Slat conveyor systems are plastic or metal-based chain belt conveyors that are generally tougher and more flexible than traditional PVC type belt conveyors.
Slat conveyors allow for heavier weights and impact from dropping heavy or sharp-edged parts on the metal belt versions and a variety of attachments for more varied handling on the plastic versions. Temperature resistance is also higher than PVC belts. The narrow versions in plastic and steel are commonly used to handle bottles and jars for the bottling and packaging industries. With more robust characteristics than typical belt conveyors, they can accumulate parts (where the belt slides below the stationary product) easily. These systems are commonly used in clean environments where the supporting frame can be made from stainless steel. Stainless chain belts can be offered.
The links between the chains on slat conveyors are designed such that the belt can take bends and vertical inclines in one run, whereas a typical PVC type belt conveyor cannot do this and would need to be a multi conveyor arrangement with multiple drive ends and therefore multiple motors. Slat conveyors are also lower cost and easier to maintain than a series of traditional belt conveyors, especially if a horizontal or vertical bend is part of the system.
High belt speeds are easily achieved with metal and plastic slat conveyor systems. There are also a multitude of belt options such as rubber grip inserts, steel inserts for high temperature and abrasive products, rubber wedges for gripping the product from both sides and rollers for zero back pressure accumulation.
AS Conveyor Systems are UK distributors for the Flexmove slat chain conveyor system, part of the Dorner conveyors group based in the USA. To see more information and to use our simple online conveyor design tool to design your own slat conveyor system at http://asconveyorsystems.co.uk/flexmove-system/