What are gravity conveyors?
Before we can get to the many uses for gravity conveyors, we figured we better cover the basics just to set the table. So, what is a gravity conveyor exactly? Simply put, a gravity conveyor is a conveyor track that does not require power to move items. This type of conveyor uses the force of gravity to move loads on a pitched conveying surface. Most gravity conveyors are roller or wheel-based. Gravity conveyors are a durable and practical way to facilitate the movement of goods throughout a manufacturing facility, warehouse, or order fulfillment center. Using the natural force of gravity and designed to save space, companies can significantly cut costs by using gravity conveyors throughout their operations.
Why choose UNEX gravity conveyors?
Gravity conveyors keep items moving in an organized manner throughout your facility. UNEX gravity conveyors are flexible, rugged, low-maintenance, and suitable for transporting multiple-sized boxes, cases, cartons, or totes. With a wide range of options, including multiple lengths, widths, and roller and wheel conveyor styles, UNEX gravity conveyors seamlessly integrate into your existing infrastructure, streamlining processes and maximizing efficiency.
What are the benefits of using gravity conveyors?
Gravity conveyors are an easy, inexpensive, practical way to move items throughout an operation. Whether you’re loading or unloading trucks, moving items through an assembly line, picking, packing, staging, or shipping items, gravity conveyors can provide big efficiency boosts across many applications. Other amazing benefits of implementing gravity conveyors in your operation include but are not limited to:
- Gravity conveyors are rugged, durable, and require virtual no maintenance.
- Limited-to-no replacement parts are needed to successfully operate gravity conveyors for decades.
- Gravity conveyors are very simple and user-friendly; anyone can use them! Your staff doesn’t need to be strong or fit to operate this equipment and no training is required.
- Gravity conveyors are fully adjustable and can be tailored to your workforce’s stature and physical capabilities.
- No heavy-duty engineering is required when purchasing gravity conveyors.
- No permits are needed. You can quickly set up and start using gravity conveyors right away.
And finally, gravity conveyors really can be used anywhere! Anywhere you need to transport goods from point A to point B in an operation in the easiest manner is a place to implement gravity conveyors.
23 Uses for Gravity Conveyors
Finally, the moment you’ve been waiting for…all the amazing uses for gravity conveyors! Some of these may seem obvious, but others you may not have considered. The goal of this list is to give you at least one idea of another way you can use gravity conveyors in your operation to boost efficiency and increase your bottom line.
1. Logistics and Transportation
Gravity conveyors can be installed inside trucks to streamline loading and unloading. In doing so, items can flow smoothly from the truck’s interior to the dock or vice versa. Portable gravity conveyors can also be used to simulate the same application, but when a more permanent solution is required, gravity conveyors can be installed directly into the interior of a tractor-trailer.
2. Shipping
Gravity conveyors are ideal for sorting items and staging them to prepare for shipment. They are particularly useful in high-volume shipping environments where products or finished orders need to be sorted based on size, type, or destination before being packaged or loaded onto trucks.
3. Receiving
Gravity conveyors are used to efficiently transport goods from receiving docks to storage or processing areas within a facility. By utilizing gravity, these conveyors move items along sloped surfaces with minimal additional power, helping to streamline the flow of products. This can speed up the unloading and sorting process, reduce manual handling, and facilitate easier integration with other sorting and distribution systems. Gravity conveyors are especially effective for handling bulk items or packages that need to be moved quickly and cost-effectively.
4. Truck Loading and Unloading at Shipping Dock Doors
For unloading, gravity conveyors facilitate the quick transfer of goods from the truck to the dock area. For loading, they allow items to be easily moved from the dock into the truck, leveraging gravity to streamline the process and reduce manual labor.
5. Underequipped Loading Docks
Portable gravity conveyors can be used in facilities with un-equipped dock doors by providing a flexible, temporary solution for moving goods between the dock and the warehouse. They can be easily set up and repositioned as needed, facilitating efficient loading and unloading without requiring permanent installations.
6. Hand Stacking Alternative
Hand stacking refers to the manual process of arranging and stacking items, often in a specific order or configuration, without the use of automated equipment. This method involves physically lifting and placing items, which can be labor-intensive and time-consuming. Gravity conveyors serve as a hand stacking alternative by automatically moving items to a designated area, reducing the need for manual stacking. Using gravity conveyors as a hand stacking alternative improves efficiency and ergonomics by minimizing physical strain and speeding up the handling process.
