A transfer conveyor moves product at 90 degrees onto an adjacent or parallel line without a curve. Transfers and turntables solve different problems, and the difference is orientation. A transfer changes the direction of travel while the load keeps its orientation. A turntable rotates the load itself. HOJ engineers both into pallet conveyor and case systems, along with the controls that sequence them.

Right-Angle Transfer Conveyor Mechanisms

Transfers are built around the product being moved, with ball, belt, chain, roller, and O-ring options. Pop-up rollers and belt-over-belt designs move items without collisions or jarring impacts.

Chain transfer conveyor. Chain strands rise between the rollers of a CDLR conveyor bed, lift the load clear of the rollers, and carry it perpendicular to the original direction. This is the standard 90 degree move on a pallet line.

Roller transfer. Powered rollers rise between chain strands to take a load off a drag chain or chain transfer and onto a roller line.

Belt and O-ring transfers. Used at case level where the product bottom needs continuous support or gentler handling.

Ball transfer. Used at manual stations and merge points where an operator needs to reposition a load in any direction.

Turntable Conveyors Rotate, Transfers Do Not

Turntables rotate products to change direction or route. They come in powered and manual models and work with chain-driven live roller, belt-driven live roller, and gravity roller conveyor. Common uses:

• rotating and positioning components during assembly
• reorienting packages for correct labeling and barcode scanning
• moving product between lines

Rotation costs time. A turntable has to accept the load, index, and release it before the next load arrives, while a transfer moves the load straight across. When orientation does not need to change, a transfer is the faster device. Lift and rotate units cover loads that need both.

Choosing a Transfer by Load and Orientation

Does the orientation need to change? Pallet fork entry, label position, and stretch wrapper infeed all depend on which face leads. If the answer is no, use a transfer.

What is under the load? Rollers need a flat, sound bottom. Loads with formed feet or damaged stringers need chain contact. That is why a pallet transfer conveyor pairs chain transfers with drag chain conveyor and CDLR beds.

What rate does the intersection have to hold? Every transfer point is a merge point, and merge logic controls whether the intersection runs clean or starves the downstream line.

How heavy is the heaviest load? Turntable and transfer capacities are rated per unit load, not per foot, so the worst-case pallet sets the model.

Controls at the Intersection

A transfer is a controls device as much as a mechanical one. In the conveyor controls:

• Photoeyes detect product presence to start, stop, and space loads.
• The PLC issues run, stop, direction, and routing commands.
• Merge logic coordinates multiple lines and diverts through one logic set.

On advanced turntables, programmable logic control and integrated software allow precise positioning and integration into an existing system.

Sequencing is where transfers fail in service. A transfer that fires late meets a load already in the intersection. One that fires early leaves a gap the downstream line never recovers.

Guarding and Maintenance

Transfers and turntables create moving-to-fixed pinch and shear points at the frame line, and they usually sit where operators work. OSHA machine guarding rules require protection from nip points and rotating parts in the machine area, with guards affixed to the machine where possible.

Chain drives inside transfers fall under the same enclosure rule as any conveyor chain: sprockets and chains must be enclosed unless they are more than seven feet above the floor. Clearing a load stuck in a transfer means reaching into the danger zone, which counts as servicing under the lockout standard. ASME B20.1 carries dedicated sections on guarding and on transfer, loading, and discharge points.

Where Transfers Fit in the System

In a pallet system, turntables and right-angle transfers sit alongside:

• CDLR for general heavy loads
• drag chain for difficult bottoms
• lifts and vertical conveyors for elevation changes

Layout is driven by the integration points: robotic palletizers, AS/RS, stretch wrappers, and dock doors.

Transfer Conveyors Through HOJ

HOJ specifies transfer points as part of the whole conveyor and automation flow. It writes the merge and sequencing logic in-house, builds the panel, installs the equipment, and services it afterward with a 70+ vehicle fleet.