a platform connected to a chain. When the chain is activated, it moves the platform along the conveyor section.

This type of conveyor can be useful when a heavy load requires a robust method of transportation and the application calls for chain-driven movement.

Pallet gravity conveyor

Pallet gravity conveyor uses gravity rather than a powered drive to move palletized loads. This approach can be particularly useful in staging areas and end-of-line accumulation applications.

Because the conveyor does not rely on a powered motor for every movement, gravity sections can serve a different operational purpose from powered pallet transportation.

Chain-driven live roller conveyor

Chain-driven live roller conveyor is designed for high-output pallet operations. A drag chain drives the rollers, allowing multiple pallets to be transported through the system.

For facilities where pallet throughput is a major consideration, this type of conveyor can provide the powered movement necessary for higher-volume operations.

Poly-V conveyor

Poly-V is a powered live roller conveyor configuration designed for stable, slower-moving bulk products. Century identifies it as suitable for applications involving drums, lighter pallets, and oversized bulk loads.

The variety of configurations illustrates why pallet conveyor selection should begin with an analysis of the application rather than simply choosing a conveyor based on the word “pallet.”

How does Century determine which pallet conveyor is right for a facility?

The right pallet conveyor depends on the characteristics of the material handling application.

Load weight is one of the obvious considerations. A system handling heavy pallets may require a different conveyor configuration from one handling lighter loads.

However, weight is only one part of the decision. Engineers also need to consider how frequently pallets move, how quickly they need to move, whether pallets must accumulate, where they enter and leave the conveyor, and whether the conveyor needs to interface with other automation.

The physical characteristics of the palletized load matter as well. Pallet construction, load dimensions, stability, and the distribution of weight can all influence conveyor selection.

Facility layout is another important factor. A pallet conveyor may need to connect multiple operational zones, accommodate changes in elevation, interface with staging areas, or integrate with other conveyor sections and automation technologies.

Century’s broader approach is centered on system engineering rather than treating equipment as a standalone purchase. The company describes its role as a full-service integration process covering system design, validation, implementation, installation, startup support, and ongoing parts and service.

That approach is particularly important for pallet conveyor projects because the conveyor’s performance depends on how well it fits into the rest of the material handling system.

Can a pallet conveyor be part of a larger automated warehouse system?

Yes. A pallet conveyor can serve as one component within a much larger automated material handling environment.

Modern distribution facilities often combine multiple technologies rather than relying on one type of equipment. Conveyors can work alongside controls, sortation equipment, robotic systems, storage solutions, and warehouse software.

Century’s capabilities include conveyor systems, sortation conveyors, robotic fulfillment, robotic palletizing, controls and software, storage modules, and conveyor service and parts.

This creates opportunities to design pallet movement as part of an integrated workflow.

For example, a pallet may need to move from an inbound area to a storage or processing area, later travel toward an order fulfillment operation, and ultimately reach shipping. Different pieces of equipment may be responsible for different stages of that process.

The conveyor becomes the transportation infrastructure connecting those stages.

That system-level perspective can be especially valuable when a warehouse is looking beyond basic conveyor installation and toward broader automation.

Can pallet conveyors reduce manual material handling?

A pallet conveyor can reduce the amount of manual transportation required within an appropriate application, particularly when pallet movement occurs repeatedly along predictable routes.

Instead of requiring an employee or lift truck to perform every transportation task, conveyor equipment can automate movement between designated points.

Reducing manual transportation can have several potential operational benefits. It can free employees to focus on tasks that require human decision-making or interaction, reduce unnecessary travel within the facility, and create more consistent material flow.

However, the goal should not necessarily be to eliminate people from the process. Effective warehouse automation is about assigning the right tasks to the right combination of people and technology.

Century’s stated approach to automation focuses on increasing output and lowering labor costs through automation while engineering systems around the specific needs of the facility.

A pallet conveyor can therefore be viewed as a tool for improving the overall division of labor within a warehouse.

How does pallet conveyor equipment affect warehouse throughput?

Throughput is one of the most important reasons to consider a pallet conveyor.

When pallet transportation depends on manual processes, the movement of goods can be influenced by labor availability, travel distance, congestion, equipment availability, and competing priorities.

A conveyor establishes a defined transportation path and can move loads continuously or according to programmed controls.

For high-output pallet operations, Century specifically identifies chain-driven live roller conveyors as a suitable configuration because they can move multiple pallets using a drag chain to operate the rollers.

But higher throughput isn’t simply a matter of making a conveyor move faster. A system also needs appropriate accumulation, spacing, transfers, controls, and downstream capacity.

If one section of the warehouse can process 100 pallets per hour but another section can only handle 50, increasing the speed of the first conveyor won’t necessarily increase the facility’s actual output.

That’s why pallet conveyor design should be approached as a complete material flow problem.

Can a pallet conveyor help with staging and accumulation?

Yes. Pallet conveyors can be configured for applications where pallets need to wait, queue, or accumulate before proceeding to the next operational stage.

Pallet gravity conveyor, for example, can be used in staging areas and end-of-line accumulation applications.

Staging is often overlooked when businesses think about automation. Yet staging can have a major impact on how smoothly a facility operates.

A warehouse may need pallets to temporarily wait for a dock door, production process, shipping operation, picking activity, or downstream conveyor to become available. Without a structured staging strategy, these temporary queues can turn into congestion.

A pallet conveyor can provide a defined physical location for that accumulation and help make pallet flow more predictable.

The appropriate accumulation method depends on the load, available space, required throughput, and how pallets need to enter and leave the accumulation area.

How does a pallet conveyor fit into robotic fulfillment?

Pallet conveyor technology and robotic fulfillment can complement each other, although they address different parts of the material handling process.

Century identifies automated guided vehicles, or AGVs, and autonomous mobile robots, or AMRs, as robotic fulfillment technologies. AGVs can transport pallets, cartons, or non-conveyables along static routes and can be designed to interface with conveyor systems.

That interface is important.

A warehouse doesn’t necessarily have to choose between conveyors and mobile robots. In some applications, conveyors can provide predictable, high-volume transportation along fixed routes while robotic systems provide flexibility where changing routes or variable movement patterns are more valuable.

The resulting system can use each technology where it makes the most sense.

For facilities pursuing more advanced automation, pallet conveyors can therefore remain highly relevant even as robotics become a larger part of warehouse operations.

Is a pallet conveyor suitable for every pallet?

No. Pallet conveyor selection should be based on the actual pallets and loads being handled.

Century notes that different pallet conveyor solutions are available depending on the weight and type of pallet.