7. Carton Flow
Carton flow tracks are gravity conveyors cut to fit the span of a pallet rack bay. So in this application, gravity conveyors can be used to create efficient storage lanes where items are loaded from the rear of a bay and flow seamlessly to the front where they are picked.
*Pro-Tip: UNEX is the maker of The Original Carton Flow Track; SpanTrack! Our long history of manufacturing durable gravity conveyors goes beyond moving items throughout facilities. Our team also specializes in carton flow applications for operations in manufacturing, order fulfillment, retail, and logistics. Let our space optimization experts help you design a carton flow system that uses the power of gravity conveyors to boost storage and order picking efficiency!
Increase Efficiency with SpanTrack
8. Order Picking
Gravity conveyors are proven to reduce manual handling and increase picking efficiency in order picking environments. As workers retrieve items from unique storage locations, SKUs can be placed in bins and moved along gravity conveyors to streamline the picking process. Gravity conveyors allow workers to easily move products through picking areas and onto packing, staging, and shipping.
9. Takeaway Conveyors
A takeaway conveyor is a conveyor that moves items from one location to another in packaging operations. Gravity conveyors can be used as takeaway conveyors when moving items from picking areas or packing stations to a centralized location or sorting area. By utilizing gravity, they efficiently transport products to their next destination, minimizing manual effort and speeding up workflows.
10. Pick Modules and Multi-Level Applications
Gravity conveyors can be utilized in pick modules and other applications that involve multiple levels. Just like a powered spiral conveyor, gravity conveyors can move items across multiple levels by utilizing curved sections to ‘spiral’ items downward. This allows products to flow seamlessly between different heights and facilitates efficient order picking and sorting in various multi-level applications.
11. Replenishment
In order fulfillment, gravity conveyors can be used for replenishment by moving inventory from storage or receiving areas to picking locations. This ensures that stock levels at each pick face are consistently maintained, facilitating smooth and efficient order fulfillment.
12. Retail Distribution
Major retailers distribute products from their warehouse locations to brick-and-mortar stores. Many stores don’t receive full pallets from their distribution centers because they don’t have the room nor do they have the appropriate height dock doors to accommodate unloading. In these situations, gravity conveyors can be used on the fly to assist with delivery. Using a few pieces of gravity conveyor stocked on the delivery truck, workers can create makeshift supports or lay the tracks on the floor to help unload the truck and load items into the store. Once the delivery is complete, the gravity conveyor sections can easily be stored right in the back of the truck.
13. Retail Backrooms
In retail backrooms, gravity conveyors efficiently move products from receiving areas to storage or sorting zones, facilitating quicker restocking and organization throughout the storage areas of brick-and-mortar stores.
14. Tri-Width Lines
A tri-width line is used in order picking and packing. Three lines of conveyor are run between two aisles of storage bays. In the center is a line of powered conveyor and on either side are gravity conveyors. In this setup, workers pick products from the storage bays behind them while assembling orders along the gravity conveyors lines. Once an order is complete, it is placed on the powered conveyor in the center where it is automatically taken away for finishing. This mix leverages the efficiency of powered conveyors to move finished goods to another area while the gravity conveyor allows workers to remain in the packing zone to continually assemble orders with minimal-to-no disruption.
*Pro-Tip: Gravity conveyors work well in tandem with a variety of equipment and solutions. Think about the many ways in which gravity conveyors can be incorporated alongside your existing equipment to further boost efficiency throughout your operation!
15. Order Fulfillment Packing Stations
Gravity conveyors can be used in order fulfillment operations during the packing process. In this application, workers utilize gravity conveyors along the front of packing stations, similar to a manufacturing assembly line. Items are packing in a sequence and when the packages reach the end of the line, they’re ready to head off to shipping.
16. Assembly Plants
In assembly plants, gravity conveyors transport components and sub-assemblies between workstations, facilitating smooth and efficient assembly processes by using gravity to move items along the production line.
17. On-the-Go
Portable aluminum roller gravity conveyors are ideal for on-the-go use, offering easy setup and breakdown due to their lightweight, modular design. They can be quickly assembled or disassembled, making them versatile for temporary or changing layouts and adaptable for various tasks.
