A powered conveyor moves product on motor-driven rollers or belts rather than gravity. Modern systems use motor-driven roller (MDR) technology: brushless 24V DC motors in each zone, inside a roller or mounted beneath the bed, replacing the drive chains, belts, and line shafts of older powered conveyors and enabling zone-by-zone control.

Quick Facts

Drive types. 24V DC motor-driven roller (MDR), belt-driven live roller, chain-driven live roller, and legacy line shaft.

Speed. 35 to 125 ft/min variable on the Hytrol 190-E24EZ powered roller conveyor.

Load. 22 lbs per foot on the E24 family; chain-driven live roller carries pallet loads.

Zones. EZLogic zero-pressure accumulation controls up to 50 zones per power unit.

Noise and safety. MDR systems run without drive chains, belts, or line shafts, so lines run quieter and motors are safe to service.

How does a motor-driven roller (MDR) conveyor work?

An MDR conveyor divides the line into zones, each driven by its own brushless, gearless 24V DC motor. On the Hytrol E24, a pancake motor under the bed drives the tread rollers through polyurethane o-rings; a photo-eye and zone controller decide when each zone runs. Zones wake when product arrives and sleep when empty, so the conveyor draws power only where product is moving. EZLogic zone controllers coordinate neighboring zones for zero-pressure accumulation, holding cartons apart so nothing touches. Because every zone is a self-contained module, sections plug together, individual zones reverse or run at their own speed, and a failed motor swaps out without stopping the line for a chain or shaft repair.

Hytrol 190-E24EZ Specifications

 

What are powered conveyors used for?

Assembly line transfer. Moving parts between robotic work cells and manual stations at a controlled rate.

Accumulation. Buffering product ahead of case erectors, packers, and palletizers without line pressure.

Sortation feed. Metering cartons into sorters at fixed gaps.

Pick modules. Powered takeaway lanes behind pick faces.

Shipping lanes. End-of-line transport to dock doors, with gravity sections where slope does the work.

When do you need a powered conveyor instead of gravity?

Gravity conveyor works when product can ride a slope and manual push is acceptable. A powered conveyor is required when the line runs level or uphill, when speed must hold constant for metering or sortation, when fragile or mixed-weight product cannot be allowed to run together, and when zones must accumulate without contact. The rule of thumb: gravity moves product, power controls it.

What is the difference between MDR and line shaft conveyor?

A line shaft conveyor drives every roller from a single rotating shaft running the length of the conveyor, coupled by o-ring spools, with one motor setting one speed for the whole line. MDR replaces the shaft with a 24V DC motor per zone. The result is independent zone speeds, run-on-demand energy use, quieter operation, and maintenance at the zone level instead of the shaft level. Line shaft systems remain in service in older buildings, and a planned migration to MDR usually happens section by section.

Plan Your Powered Conveyor Line

HOJ is a Hytrol partner integrating E24 MDR conveyor and EZLogic accumulation with in-house controls engineering since 1964. Talk to a conveyor specialist today.