Table of Contents:
- Introduction
- Understanding roller & belt conveyors
- Difference between roller and belt conveyors
- When to choose roller conveyors?
- When to select belt conveyors?
- Industry-specific breakdown of roller & belt conveyors
- Conclusion
Conveyor systems are essential for moving items from one place to another. In our previous blogs, we have already covered different types of conveyor belt systems. However, with over 35 years of experience and over 5,000 installations in 10 countries, we have realized that choosing between roller and belt is not always obvious.
Hence, this blog will explain the difference between roller and belt conveyors and highlight when to use each type. Let’s start by revising the basic definitions of each.
Understanding roller and belt conveyors
Roller conveyors
Roller conveyors consist of a series of cylindrical rollers mounted in a frame. Items move across these rollers manually, by gravity, or with a motorized system.
Belt conveyors
Belt conveyors use a continuous loop of material—commonly rubber, fabric, or PVC—stretched over pulleys. The belt carries items from one end to the other.
Both systems are invaluable in industries like logistics, manufacturing, and warehousing. Choosing between them depends on what you’re moving and how you need it moved.
Difference between roller and belt conveyors
| Features | Roller Conveyors | Belt Conveyors |
| Structure | A series of cylindrical roller | A single loop of material |
| Material Handling | Rigid, heavy, and flat-bottomed items | Soft, lightweight, and irregularly shaped good |
| Preferred Distance | Short | Long |
| Environment | Rugged environments and heavy loads | Environments requiring gentle handling |
| Ideal Operations | Accumulation, stopping, or diverting items | Suitable for for continuous, uninterrupted movement. |
| Maintenance | Cleaning is more complex if debris gets stuck in between rollers | Easy to clean. However, specific belts may need to be disassembled for deep cleaning |
| Cost | Less expensive initially, particularly simple motorless systemsProvide long-term adaptability due to their modular conveyor system designsOperational costs are generally lower | Higher initial cost but can handle a wide variety of goods. Hence, it is considered cost-effective May incur higher maintenance costs, especially if the belts are subject to wear and tear |
So, according to the table above, the choice between roller and belt conveyors depends on your material handling needs.
When to choose roller conveyors?
Roller conveyors are great for moving heavy, rigid items like pallets or boxes. Since they are tough, they can easily handle heavy loads.
While they work great on flat surfaces, roller conveyors are often used as gravity rollers or gravity spiral roller conveyors. This is especially true when industries are looking for a simple, cost-effective way to move goods without any motorized movement, using the natural force of gravity.
Best uses for roller conveyors
- Heavy duty transport
- Sorting and accumulation in warehouses
- Manual handling operation
- Temporary setup
When to choose belt conveyors?
Belt conveyors are suitable for moving lightweight, fragile, or irregularly shaped items. They are perfect for moving delicate goods, especially uphill or downhill, without interruptions.
Best uses for belt conveyors
- Light-weight or fragile item
- Assembly lines or packaging lines
- Handling bags, sacks, or loose materials
- Hygiene-sensitive environments such as cleanroom and pharmaceuticals
To determine which conveyor is most suitable for specific operations, looking at industry-specific needs and applications is helpful. Here’s a breakdown:
| Industry | Roller Conveyors | Belt Conveyors |
| E-Commerce and warehousing | Sorting, accumulation, and staging areas, especially for bulk/ flat-bottomed shipments | Packaging lines, sorting stations, and transportation of fragile/ irregularly shaped products, |
| Food and beverage | Packaged goods, bottled beverages, crates, and cartons. Apt for storage areas and loading/unloading | Unpackaged food items or fragile goods. Goods where hygiene is of utmost importance |
| Pharmaceuticals and cleanroom | Boxed products or secondary packaging stages | Contamination-free movement of medicines, tablets, and vials |
| Manufacturing | Heavy loads such as machinery parts, metal sheets, or pallets, especially in areas where manual sorting is required | Smaller components, particularly on slopes across assembly lines |
| Retail and FMGC | Transporting boxes, cases, and pallets in storage or distribution centers. | Assembly or packaging lines |
| Agriculture and bulk materials | Bulk packaged goods across distribution and packaging stages | Grains, fertilizers, or loose materials over long-distance or inclined paths |
Conclusion
Both roller and belt conveyors are suitable for different conveying needs. Choosing an appropriate conveyor system should be based on your application’s goals and operational requirements.
Dhanvanthri Engineers is one of India’s trusted manufacturers and suppliers of industrial conveyor solutions. We offer various conveyor solutions, including roller and belt conveyors, to meet diverse operational needs. Our selection includes, but is not limited to, the following:
- Belt Conveyors: Flat Belt, Loading Belt for Trucks, Cleated Belt, Telescopic Belt, Packaging Belt, Slat Belt, and Trough-Type Belt.
- Roller Conveyors: Box Roller, Spiral Gravity Roller, and Heavy-Duty Roller.
As manufacturers of industry-leading conveyor systems, we offer consultation to our clients to help them choose the right system according to their needs and support their future growth.
Start your conveyor journey by contacting our team of experts today.