Pallet Conveyor Systems
Chain- or roller-driven transport solution that automates the internal pallet flow and increases productivity in warehouses and manufacturing facilities.
The product
Pallet handling conveyors for continuous, automated internal goods transport
Pallet conveyor systems are automated components designed to transport, accumulate and/or distribute palletised loads to specific locations required by the logistics operations of a warehouse, manufacturing facility or between the two. They consist of motorised chain or roller beds that move loads in a controlled, continuous manner.
Implementing conveyors enables optimal internal transport flows and minimises manual handling operations, resulting in maximum efficiency in receiving, handling and dispatching unit loads.
Advantages of pallet conveyor systems
- Full automation: pallet conveying systems completely automate internal goods transport.
- Increased productivity: they streamline loading and unloading operations, reduce transport times between distant points and enable a constant product flow.
- Great versatility: a wide range of circuits of varying complexity can be created to meet multiple needs (e.g., accumulating, turning and elevating pallets).
- Safety: reducing manual pallet handling and forklift traffic significantly lowers the risk of accidents.
- Bottleneck prevention: conveyor lines and flows are optimally configured using powerful simulation tools.
- Flexibility and scalability: circuits can be modified or relocated to meet business needs.
- Quick installation: pallet conveyors are connected to a plug-and-play system for fast setup and activation.
Connecting the warehouse and production with conveyors has increased the number of inbound goods received by 73%
Pallet conveyor applications
Simple and complex transport solutions for any type of company
Automated pallet conveyor systems are ideal for any business that needs to streamline the internal transport of palletised loads. They are recommended for fully automated warehouses, facilities with manual racking, and production centres.
Connect areas within a warehouse
Conveyors bridge the gap between two or more spaces in facilities divided into separate zones.
Link the warehouse with production
These systems connect the warehouse with the manufacturing centre (e.g., to deliver raw materials).
Supply and AS/RS
In automated storage and retrieval systems (AS/RSs), conveyors move pallets to the aisle entry point, where stacker cranes pick them up.
Join different warehouses
Conveyors can bridge the gap between two AS/RSs or warehouses, including those located in separate buildings.
Connect several production areas
These systems are also used to link areas and processes within the same manufacturing facility.
Link various levels
Conveyors can transport pallets between different floors in warehouses and production plants.
Serve as a buffer
Conveyors can accumulate pallets to act as a buffer for shipments or to regulate flow.
Support vehicle preloading
Pallets from the same order or route are grouped to streamline loading onto delivery vehicles.
Components of pallet conveyor systems
A pallet conveyor system comprises the core conveyor element — primarily roller or chain — along with various complementary components that enhance performance.
Mecalux conveyors use rollers or chains to move pallets as efficiently as possible. The wide range of available solutions allows for configuring circuits of varying complexity to meet all kinds of logistics needs.
Additional internal transport solutions that expand the pallet conveyor system’s versatility and ensure smooth, continuous movement.
Conveyors can be equipped with perimeter enclosures to mark off hazardous zones as well as other components and devices that protect the integrity of operators, unit loads and the system.
Pallet roller conveyor
Transport equipment capable of moving materials longitudinally and covering long distances. Pallets are transported with their deckboards aligned in the direction of travel and positioned perpendicularly on the rollers.
Chain conveyor
Element used to move pallets with their deckboards oriented perpendicular to the direction of travel.
Roller/chain transfer conveyor
Unit combining rollers and chains to change a pallet’s direction and orientation. It manages shifts in direction and transitions between conveyor systems (from rollers to chains and vice versa).
Roller or chain turntable conveyor
Equipment used to change the direction of the pallet while maintaining its orientation as it moves between conveyor lines of the same type (roller or chain).
Mixed roller/chain turntable conveyor
Unit that changes a pallet’s direction and orientation with the option to transition from chains to rollers, or vice versa, in a straight line.
Transfer car
Non-continuous pallet conveying system consisting of a trolley with one or two conveyors onboard. The car runs in a straight line along a pair of parallel rails, moving pallets between intermediate points in the circuit. This solution is suitable for facilities with a moderate flow of movements.
Pallet conveyor lift
Pallet conveyor automation system designed to transport palletised loads vertically. Lifts enable fast, fluid pallet flows between different floors or levels of a facility by hoisting and lowering goods.
Conveyor with sequential accumulation
Straight accumulating pallet conveyor with rollers or chains designed to transport up to 4 pallets per module at a time. It is equipped with photocells that allow for pallets to accumulate while maintaining a small gap between them.
Conveyor with entry/exit guide rails
Unit employed to insert or remove unit loads from a conveyor circuit using a pallet truck at ground level, eliminating the need for forklifts.
Floor conveyor
System that performs longitudinal movements at ground level between various points of a facility when the clearance height is insufficient or a pit cannot be built.
Hydraulic lift table with rollers
Equipment that raises the unit load from ground level to the height of the conveyor system. There are two versions: the full roller version bridges small differences in level between conveyors, while the split roller version lifts loads from the ground to the conveyor level and is compatible with pallet trucks.