This is an important consideration because pallets aren’t necessarily uniform. A facility may handle different pallet materials, dimensions, weights, load configurations, or product types.

The conveyor must be compatible with those characteristics.

Businesses should also consider whether the pallet is loaded consistently or whether load distribution changes from one shipment to another. A pallet carrying a dense, concentrated load may behave differently from a pallet containing lightweight products distributed across its surface.

These details should be addressed during system design.

A conveyor that looks appropriate based only on a photograph or general description may not be appropriate once the actual operating conditions are considered.

What makes Century Conveyor Systems different from simply purchasing conveyor equipment?

Century positions itself as a full-service material handling systems integrator rather than simply an equipment supplier.

That distinction is significant for a pallet conveyor project.

A conveyor may be mechanically sound yet still fail to deliver the expected operational benefits if the layout, controls, interfaces, installation, or surrounding equipment are poorly coordinated.

Century’s services include concepts and design, controls engineering, control panel design and fabrication, mechanical engineering, mechanical installation, electrical installation, project management, project phasing, preventative maintenance, repair, and parts support.

The company also describes a process that extends from system design and validation through installation, startup support, and ongoing service.

For a warehouse investing in pallet conveyor automation, that means the conversation can encompass the entire material handling system rather than stopping at the conveyor itself.

What should a company consider before investing in a pallet conveyor?

A company should begin with the operational problem it wants to solve.

Important questions include:

  • How many pallets need to move during normal and peak periods?
  • What are the dimensions and weights of the pallets?
  • What types of pallets and loads will the system handle?
  • Where do pallets enter and leave the process?
  • Are pallets being transported, staged, accumulated, sorted, or all of the above?
  • How much manual transportation currently occurs?
  • Are lift trucks creating congestion or unnecessary travel?
  • What other automation already exists?
  • Will the facility’s volume increase in the future?
  • Does the conveyor need to integrate with robotic systems or warehouse controls?
  • What maintenance and service capabilities will be required after installation?

Answering these questions creates a much better starting point than asking only, “How much does a pallet conveyor cost?”

The right system is ultimately determined by the operational requirements.

Can a pallet conveyor be designed for future expansion?

Potentially, yes, provided future requirements are considered during the initial engineering process.

Warehouse automation is rarely static. Product volumes change, customer expectations evolve, facility layouts get modified, and companies often introduce new processes after the original system is installed.

Century emphasizes system solutions that can incorporate different conveyor technologies and automation options. Its robotic fulfillment offering also highlights scalability, noting that additional systems can be implemented later as needed.

Planning for expansion doesn’t necessarily mean installing unnecessary equipment on day one. It means understanding where growth is likely to occur and designing the system so future changes are practical.

For a pallet conveyor project, this might mean considering available space, conveyor routing, controls architecture, future throughput requirements, and potential interfaces with other equipment.

Early planning can help prevent an automation investment from becoming a limitation later.

How important is maintenance for a pallet conveyor?

Maintenance is essential for any material handling system that plays a critical role in daily operations.

A pallet conveyor can be exposed to significant mechanical demands because it is designed to handle heavy loads. Bearings, rollers, chains, drives, sensors, controls, and other components may all require inspection or service over the life of the system.

Century offers conveyor preventative maintenance, repair services, replacement parts, and equipment support. The company also describes its service department as having more than 40 years of conveyor experience.

Preventative maintenance is particularly valuable because the cost of an unexpected conveyor failure can extend beyond the repair itself. A failed conveyor may interrupt upstream and downstream processes, create labor inefficiencies, and delay shipments.

A maintenance strategy should therefore be considered part of the pallet conveyor investment rather than an afterthought.

Is a pallet conveyor a good choice for modern distribution centers?

For many distribution centers, pallet conveyor can be an important component of a broader material handling strategy.

Its value comes from more than simply moving a pallet. Properly designed pallet conveyor equipment can provide structured transportation, support accumulation and staging, connect operational areas, reduce repetitive manual movement, and interface with other automation.

Century Conveyor Systems’ approach is centered on engineering these technologies into complete warehouse and distribution solutions.

The key is selecting the right conveyor configuration for the actual application.

A pallet drag chain conveyor, pallet gravity conveyor, chain-driven live roller conveyor, and Poly-V conveyor each serve different purposes. The best solution depends on the characteristics of the load and the workflow surrounding it.

For companies considering automation, the most productive starting point is therefore not “Which pallet conveyor should we buy?” but “What should our pallet flow look like?”

Once that question is answered, the conveyor technology can be selected to support it.

Final FAQ: Why consider Century Conveyor Systems for a pallet conveyor project?

Century Conveyor Systems combines pallet conveyor capabilities with broader warehouse automation, engineering, installation, controls, robotics, service, and material handling expertise.

That can be valuable for companies whose pallet movement is only one piece of a larger operational challenge.

The company describes itself as a full-service integrator for warehouses, distribution centers, and fulfillment facilities, with capabilities spanning conveyor systems, robotic fulfillment, robotic palletizing, controls and software, storage systems, and service.

For a pallet conveyor project, this integrated approach can help businesses think beyond the conveyor itself and focus on the complete flow of material through the facility.

Ultimately, the best pallet conveyor is one that fits the load, the layout, the throughput requirements, the automation strategy, and the long-term goals of the operation. By evaluating those factors together, a warehouse can develop a pallet handling system designed not simply to move pallets, but to improve the way the entire facility moves goods.

Gravity Roller Conveyor FAQ 101: Understanding Century Conveyor Systems’ Solutions

gravity roller conveyor

A gravity roller conveyor can be a practical way to move cartons, packages, totes, and other products through a warehouse without relying on a motor to propel every item. For operations looking to improve material flow while keeping certain areas of a facility simple and efficient, gravity conveyor technology can serve an important role.

Century Conveyor Systems approaches conveyor equipment as part of a larger material handling strategy rather than as an isolated piece of machinery. Its gravity and live roller conveyor solutions can be incorporated into packing lines, divert areas, extendable applications, end-of-line operations, staging areas, and broader order fulfillment systems.

The following FAQ explains what a gravity roller conveyor is, where it can be useful, and why the way it is integrated into an overall warehouse system matters.

gravity roller conveyor

What is a gravity roller conveyor?

A gravity roller conveyor is a roller-based material handling system that moves products without using a motor to drive the rollers.

Instead of relying on powered transportation, products move along the conveyor through gravity, generally with the conveyor positioned to provide the appropriate flow, or through manual interaction from warehouse personnel. The rollers create a surface that allows cartons, packages, totes, and other suitable products to travel from one point to another.

The major distinction between a gravity roller conveyor and a powered live roller conveyor is therefore the source of movement. Live roller conveyors use powered rollers, while gravity conveyors do not require a motor to propel products.

