A roller conveyor system moves product on rotating rollers, either by gravity on a slight decline or by motor power for controlled flow. Roller conveyor systems run from light-duty gravity lines for cartons and totes to chain-driven heavy-duty lines for pallets, and they accumulate product in ways belt conveyor cannot.

Quick Facts

Two drive families. Gravity (no motors) and powered (24V MDR or chain-driven), often mixed in one system.

Roller sizes. Hytrol gravity rollers run 1-3/8 in light duty, 1.9 in standard, and 2-1/2 to 2-5/8 in heavy duty.

Design rule. Keep at least three rollers under the shortest product at all times; roller centers follow product length.

Curves. Gravity lines build with 30, 45, and 90 degree curves and spurs.

Relocatable. Gravity sections have no motorized parts, so lines set up, extend, and move without electrical work.

How does a roller conveyor system work?

On a gravity line, product rolls on free-spinning rollers, driven by a slight decline or a manual push; most products convey with a minimum amount of pitch, and the right pitch follows product weight and roller spacing. The product needs a firm, flat bottom long enough to span at least three rollers, or it dives between them. Where flow must be controlled, powered sections take over: 24V motor-driven roller zones meter and accumulate cartons without contact, and chain-driven live roller carries pallets. Most real systems mix all three, gravity where product can flow free, MDR where it must be controlled, chain-driven where it gets heavy.

Hytrol Gravity Roller Conveyor Family

 

What are roller conveyor systems used for?

Shipping and packing lines. Carton flow through pack, check, and label stations.

Order picking. Gravity lanes presenting totes at pick stations.

Assembly. Station-to-station transfer with manual push between operations.

Dock loading. Flexible roller conveyor (FMH BestFlex) extending into trailers for fluid loading and unloading.

Pallet transfer. Heavy-duty gravity and chain-driven lines between palletizing, wrapping, and staging.

What is the difference between gravity and powered roller conveyors?

Gravity rollers are free-spinning: the line costs less, needs no power, and relocates by hand, but product speed depends on weight and slope, and items can run together. Powered rollers drive each zone, holding constant speed and accumulating product without contact. The working split: gravity for manual-push transport and short flow lanes, powered where rate, spacing, or accumulation must be controlled.

How do you size a roller conveyor?

Three rules set the spec. Roller centers: the shortest product must always sit on at least three rollers. Roller gauge and diameter: divide the heaviest unit weight across the rollers beneath it and pick the roller class with margin, 1.9 in for cartons, 2-1/2 in and up for pallets. Width: product width plus clearance, with guardrails where product can skew. Get any of the three wrong and product dives, stalls, or walks off the line.

Lay Out Your Roller Conveyor System

HOJ engineers roller conveyor systems as a Hytrol partner, mixing gravity, MDR, and chain-driven sections to match your product and flow, since 1964. Talk to a conveyor specialist today.