Ergonomic hydraulic lift table
Device that adjusts the height of the goods to the appropriate handling position during order picking tasks. Roller or chain conveyors can be mounted on these tables depending on the desired function.
Full pallet stackers
Machines that lift loaded pallets and place them on a slave pallet when necessary (full pallet stacker or pallet lifter). They can also be used to raise pallets with loads of different heights onto another loaded pallet (load stacker).
Pallet stacker/destacker
Device that stacks and unstacks empty pallets individually to facilitate their storage or their incorporation into the conveyor circuit to supply pick or production stations, for example.
Pallet inspection station
Checkpoint installed for verifying that pallet dimensions, weight and condition meet system specifications.
Safety enclosures
Vertical mesh panels and doors with access control devices that cordon off the path of the conveyor to enhance safety.
Conveyor barrier
Metal structures installed on conveyor entry and exit points to prevent damage when loading or unloading pallets with forklifts.
Pedestrian walkways
Fixed elements that allow operators to cross a conveyor line and access the other side safely and easily, minimising the risk of falls or entrapment.
Case studies
ALPLA installs an automatic conveyor system in its plant in Golborne (UK)
ALPLA has installed a conveyor system to connect its warehouse with its production lines in Golborne, UK. This global leader in the development and production of plastic packaging systems moves 2,500 pallets a day thanks to an automated conveyor solution. Read more
Automated clad-rack warehouse of Michelin integrated with manufacturing
The tire maker Michelin owns a new automated clad-rack warehouse in its Vitoria manufacturing plant, in the Basque Region (Spain) that offers a capacity for 4,590 containers. The warehouse is adapted to the dimensions and features of the standard metal containers the company uses throughout the facility. Read more
Euréquip, a French furniture maker, goes automated at its production centre
Mecalux has installed a high-tech conveyor circuit in the production centre of Euréquip, a French furniture maker. Read more
Nupik Internacional: centralised, interconnected and automated logistics
Leader in the manufacture of sustainable products for Horeca and Retail, Nupik Internacional has concentrated all its production and storage in Barcelona. The plant has two sites equipped with automated systems and a picking area where up to 345 orders a day are prepared in sequence. Read more
A conveyor that connects the Nutricia production centre to dispatches
Mecalux has installed a conveyor tasked with moving goods directly from the Nutricia production centre up to its dispatch area. This conveyor system eliminates the need for traditional handling equipment to transport the goods between two warehouse points with the consequential costs savings. Read more
Tadim’s automated warehouse with dried fruits and nuts in Turkey
Tadım, a merchandiser of pistachios and dried fruits and nuts, has opened an automated warehouse in the city of Gebze (Turkey) to store more than 5,300 pallets. As a result, the company has expanded storage capacity, increased productivity and reinforced its international expansion process. Read more
The Steris automated warehouse is allocated to the sterilisation of products
Steris, a company that provides sterilisation services within the Synergy Health group, has opened a new, fully automated warehouse in France, where it sterilises medical and surgical instruments as well as other healthcare equipment used in hospitals. Read more
FAQs
A pallet conveyor system is a mechanical handling device that automatically and continuously transports, accumulates and distributes pallets. Pallet conveyors are instrumental in connecting different zones of a warehouse or production centre.
Pallet roller conveyors transport pallets with their deckboards aligned in the direction of travel and positioned perpendicularly on the rollers. Pallet chain conveyors, on the other hand, move pallets sideways, with their deckboards perpendicular to the direction of travel. Additionally, there are mixed roller and chain conveyors, which handle changes in direction and conveyor type (from roller to chain and vice versa).
No, pallet conveyor systems are not only used to supply automated storage and retrieval systems (AS/RSs). They meet multiple needs related to palletised load handling, such as interconnecting several areas within a facility, linking the warehouse to the production centre or moving pallets between different floors.
Absolutely. Conveyors can be equipped with safety enclosures comprising mesh panels and access control doors that cordon off the conveyor’s pathway.
Yes, various solutions are available depending on the speed, flow rates and accumulation requirements for each case.
Yes, systems can be equipped with auxiliary internal transport elements (such as turntable conveyors or pallet lifts) to enable complex manoeuvres. These include changes in pallet travel direction and orientation as well as moving pallets between different levels.
Indeed. By installing lifts that transport palletised loads vertically, these goods move smoothly and quickly between different floors or levels.
Yes, it is. Underground tunnels or elevated bridges can be built to bridge the space between facilities, allowing the conveyor to pass through. This prevents interference with regular traffic and protects the loads and the system from the elements.
Indeed. A pit can be built with the conveyor placed inside it. If building a pit is not possible, a conveyor for pallets can be installed at floor level.
The travel speed of a pallet conveyor depends on the load being conveyed and can reach up to 20 m/min.
Yes, there are conveyor modules specifically designed for transporting half pallets, both with rollers and with chains.
Pallet conveyor systems can carry up to 1,500 kg per pallet and up to 500 kg per half pallet.
Mecalux pallet conveyor systems can work within a wide temperature range, from -30 °C to +40 °C. Moreover, Mecalux offers stainless steel conveyors that can operate in humid areas (with more than 70% relative humidity).
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