This relatively straightforward operating principle makes gravity conveyors useful in areas where continuous powered transportation is unnecessary. Rather than installing powered equipment everywhere in a facility, warehouse operators can use gravity where it makes operational sense and reserve powered automation for areas where controlled transportation, higher throughput, or more complex product movement is required.

Why would a warehouse choose a gravity roller conveyor instead of a powered conveyor?

The biggest reason is that not every product movement task requires powered transportation.

A warehouse may have areas where products only need to travel a relatively straightforward path between workstations, packing areas, staging locations, or shipping operations. In those situations, a gravity roller conveyor can provide a practical method of moving products without adding a motorized conveyor section.

That distinction can also make gravity equipment particularly useful in operations where employees interact directly with the product. Century Conveyor Systems identifies gravity and live roller conveyors as solutions commonly used in packing lines, divert lines, extendable applications, and end-of-line operations. These are environments where product handling may involve a combination of conveyor movement and manual induction, packing, loading, or staging.

The value is therefore not simply that a gravity roller conveyor does not use a motor. Its value comes from matching the technology to the job.

A well-designed warehouse does not necessarily need the same conveyor technology throughout the entire building. One section may require powered movement, another may require accumulation, and another may benefit from gravity. Using the appropriate technology at each point can create a more balanced material handling system.

Where can Century Conveyor Systems’ gravity roller conveyor solutions be used?

Gravity roller conveyors can be particularly useful in sections of a facility where products need to move between operational steps without requiring fully powered transportation.

For example, Century identifies several applications where gravity and live roller conveyors can be used, including packing lines, divert lines, extendable conveyor applications, and end-of-line operations.

Packing areas are one example. Products can arrive at a packing workstation and move along a conveyor as employees complete their work. A gravity section can provide a straightforward way to move products through an area where manual interaction remains an important part of the process.

End-of-line operations are another potential application. Products that have completed processing may need to move into staging or shipping areas. Gravity conveyor equipment can provide a simple material flow path where the requirements do not justify powered transportation throughout the entire section.

Gravity conveyor technology can also be used alongside other conveyor types. This is important because a modern fulfillment facility may have multiple material handling requirements within a single workflow. Rather than treating every conveyor section identically, an integrator can determine which technology makes sense for each part of the operation.

How does a gravity roller conveyor fit into an order fulfillment system?

A gravity roller conveyor can function as one component of a much larger order fulfillment system.

Order fulfillment involves numerous stages, including receiving, storage, picking, transportation, packing, labeling, sortation, and shipping. Products may need to move between each of these processes, but the transportation requirements are not necessarily identical at every stage.

Century Conveyor Systems describes conveyors as the backbone of automated warehouse operations and emphasizes engineering the conveyor layout around the functions performed in a particular facility. That means a gravity roller conveyor does not have to compete with powered conveyor equipment. The two can work together.

For example, powered conveyors can provide transportation where products need consistent automated movement, while gravity sections can be incorporated into packing, staging, or end-of-line areas where manual interaction is expected.

This approach can help prevent a common material handling mistake: selecting equipment based solely on the individual conveyor rather than considering how it interacts with everything around it.

A gravity roller conveyor may be highly effective in one part of a facility and inappropriate in another. The objective is to build a system in which each section supports the overall flow of products.

What products can move on a gravity roller conveyor?

The appropriate product depends on the conveyor’s design and the characteristics of the items being handled.

Gravity roller conveyors are generally associated with products that can travel across a roller surface effectively, including cartons, packages, totes, and other packaged goods. The item’s dimensions, weight, shape, bottom surface, and handling requirements all influence whether gravity rollers are an appropriate choice.

This is why product information should be considered before selecting a conveyor.

A rigid, stable carton may move effectively across rollers, while an irregularly shaped or unusually flexible product may require a different conveying surface. Similarly, products that require very precise spacing or controlled movement may be better suited to powered or specialized conveyor technologies.

Century’s broader material handling capabilities include belted conveyors, modular belt conveyors, pallet conveyors, conveyor diverts, accumulation systems, and other technologies. Having multiple options is important because the right conveyor depends on the characteristics of the product as well as the process in which it will be used.

Is a gravity roller conveyor suitable for every warehouse?

No. A gravity roller conveyor is best viewed as one option within a larger material handling toolbox.

Gravity technology can be an excellent fit when products can move effectively through the conveyor section and when the operational process does not require constant powered propulsion. However, facilities with high-throughput transportation requirements, specialized product handling needs, complex accumulation requirements, or processes requiring highly controlled movement may need other technologies.

For example, a powered conveyor may be preferable when products need to move automatically across a facility regardless of elevation or when consistent powered transportation is required.

Similarly, belt conveyors can provide advantages for certain small, irregular, or lightweight packages because the belt creates a more continuous conveying surface. Accumulation conveyors can be appropriate when products need to queue while maintaining separation or controlling product contact.

The key question is therefore not whether a gravity roller conveyor is “better” than another conveyor. The better question is whether it is the correct technology for a particular section of the workflow.

What makes Century Conveyor Systems’ approach to gravity conveyors different?

One of the most important distinctions is Century Conveyor Systems’ systems-level approach.

Century describes itself as a full-service material handling automation integrator. Its work extends beyond supplying individual conveyor sections to include system design, engineering, validation, installation, startup support, and ongoing service.

That matters because a conveyor’s performance depends heavily on its surroundings.

The layout of a warehouse affects product flow. Workstations affect how employees interact with products. Sortation equipment determines where products go next. Storage systems influence where inventory originates. Controls and automation influence how the entire operation is coordinated.

A gravity roller conveyor that appears appropriate when considered by itself may not be the best choice if it creates a bottleneck somewhere else in the process.

Century’s approach is to consider the warehouse as an interconnected system. Gravity conveyor technology can therefore be evaluated alongside powered conveyors, sortation equipment, robotics, pallet handling, controls, storage systems, and other solutions.

For customers, this means the goal is not simply to install a gravity conveyor. The goal is to determine where gravity conveyor technology can contribute to a more efficient material handling operation.

Can a gravity roller conveyor be combined with other automation?

Yes. In fact, combining different technologies can be one of the most effective ways to design a warehouse material handling system.

A facility may use gravity conveyor sections in areas where products are manually packed or staged while using powered conveyors to transport products across longer distances. Diverts can direct cartons toward different destinations, while accumulation equipment can manage product spacing and flow. Robotics, controls, and other automation technologies can be incorporated where they provide additional value.