18. Improving Ergonomics
Gravity conveyors improve ergonomics by reducing the need for manual lifting and handling, allowing items to flow smoothly to workstations or sorting areas, thus minimizing physical strain on workers and promoting more efficient workflows. So, use gravity conveyors in any situation where ergonomics could be improved!
Download the case study to learn how UNEX Gravity Conveyors revolutionized Williams Distributing's operation!
19. Cold Environments
Gravity conveyors are beneficial in cold environments like refrigerators and freezers because they operate effectively without requiring power that cannot withstand cold temperatures. This also reduces energy and heat generation that powered solutions would otherwise cause. The simple, low-maintenance design of gravity conveyors ensures reliable performance in low temperatures, minimizing downtime and maintenance needs.
20. Wet Environments
Due to their simple design and use of corrosion-resistant materials, gravity conveyors are durable and reliable even in conditions where moisture or spills are present.
21. Light-Duty Applications
Light-duty gravity conveyors are used for transporting lightweight items such as small packages, boxes, or cartons in various settings. Light-duty gravity conveyors are a great choice for everyday conveying needs because they are so cost-effective and easy to assemble/disassemble as needed.
22. Heavy-Duty Applications
When it comes to moving heavy loads, gravity conveyors are up for the task! In heavy-duty applications, gravity conveyors handle substantial weights by using robust, reinforced components like steel frames and heavy-duty rollers or wheels. Using gravity conveyors for heavy loads lowers maintenance costs and allows users to efficiently and effectively move large, heavy loads with minimal manual effort.
23. Multi-Directional Turns
For situations where multi-direction turns are required, you can leverage ball transfer tables. These gravity conveyor tables help you position materials precisely and make it easy to take tight turns when curves aren't possible. One of the more common ways ball transfers are utilized is when there are multiple locations when an item can go once it's either been weighed or packed. Depending on where items need to be moved, ball transfer tables enable workers to easily push items in the right direction without much force required. This is especially useful with heavier items, as the ease of multi-directional movement with little effort can make a huge difference for warehouses and fulfillment centers.
Trust the Gravity Conveyor Experts at UNEX
This mega list of 23 uses for gravity conveyors would not have been possible without our resident expert, Drew LaFrennie. Drew has over 30 years of experience in the industry and has been a part of Team UNEX since 1999. As our Key Account and Sales Support Manager, Drew works with many clients who regularly utilize gravity conveyors to solve everyday challenges, large and small. From the simplest applications to the wild and crazy situations you’d never dream of, Drew has seen it all and has been a trusted advisor to many businesses across industries looking to utilize gravity conveyors to boost efficiency in their facilities. Thanks for all the amazing tips, Drew!
UNEX Gravity Conveyors
You have many choices, when it comes to purchasing gravity conveyors, but none quite compare to UNEX gravity conveyors. UNEX offers an extensive line of roller and wheel conveyor solutions that are easy to install, made to order, and proven to significantly increase warehouse efficiency and throughput.
UNEX Gravity Conveyor Key Features
- Offered in light, standard, and heavy-duty capacities
- Skatewheel and roller options are available
- Straight, curves, spurs, and gates are available for ultimate flexibility
- All steel construction for increased durability
- Optional aluminum construction
- Available in multiple standard widths
- Available in straight lengths up to 144″
- 45° and 90° curves available
- Numerous spur options to suit most layouts
- Manual and spring-assisted personnel gates
- Available with square cut ends for permanent installations, notched ends for dropping onto beams, and coped ends for temporary hook and bar layouts
- End treatments, including package stops, impact plates, and hook and bars
- Height adjustable H-Supports for permanent installation
- Powder-coated Steel Tripod supports for temporary installs
- Highly affordable
- Rugged construction leads to zero maintenance in most cases
- Easy to install
How will you use UNEX Gravity Conveyors?
As an agile, versatile, and cost-effective solution designed to replace worn, outdated, and/or high-maintenance conveyor solutions, UNEX gravity conveyors position you well for whatever the future holds. At UNEX, we’re committed to working closely with you to ensure our gravity conveyors are tailor-made to suit your needs. Connect with the experts at UNEX to discover how you can benefit from the many uses of gravity conveyors!
