Pallet Conveyors: Robust Quality at a Cost That Fits Your Budget
A loaded pallet can weigh anywhere from 800 to 1,500 kg, sometimes more. Moving that much weight safely and predictably is where a pallet conveyor system earns its keep.
When buyers ask for “quality at a fair price,” what they really want is a conveyor that protects uptime, reduces manual touches, and keeps total cost of ownership in check, without over-engineering the spec.
What FMCG Lines Actually Need?
For any fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) operation, the palletizing and wrapping cell must provide continuous flow and solid serviceability. FMCG lines require:
- Consistent, Balanced Flow: Provide a continuous, consistent feed to palletizers, wrappers, and Automatic Truck Loaders (ATLs), ensuring that there are no costly surges or starving conditions.
- Zero-Damage Handling: Provide zero backpressure on labeled cases or shrink-wrapped items to decrease scuffs, jams, and rejections.
- Optimal Serviceability: Modular designs with clear, aisle-side accessibility to components, and standardized product designs to reduce downtime and simplify spare parts management.
- Seamless Integration: Provide clean, reliable (handsakes) connections of the feed systems from the upstream case/bag outfeed to the wrapping/storage handling devices.
The 7 Decisions that Lock in Cost and Quality:
Quality and Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) optimization is fixed at the design stage. The following seven main decisions help you lock in ongoing performance and value for your pallet handling system:
Decision Area | Impact on Quality & Cost | |
1 | Backbone Choice | Roller vs. Chain: Matching the conveyor type to the pallet condition (e.g., roller for smooth bases, chain for rough/heavy). |
2 | Rated Capacity & Pitch | Properly determining capacity and roller pitch specifications will reduce pallet deflection and load instability. |
3 | Drive Size & Control | Using VFDs and appropriate torque reserves will help extend gearbox life and smooth starting & stopping. |
4 | Accumulation Policy | Introduce Zero-Pressure Zones to protect product and “sleep” or energy savings modes. |
5 | Sensor Plan | Choosing protected and reliable photo-eyes can limit trips and maximize uptime. |
6 | Integration Interfaces | Proper alignment with upstream or downstream equipment will limit last-minute transfers and bottlenecks. |
7 | Maintenance Design | Providing access from aisles and standardizing spare part components will limit maintenance time & spare parts inventory. |
Roller vs. Chain: Choosing the Right Backbone
- Powered roller conveyors handle good-quality pallets with continuous runners or deck boards. They’re smooth, quiet, and easy to maintain.
- Dual or triple-strand chain conveyors shine with heavy loads, rough bases, or plastic pallets with minimal rolling surfaces. Chains shrug off debris and are ideal for in- and out-feeds to palletizers, wrappers, and automatic truck loading.
Factor | Powered Roller (live/MDR) | Chain (dual/triple-strand) |
Best use | Good, consistent pallets; long accumulation/buffer lanes | Heavy loads, rough/damaged pallets; rugged in/out-feeds |
Load & pallet tolerance | 1,200–1,500 kg (can be higher); prefers straight runners | 1,500–2,000+ kg; handles poor bases and plastic pallets well |
Energy & accumulation | Low energy with zone sleep; excellent zero-pressure flow | Higher duty; good when zoned, otherwise more backpressure |
Maintenance & environment | Easy roller swaps; cleaner environments | Routine chain tension/lube; shrugs off dust/debris/spillage |
How Alligator Automations Makes Quality Affordable?
We design Pallet Conveyors for heavy, everyday work, then remove unnecessary cost through smart standardization and line-level engineering:
- Standard modules, custom layouts: Roller, chain, turntables, pop-up transfers, pallet magazines, combined to fit your floor and flow.
- Recipe-ready controls: Clear zone logic, speed profiles, and alarms mapped to your upstream and downstream equipment.
- Maintainability by design: Aisle-side service, common spares, and documentation tied to each module.
- Proven build: Welded frames where strength matters, bolted joints where service matters.
Lifecycle value: Cost-effective solutions without compromising on quality, backed by lifetime after-installation support.
Conclusion:
Pallet conveyors don’t win headlines, but they decide whether your end-of-line runs smoothly at the lowest possible cost. Get the backbone right: choose the correct conveyor type, protect zones, size drives with headroom, and keep the layout tight. That’s how you balance robust quality with a budget that holds.
Alligator Automations delivers the entire secondary-packaging flow as one integrated partner: bag filling machines, intralogistic conveyors, case packers, depalletizers, robotic palletizers, stretch wrappers, and automatic truck loading solutions.
If you’re planning a new line or upgrading a bottleneck, let’s map your pallet conveyor cost and performance.
FAQs
1) What industries commonly use pallet conveyors?
FMCG, food and beverage, agro-commodities, chemicals, building materials, paper and packaging, logistics, and industrial goods. Anywhere pallets move between palletizers, wrappers, storage, and loading.
2) How do pallet conveyors help save costs?
They cut forklift shuttles and manual touches, enable zero-pressure accumulation to reduce damage, lower energy use with zone sleep, and keep upstream equipment running at a steady, efficient rate.
3) What is the average load capacity of pallet conveyors?
Most systems are rated in the 1,200–1,500 kg per pallet range; heavy-duty designs regularly handle 2,000 kg or more when the application demands it.