Century Conveyor Systems offers a broader portfolio that includes conveyor systems, robotic order fulfillment, conveyor diverts, zero- and minimum-pressure accumulation, pallet conveyors, controls, and other material handling technologies.

This makes it possible to view the gravity roller conveyor as one component of a larger architecture.

That flexibility can be especially valuable as warehouses grow. An operation may begin with relatively straightforward material movement and later require additional automation because order volume, SKU variety, labor requirements, or customer expectations change. Designing the original system with future requirements in mind can help avoid creating an inflexible material flow process.

What should a company consider before selecting a gravity roller conveyor?

The most important consideration is the entire material flow—not just the conveyor itself.

Before selecting a gravity roller conveyor, a company should consider what products will be moved, where they need to travel, how much product must move through the area, how employees will interact with the products, how much floor space is available, and what other conveyor or automation equipment will connect to the system.

It is also important to consider future requirements.

A conveyor system designed exclusively around today’s volume may become a constraint if order volume increases substantially. Likewise, a system that works well for one product mix may need modification if a business introduces new package sizes, heavier products, or additional fulfillment processes.

Century’s approach emphasizes designing and integrating systems around operational goals rather than simply installing standardized equipment. That makes the planning stage particularly important.

The best gravity roller conveyor installation is not necessarily the largest or most technologically advanced option. It is the one that performs the required task efficiently while fitting naturally into the larger material handling process.

Why consider Century Conveyor Systems for a gravity roller conveyor project?

A gravity roller conveyor can be a relatively simple piece of material handling equipment, but determining where and how it should be used can require a broader understanding of warehouse operations.

Century Conveyor Systems brings gravity conveyor technology into a larger automation and material handling strategy. The company works with shipping warehouses, distribution centers, and fulfillment facilities and provides engineering, system integration, installation, startup support, and service.

That systems-oriented approach can be valuable for companies that are not simply looking for an individual conveyor section but are trying to improve how products move throughout an entire facility.

The right solution may ultimately include gravity roller conveyor sections, powered conveyors, sortation, accumulation, robotics, pallet handling, controls, or other technologies. The important consideration is how those technologies work together to support throughput, reduce unnecessary manual handling, improve product flow, and accommodate future operational needs.

What is the main takeaway about Century Conveyor Systems’ gravity roller conveyor?

The main takeaway is that a gravity roller conveyor can be a highly practical component of a warehouse or fulfillment operation when it is applied to the right material flow challenge.

Its motor-free design makes it particularly relevant for applications where products can move through a conveyor section using gravity or manual interaction. Century Conveyor Systems identifies packing lines, divert lines, extendable applications, and end-of-line operations among the areas where gravity and live roller conveyors can be useful.

However, the real advantage comes from putting the technology into the right place.

Century approaches conveyor projects as complete material handling systems rather than isolated equipment purchases. By evaluating gravity conveyors alongside powered conveyors, sortation, accumulation, robotics, pallet handling, controls, and other technologies, a facility can develop a material flow strategy that is better aligned with its products, processes, throughput requirements, and long-term goals.

For a warehouse considering a gravity roller conveyor, the best starting point is therefore a simple question: Where can gravity improve product flow without adding unnecessary complexity?

Once that question is answered, the gravity roller conveyor can be evaluated as part of a larger system designed to make the entire operation more efficient.

Gravity Conveyor FAQ 101: Everything You Need to Know About Century Conveyor Systems’ Gravity Conveyor Solutions

gravity conveyor

When warehouses and distribution centers need to move cartons, packages, totes, or other products efficiently, a gravity conveyor can be a practical and cost-conscious component of a larger material handling system. Unlike powered conveyor equipment, a gravity conveyor does not rely on a motor to move products. Instead, gravity and the design of the conveyor allow products to travel along the conveyor path.

Century Conveyor Systems works with warehouses, distribution centers, shipping operations, and fulfillment facilities to engineer conveyor and material handling solutions around the specific needs of each operation. Its conveyor offerings include gravity conveyors as well as powered conveyors, sortation equipment, robotic fulfillment systems, controls, and other automation technologies.

Below are answers to some of the most common questions businesses may have when considering a gravity conveyor from Century Conveyor Systems.

gravity conveyor

What is a gravity conveyor?

A gravity conveyor is a type of roller conveyor that moves products without a powered motor driving the conveyor rollers. Instead, products travel along the conveyor through gravity, generally with the conveyor positioned at an appropriate incline, or through manual movement by an operator.

Century Conveyor Systems describes gravity conveyors as using cylindrical rollers to help propel cartons and products forward. Unlike live roller conveyors, which use a motor to power the rollers, gravity conveyors operate without a motor.

This difference is important because it makes a gravity conveyor fundamentally different from many automated conveyor systems. Rather than continuously driving products through a facility, gravity conveyors are particularly useful in applications where controlled, relatively slower product movement is appropriate.

For example, a gravity conveyor can be incorporated into packing lines, divert lines, extendable conveyor applications, and end-of-line operations. These environments often benefit from equipment that can interface naturally with employees who are manually placing, removing, inspecting, packing, or redirecting products.

The simplicity of a gravity conveyor also makes it useful as one component within a larger material handling strategy. A facility does not necessarily have to choose between gravity and automation throughout the entire operation. Instead, gravity sections can be integrated with powered conveyor, sortation, robotic, and other technologies where each solution makes the most operational sense.

Why would a warehouse choose a G conveyor instead of a powered conveyor?

The biggest reason to consider a gravity conveyor is that not every material movement task requires powered transportation.

A powered conveyor is valuable when products need to be moved automatically over a defined path, particularly when consistent throughput, controlled movement, accumulation, or integration with automated controls is required. A gravity conveyor, on the other hand, can be appropriate when slower movement and direct interaction with workers are more important.

This makes gravity conveyor equipment particularly relevant to packing and end-of-line areas. Employees can interact with products as they move through the line rather than relying entirely on automated equipment to perform every movement.

A gravity conveyor can also complement a facility’s existing automation. For example, a warehouse might use powered conveyor equipment to transport cartons through the primary processing areas and then transition to gravity sections near a packing or shipping workstation. The gravity section can provide a convenient area for workers to receive, handle, inspect, or redirect products.

The important consideration is not whether gravity conveyor technology is universally better than powered conveyor technology. It is whether gravity is appropriate for a particular section of the workflow.

Century Conveyor Systems approaches conveyor projects as engineered systems rather than simply selecting one conveyor type for an entire facility. Its broader conveyor capabilities include belt and roller conveyors, pallet handling conveyors, sortation systems, robotic fulfillment, controls, and other material handling solutions. That allows gravity conveyor sections to be considered as part of the overall warehouse process.

