The perfect machine: 6 considerations when buying a conveyor belt

For business owners, buying a new conveyor belt is a really exciting time. Now, those of you who ply your trade in different vocations will say, ‘what? How on earth could buying this boring machinery possibly be exciting?’ Well, it’s simple really: a new system signals a time of important (and possibly incredibly lucrative) business growth, so what on Earth is there not to be excited about?

But to purchase the best conveyor belt for sale you need to conduct some important research. It can be daunting, but making these important decisions will ensure you end up with the best system, and not one that doesn’t match your business’s scale or profitability.

With this in mind, here are six important considerations when buying this essential technology for your growing business:

1. Is the machine portable?

Will your potential machine be used for one single application or will it be used for multiple? Will it need to be moved among multiple locations or will it stay at the same place?

The fixed metal variation is heavy and extremely difficult to transport, whilst plastic modular variations are lightweight and be more easily moved from one location to the next, ensuring you have a highly portable model that is more suited to your business requirements. Finally, the modular option is ideal for companies that require rapid access to other equipment, as the modular version can be quickly moved out of the way and then replaced to its original position.

2. Is it easy to repair?

Mishaps are an unfortunate part of running a line, and they can have the potential to shut down the process for a long time. Damaged parts can take a long time to replace, so it is important to look for a system that you can have easily repaired if necessary. Also, you might want to look into the system’s design, as aspects like interlocking links are much easier to fix and can take hours as opposed to days or weeks.

3. Can you easily access spare parts

You should be able to easily access spare parts as this is essential to production uptime. You should choose a supplier that has replacement parts and units at the ready whenever you might need them. This, or choosing a system that is renowned for having stock replacement parts at the ready, will go a long way to ensuring you get the best system, and not one that stays out of the game for weeks on end after its first ever shutdown.

4. Is it flexible?

You may need to retool your production line to quickly meet deadlines, so ensure that your system can be easily reconfigured at a moment’s notice. A modular machine containing standardised modules in a range of shapes and sizes provides plenty of flexibility when you need it. Using portable modules to customise your lines can potentially help you to fine-tune your product lines to optimise the whole solution.

5. Is it easy to maintain

Regular reactionary and preventative maintenance is important to running even the best conveyor belt for sale. Therefore, you should look into whether the system is renowned for its easy maintenance, or whether you might struggle to have it fixed in the event of a problem.

6. Does it have multiple configuration choices?

Your system should be able to go wherever it is possible to run at full capacity. This includes having multiple configuration options like declines/inclines. Modular systems should contain a range of specialised application modules and accessories that integrate with other modules to provide quality performance, configuration latitude and cost-efficiency.