Where are G conveyors commonly used?

Gravity conveyors are particularly useful in applications where products need to move at a controlled pace and where employees need to interact with those products.

Century identifies several applications where gravity conveyors can be useful, including packing lines, divert lines, extendable conveyors, and end-of-line operations.

Packing lines are a natural application because workers frequently need to receive cartons or products, perform a task, and then send the product onward. A gravity conveyor can provide a straightforward transportation surface between workstations without requiring a motorized drive for every section.

End-of-line operations are another important use. Products may need to be accumulated, staged, inspected, packed, or prepared for shipping after passing through other areas of the warehouse. A gravity conveyor can help connect these activities while maintaining a relatively simple material flow.

Gravity conveyor sections can also be used in divert applications where products need to be redirected to another path. Depending on the system design, additional conveyor components can be used to help route cartons toward their intended destinations.

Extendable conveyor applications are another consideration. Gravity-powered extendable equipment can provide flexibility when products need to be moved into or out of trailers or other temporary loading areas. Because the conveyor can be extended and contracted, it can adapt to changing loading and unloading requirements.

The correct application ultimately depends on the products being conveyed, their dimensions and weight, the desired flow rate, the available space, and how employees interact with the system.

Can a G conveyor be part of an automated warehouse?

Yes. A gravity conveyor does not have to mean that an entire material handling operation is manual.

Modern warehouses frequently combine different conveyor and automation technologies. The goal is to select the right technology for each stage of the process.

For example, a facility could use powered conveyors for high-throughput transportation, automated sortation for directing cartons, robotic systems for moving goods between areas, and gravity conveyor sections at packing or end-of-line workstations.

This approach can be especially useful when some processes benefit from automation while others require human judgment or direct product handling.

Century Conveyor Systems offers a broader range of automation capabilities alongside gravity and other conveyor types. Its solutions include robotic fulfillment using automated guided vehicles (AGVs) and autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), as well as controls and software capabilities involving programmable logic controllers, warehouse management systems, and warehouse control systems.

That broader capability matters when designing a material handling system because the best solution may involve several technologies working together.

Rather than asking whether a gravity conveyor is “automated enough,” warehouse operators should ask what function a particular section of the material handling system needs to perform. If a section primarily requires straightforward product movement and employee interaction, gravity may be appropriate. If it requires high-speed transportation, automatic accumulation, complex routing, or system-controlled movement, powered or automated equipment may be more suitable.

What products can move on a G conveyor?

Gravity conveyors can be used for a variety of cartons and products, but the appropriate conveyor configuration depends heavily on the physical characteristics of the items.

Product weight, dimensions, bottom surface, shape, packaging, and overall stability all affect how a product will behave on a gravity conveyor. A package that moves smoothly along rollers may behave differently from a small, lightweight, irregularly shaped, or flexible package.

That is one reason conveyor selection should be based on the actual application rather than simply choosing equipment based on a general product category.

Century notes that different conveyor types are designed for different materials and goods. Its broader conveyor portfolio includes roller conveyors, belt conveyors, modular belt conveyors, pallet conveyors, spiral conveyors, divert equipment, accumulation systems, and other specialized solutions.

For applications involving small polybags, irregular carton sizes, or products requiring additional stability, for example, a belted conveyor may provide advantages that a traditional gravity conveyor cannot. Similarly, palletized or unusually heavy loads may require a conveyor configuration specifically designed for pallet handling.

The right question is therefore not simply, “Can a gravity conveyor move my product?” It is, “Can a gravity conveyor move my product safely, consistently, and efficiently within my particular process?”

A conveyor systems integrator can evaluate those factors as part of the overall system design.

How does Century Conveyor Systems approach gravity conveyor projects?

Century Conveyor Systems positions itself as a full-service material handling automation integrator. Rather than focusing only on supplying individual conveyor components, the company provides services spanning system design, engineering, installation, startup support, and ongoing service.

That approach can be particularly valuable when gravity conveyor equipment is only one part of a larger warehouse project.

A material handling system needs to work as a connected process. Conveyor layout, product flow, employee workstations, automation, controls, sortation, storage, and shipping operations can all influence one another. A gravity conveyor that works well in isolation may not be the best solution if it creates a bottleneck elsewhere in the operation.

Century’s engineering approach considers the warehouse as a complete system. The company states that its engineers design, validate, and implement turnkey material handling systems for shipping warehouses, distribution centers, and fulfillment facilities.

The company also provides conveyor maintenance, repair, and parts services. Its service capabilities are relevant to facilities that want ongoing support after a conveyor system has been installed, particularly because conveyor performance can affect the productivity of an entire operation.

This full-system perspective is one of the most important considerations when evaluating a gravity conveyor solution. The objective should not simply be to install a conveyor. The objective should be to create a material flow system that supports the facility’s operational goals.

Is a gravity conveyor right for my facility?

A gravity conveyor can be a strong choice when an application calls for straightforward product movement, slower controlled flow, manual interaction, or an economical conveyor section that does not require motorized transportation.

It may be particularly worth considering for packing areas, end-of-line operations, divert lines, staging areas, and certain extendable conveyor applications.

However, gravity is not automatically the right answer for every conveyor application. High-throughput transportation, precise product control, complex accumulation, steep inclines or declines, specialized product handling, and highly automated processes may require other conveyor technologies.

The best solution depends on the entire workflow.

Century Conveyor Systems can evaluate the role a gravity conveyor should play within a larger material handling system and determine where other technologies may provide a better fit. Its broader capabilities include powered conveyor systems, sortation, robotic fulfillment, pallet handling, controls and software, storage systems, and conveyor service.

For warehouse operators, this means the decision does not have to be framed as a choice between a gravity conveyor and a fully automated system. A well-engineered facility can use gravity where it makes sense and automation where automation delivers the greatest operational benefit.

What should I consider before choosing a gravity conveyor?

Before selecting a gravity conveyor, consider the products being moved, the desired throughput, conveyor length, available floor space, elevation, loading and unloading points, employee interaction, and how the conveyor will connect with other equipment.

It is also important to consider what the operation may look like in the future. A conveyor system designed only for today’s volume may become a constraint as order volume, product variety, or automation requirements increase.

Century Conveyor Systems emphasizes designing solutions around warehouse output, efficiency, and the reduction of manual interactions where automation can provide value. Its conveyor systems can also incorporate additional solutions as operational requirements evolve.

A gravity conveyor may therefore be most valuable when it is treated as part of a larger system design rather than as a standalone piece of equipment.

For companies evaluating a new warehouse, distribution center, fulfillment operation, or conveyor upgrade, the starting point should be the material flow itself: What needs to move, where does it need to go, how quickly does it need to get there, and where do people or automated systems need to interact with it?

Once those questions are answered, a gravity conveyor can be evaluated alongside powered conveyors, sortation, robotics, accumulation, and other material handling technologies to determine the most appropriate configuration.

Final Thoughts on Gravity Conveyor Solutions

A gravity conveyor offers a straightforward way to move products without relying on motorized conveyor drives. Its ability to work well with manual induction and slower-speed applications makes it especially useful in areas such as packing, diverting, extending, staging, and end-of-line operations.

The greatest value, however, comes from placing gravity conveyor equipment in the right part of the overall material handling process.

Century Conveyor Systems provides gravity and live roller conveyor solutions alongside a much broader range of conveyor, automation, robotics, controls, and service capabilities. That allows businesses to consider gravity conveyor technology as one component of a complete warehouse strategy.

For facilities looking to improve material flow, the right question is not simply whether they need a gravity conveyor. It is where gravity conveyor technology can provide the most practical, reliable, and efficient movement within the operation—and how it can work alongside the rest of the facility’s material handling system.

Roller Conveyor FAQ 101: Understanding Century Conveyor Systems’ Roller Conveyor Solutions

roller conveyor

When warehouses, distribution centers, and fulfillment operations need to move cartons, packages, pallets, or other products efficiently, a roller conveyor can provide a practical foundation for material handling automation. Century Conveyor Systems designs and integrates conveyor solutions around the specific needs of a facility, combining roller conveyor technology with other equipment, controls, and automation where appropriate.

Below are some of the most important questions to ask when evaluating a roller conveyor for an order fulfillment or distribution operation.

roller conveyor

What is a roller conveyor?

A roller conveyor is a material handling system that uses cylindrical rollers to move products along a defined path. Depending on the application, the rollers can be powered or unpowered.

Century Conveyor Systems describes two major roller-based approaches for order fulfillment: live roller conveyors and gravity conveyors. Live roller sections use a motor to power the rollers, while gravity conveyors rely on gravity rather than a motor to move products.

This distinction is important because the right conveyor depends on what is being moved, how quickly it needs to move, how much control operators need over the product, and where the conveyor sits within the overall fulfillment process.

Rather than treating a roller conveyor as a standalone piece of equipment, Century approaches conveyor systems as part of a larger warehouse automation strategy. A conveyor line can incorporate different sections and technologies based on the function each area needs to perform.

Why would a warehouse choose a roller conveyor?

One of the biggest advantages of a roller conveyor is its versatility. Roller-based equipment can be used to transport products through different stages of a warehouse or fulfillment operation without requiring employees to manually carry products from one workstation to another.

Century notes that warehouse conveyor systems serve as the backbone of automated operations by continuously moving cartons or pallets through processing, sortation, and distribution. A properly engineered system can therefore reduce unnecessary manual transportation while helping an operation maintain a consistent flow of material.

Roller conveyors can be especially useful in applications where products need to travel between packing, diverting, accumulation, or end-of-line areas. They can also interface effectively with manual workstations, making them useful in facilities that combine automated transportation with human-operated processes.

The important consideration is not simply whether a facility needs a conveyor. It is how the conveyor should interact with the rest of the operation.

What is the difference between a live roller conveyor and a gravity roller conveyor?

The primary difference is how the rollers move the product.

A live roller conveyor uses powered rollers. A motor provides the force necessary to move cartons or other products along the conveyor. This makes live roller systems appropriate when an operation needs controlled, powered transportation.

A gravity roller conveyor, on the other hand, does not use a motor to propel products. Instead, products move through the conveyor using gravity, generally along an appropriately designed incline or through manual pushing.

These two approaches can serve different purposes within the same facility. A powered roller section may be useful where products must be transported automatically from one process to another, while a gravity section can be appropriate for staging or manual handling.

Century specifically identifies live roller and gravity conveyors as solutions commonly used in packing lines, divert lines, extendable applications, and end-of-line operations. Their relatively slower operating characteristics and ability to interface with manual induction make them particularly useful in these environments.

Where are Century’s roller conveyors commonly used?

Roller conveyors can be integrated into several points of an order fulfillment operation.

Century identifies packing lines, divert lines, extendable conveyors, and end-of-line operations as common applications for live roller and gravity conveyor technology.

A packing line, for example, may require a dependable way to move cartons between manual packing activities and subsequent processes. A divert line may need to move products toward different destinations. At the end of the operation, conveyors can help organize products as they approach shipping or loading.

This flexibility is one reason conveyor design should be based on the workflow of the entire facility rather than on a single equipment specification.

Century’s order fulfillment approach focuses on optimizing each touchpoint in the operation, with an emphasis on increasing output, reducing errors and product damage, and processing items with fewer manual interactions. A roller conveyor can therefore be one component of a broader system engineered around those objectives.

Can a roller conveyor be part of an automated order fulfillment system?

Yes. A roller conveyor does not have to operate independently.

In a modern fulfillment facility, conveyors can work alongside sortation equipment, controls, warehouse software, robotic systems, and other material handling technologies. Century provides conveyor and order fulfillment systems designed to connect these different elements into a coordinated operation.

For example, a facility might use roller conveyor sections to transport cartons from a manual packing area toward a divert or sortation process. Other conveyor technologies could then be used where different product characteristics or operational requirements call for them.

Century also offers programmable logic controls, warehouse management system and warehouse control system capabilities, as well as robotic fulfillment solutions. This means a roller conveyor can be considered as part of the facility’s automation architecture rather than simply as a transportation device.

That distinction becomes increasingly important as fulfillment volumes grow. The conveyor itself moves the product, but controls and system integration help determine when, where, and how that product should move.

How does Century determine which roller conveyor solution a facility needs?

The appropriate roller conveyor configuration depends on the products being handled and the role the conveyor needs to play.

Important considerations can include product dimensions, product weight, packaging type, required throughput, accumulation requirements, manual interaction, available floor space, and the relationship between the conveyor and other equipment.

Century emphasizes engineered layouts in which different conveyor sections are selected according to function. In other words, a warehouse may not need one conveyor type throughout the entire facility. One area may benefit from live roller technology, while another may require belted conveying, modular belting, pallet conveying, divert equipment, or a different solution altogether.

This approach helps prevent the common mistake of selecting equipment first and attempting to adapt the warehouse process around it.

Instead, the process can be evaluated first, followed by the engineering and integration necessary to support it.

Is a roller conveyor suitable for fragile products?

It can be, but the specific conveyor configuration matters.

Century offers several conveyor approaches for different product-handling requirements. For applications where products need additional separation to prevent contact and potential damage, the company describes zero-pressure and minimum-pressure accumulation systems.

Zero-pressure accumulation is designed so products do not touch each other, while minimum-pressure accumulation allows products to slow down and make light contact.

This illustrates an important point about roller conveyor selection: simply moving products from one location to another is not always enough. In a fulfillment environment, the system may also need to control spacing, accumulation, acceleration, and product interaction.

For fragile or damage-sensitive goods, those characteristics can be just as important as basic transportation.

How does a roller conveyor compare with a belt conveyor?

Neither technology is universally better. The better choice depends on the application.

Roller conveyors can be particularly useful when handling cartons and products in packing, divert, end-of-line, and similar applications. Belted conveyors, meanwhile, can provide a more stable conveying surface for certain products.

Century points out that belt-over conveyors can offer advantages for small polybags, parcels, and irregular carton sizes because the belt provides greater conveyance stability. Belt conveyors can also be advantageous for inclines, declines, and gapping applications.

That means a facility may benefit from using both technologies.

A well-designed material handling system does not necessarily try to standardize every conveyor section. Instead, it assigns the appropriate technology to each task. Roller conveyor technology may handle one portion of the product journey, while belted or modular belt conveyor technology handles another.

Can roller conveyors handle pallets?

Yes. Century offers multiple pallet conveyor solutions, including pallet gravity, chain-driven live roller, and Poly-V conveyor sections.

Pallet handling has different requirements from carton handling because pallets can be considerably heavier and may require greater stability and durability. Century identifies chain-driven live roller conveyors as an option for high-output pallet operations, where multiple pallets need to be moved using a drag chain to operate the rollers.

Poly-V powered live roller conveyors are also described as solutions for stable, slow-moving bulk items, including drums, lighter pallets, and oversized bulk loads.

Consequently, the phrase “roller conveyor” can encompass substantially different equipment depending on the load being transported. A conveyor designed for lightweight cartons should not automatically be assumed to be appropriate for heavy pallet handling.

Can roller conveyors improve warehouse productivity?

A properly engineered conveyor system can help improve productivity by reducing unnecessary manual transportation and establishing a consistent flow of goods.

Century states that its order fulfillment solutions are designed to increase output, reduce errors that can lead to returns or item breakage, and process products faster with fewer manual interactions.

The productivity benefit comes from more than simply increasing conveyor speed. A high-performing system must coordinate movement between different processes. If products move quickly through one area but accumulate at the next workstation, for example, the overall operation may not become more productive.

That is why conveyor layout, accumulation, diverting, controls, workstation design, and downstream processes all matter.

The goal is to create a balanced material flow rather than simply install the fastest possible conveyor.

How long can a roller conveyor system last?

Longevity depends on equipment selection, operating conditions, maintenance, usage, and the quality of the overall installation.

Century states that a well-maintained warehouse conveyor system can last more than 20 years. Preventative maintenance is therefore an important part of protecting the investment in conveyor equipment.

Century also provides conveyor repair, replacement parts, and preventative maintenance services. Its service department supports conveyor systems and can provide replacement conveyor parts and equipment.

For a facility that depends on conveyors every day, maintenance should be viewed as part of the system’s lifecycle rather than an afterthought. Regular attention can help identify wear before it develops into a larger operational problem.

What makes Century Conveyor Systems different when selecting a roller conveyor?

Century’s role extends beyond supplying individual conveyor equipment. The company positions itself as a full-service material handling systems integrator, handling activities ranging from system design and validation through installation, startup support, and ongoing parts and service.

That integrated approach can be particularly valuable when a roller conveyor is only one component of a much larger automation project.

A warehouse may need conveyors, sortation, controls, robotics, pallet handling, storage systems, or other technologies to work together. Designing those components as an interconnected system can help ensure that one piece does not become a bottleneck for another.

Century’s capabilities include concepts and design, mechanical engineering, controls engineering, mechanical and electrical installation, project management, conveyor preventative maintenance, repair, and parts.

For organizations planning a new fulfillment operation or modernizing an existing facility, this broader expertise can simplify the process of moving from an initial conveyor concept to a functioning material handling system.

Is a roller conveyor a good investment for a growing fulfillment operation?

It can be, particularly when the system is designed with future requirements in mind.

Warehouse automation does not necessarily have to be installed as one enormous project. A facility can evaluate its current bottlenecks, identify where automation can provide the greatest return, and develop a system that supports future growth.

Century describes conveyor systems as durable solutions that can accommodate additional automation and notes that different conveyor technologies can be combined according to operational needs.

This scalability matters because fulfillment requirements can change. Order volume can increase, product dimensions can change, new shipping requirements can emerge, and labor availability can fluctuate.

A roller conveyor system designed with those possibilities in mind can provide a foundation for future modifications instead of becoming a limitation.

What should a company consider before contacting Century about a roller conveyor?

The most useful starting point is a clear understanding of the operation the conveyor needs to support.

Companies should consider what products need to move, where those products currently create bottlenecks, how much material must be transported, where employees interact with the process, and what the desired future throughput looks like.

It is also helpful to identify whether the project involves cartons, polybags, totes, pallets, drums, or oversized loads, since product characteristics influence conveyor selection.

From there, an automation integrator can evaluate the workflow and determine whether roller conveyor technology is appropriate—and where other conveyor or automation technologies should be incorporated.

For Century Conveyor Systems, the objective is not simply to install a roller conveyor. The larger goal is to engineer an efficient material handling system that supports the facility’s fulfillment requirements from receiving an order through processing, packing, sorting, and shipping.

What is the main takeaway about Century Conveyor Systems’ roller conveyor solutions?

The biggest takeaway is that a roller conveyor should be evaluated as part of an entire material handling strategy, not as an isolated piece of equipment.

Century Conveyor Systems uses live roller and gravity conveyor technology for applications including packing, diverting, extendable conveyor operations, and end-of-line processes. At the same time, its broader fulfillment capabilities allow roller conveyors to be combined with belted conveyors, modular belts, pallet conveyors, sortation equipment, controls, robotics, and other technologies.

That systems-level approach can help warehouses address the challenges that matter most: moving products efficiently, reducing unnecessary manual handling, controlling product flow, supporting throughput, minimizing errors and damage, and preparing the operation for future growth.

For companies evaluating a roller conveyor project, the right question is therefore not simply, “Which conveyor should we buy?” A better question is, “What material handling system will allow our entire operation to perform better?”

That is where an experienced conveyor systems integrator can add value—by connecting equipment selection to the actual workflow, performance goals, and long-term requirements of the facility.

The Audit Nobody Scheduled: What a 30-Year-Old Conveyor System Audit Taught Us About Deferred Maintenance

A lot of warehouse conveyor systems share the same biography. Installed when the business was booming. Expanded once, maybe twice. Then the maintenance budget got trimmed, the tech who knew the system best retired, and the equipment kept running — because it had to.

The problem isn’t that aging systems fail. It’s that nobody knows exactly how close they are to failing until something forces the question.

For one of our customers, a mid-size apparel manufacturer, that something was a facility-wide power outage. This is the story of what a formal conveyor system audit found, what a controls takeover is fixing, and how to know if your operation is quietly carrying the same risk.

conveyor system audit

The Setup: 30 Years of Equipment, Zero Audits

The customer’s conveyor system was installed in the early 1990s. The last significant expansion wrapped in 2006. In the two decades since, preventive maintenance was gradually scaled back until a single on-site technician was managing the entire system — largely on instinct, memory, and routine.

That’s not unusual. In our experience, it’s closer to the norm than the exception for legacy material handling systems. Three patterns show up over and over:

Legacy equipment with no documented baseline. Original manufacturers change ownership. Panel components go obsolete. Replacement parts get harder to source — quietly, and then suddenly. When the veteran tech retires, the institutional knowledge walks out the door with him.

Reactive maintenance disguised as a maintenance plan. When it breaks, you fix it. When it doesn’t, you move on. This works until it doesn’t — and the moment it doesn’t is almost always during the worst possible week of the year.

No visibility when something goes wrong. A blocked photo eye, a failing sensor, an intermittent fault. Without modern controls, diagnosing any of these means waiting for a technician to drive out, assess, and report back. That’s a lot of downtime for a solvable problem.

Then the power went out. The system — aging, under-maintained, running on 1990s-era panel infrastructure — didn’t handle the disruption gracefully. What should have been a routine recovery exposed how fragile the operation had become. Our team made multiple site visits and brought in our service group for a formal system audit: the first comprehensive assessment the facility had ever had.

What a Conveyor System Audit Actually Covers

A conveyor system audit is a full-facility assessment of your material handling infrastructure. Not what it was spec’d to do in 1998 — what it’s actually doing now, and what it needs to keep doing it. Ours covers three core deliverables.

Equipment status review

A complete accounting of what’s in the facility: what condition each piece is in, how close it is to end of life, and where the single points of failure are hiding. For most legacy operations, this is the first time anyone has written it all down.

Repair vs. upgrade assessment

Not everything needs to be replaced — but some things do. The audit produces a clear breakdown of what falls into each bucket, prioritized by risk and operational impact. That distinction matters, because it’s the difference between a targeted capital project and a blank-check rebuild.

A documented starting point

For operations that have never had a formal audit, this alone is transformative. You now have a baseline: something to maintain, something to measure against, and something to hand to the next person in the role instead of hoping the knowledge transfers by osmosis.

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Controls Modernization: Replacing the Brains, Not the Building

For this customer, the audit was step one. Step two is a controls takeover — and this is where the real transformation happens.

The legacy panels in the facility are running on antiquated internal components: the guts of the system’s brains. We’re replacing that infrastructure with modern LaFayette controls — serviceable, documented, and built for remote access.

Here’s the part that surprises people: the conveyor structure itself usually doesn’t need to go. Rollers, frames, and belts are mechanical and fixable. The intelligence driving them is what goes obsolete. A controls retrofit — new PLCs, new panel internals, modern networking — modernizes the system for a fraction of the cost of a rip-and-replace.

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Remote Diagnostics: What Changes When Someone Can Actually See Your System

Once modern controls are in place, our technicians can connect to the system remotely via VPN from our Danville facility. The entire conveyor infrastructure — real-time status, fault conditions, operational data — becomes visible on a screen without anyone stepping on-site.

Take a blocked photo eye. The old way: call for service, schedule a truck, wait for a tech to drive out, assess, and drive back. The new way: a technician opens a laptop, connects through the VPN, pulls up the system, and tells you exactly what broke and how to fix it — over the phone or a Teams call, often in the same conversation the fault is reported.

For an operation that previously had one person managing a 30-year-old system on memory and routine, that’s a fundamental change in what “support” means.

Four Outcomes That Actually Stick

No more guessing. You know exactly what your system is, what shape it’s in, and where the risk lives. The first audit is the hardest one; every audit after that is maintenance.

Faster response times. Remote VPN access means a technician can be looking at your system in minutes, not days.

Modern serviceability. Current-era components, documented configurations, and a support team that can actually see what you’re running.

Capital planning you can defend. Replace what needs replacing now, plan the rest over time. The audit gives you a prioritized roadmap that makes the case to leadership — before the next outage makes it for you.

Is Your System Overdue?

If any of these sound familiar, an audit is worth a conversation:

  • Your system is 15+ years old and has never had a formal assessment
  • Maintenance knowledge lives in one or two people’s heads
  • Replacement parts are getting harder to source
  • Faults require an on-site visit just to diagnose
  • Your maintenance plan is “fix it when it breaks”

You don’t need a power outage to find out what your system is hiding.

FAQ

What is a conveyor system audit?

A conveyor system audit is a comprehensive on-site assessment of a facility’s conveyor and material handling equipment. It documents the condition of every component, identifies end-of-life equipment and single points of failure, and produces a prioritized repair-vs-upgrade roadmap.

How do I know if my conveyor system needs a controls upgrade?

Common signs include obsolete PLCs or panel components that are no longer manufactured, difficulty sourcing replacement parts, faults that can’t be diagnosed remotely, and reliance on one or two people’s institutional knowledge to keep the system running.

Do I have to replace my whole conveyor system to modernize it?

Usually not. The mechanical structure — frames, rollers, belts — often has decades of life left. A controls retrofit replaces the aging panel internals and PLCs with modern, serviceable components, typically at a fraction of the cost of full system replacement.

What is remote conveyor diagnostics?

With modern controls in place, technicians connect to your conveyor system through a secure VPN and view real-time status and fault data from off-site. Many issues are diagnosed — and resolved — in a single phone or Teams call instead of an on-site service visit.

How long does a system audit take?

It depends on facility size and system complexity, but most audits involve one or more site visits followed by a documented findings report. Contact us for a scope and timeline for your operation.

Start With a System Audit

If you’re running a legacy conveyor system and haven’t had a formal assessment in years — or ever — we can help you understand exactly what you have, what it needs, and what it will take to modernize it for the next decade.

Schedule a System Audit →

Rick Maldonado, New Business Development Manager (908) 205-0625 | rmaldonado@centuryconveyor.com