Above: a powered roller conveyor transporting a heavy load at Simmons Pet Foods.

Pallet conveyors transport skids, pallets, sheets and other extremely heavy loads. This can be accomplished with chains, belts, rollers or even ball transfers. The pallet conveying solution is critical for efficient, speedy product or process flow. Given the options, which conveyor type is right for you?

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Above: scissor lift/rotator at the end of pallet conveyor line

Conveyors and scissor lifts are frequently integrated due to the fact that it’s such an efficient way to manipulate loads along a conveyor line. Loads can be lifted, raised or rotated on a lift table for a variety of activities. When you need to actively work on a conveyed item, it’s ideal. Here’s how to go about it.

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Automation can work wonders. It reduces costs, increases throughput, curbs errors and increases safety. The costs of automation are declining while the effectiveness of computer, vision and scanning systems are improving. Automation helps you reduce repetitive actions — the kind that adds no value. The common perception is that automated facilities are dark, free of people and full of robots, but the reality is that automation comes in many forms, ranging from picking systems like pick-to-light to automated conveyors to goods-to-person systems and much more.

For all these benefits, you want to understand the potential problems with any automation project in advance so you can avoid them as you move forward.

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Plastic chain conveyors are ideal in situations where you’re conveying relatively lightweight loads in relatively tight spaces and need a conveyor that can be plugged into machinery, sorters or other conveyors. What are some of the situations and applications where plastic chain can be specified?

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In this installment of Cisco-Eagle’s Shoptalk series, Darein, President of Cisco-Eagle, discusses the benefits of adding the Hytrol ABEZ Conveyor to your facility.

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Belt conveyors are used in applications where loads need more support than rollers can give them, usually for things like cartons with irregular bottoms, bags, components and similar loads. They’re sometimes used for small parts, produce or components. The type of belt you specify will usually tie directly to the application, load and operational environment. Here are some questions to ask when you are specifying a conveyor belt.

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In this installment of Cisco-Eagle’s Shoptalk series, Denise, who works in our systems integration group, explains how to select the proper skatewheel for your flexible conveyor. You can use flexible conveyors at docks, shipping areas, packing departments and other places where temporary, mobile conveying is needed. You can extend, retract and roll them to fit into spaces where fixed conveyors aren’t practical.

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Overhead conveyors are an efficient way to transport products on an assembly line or in a distribution facility. For the right load in the right situation, they’re the most economical and efficient way to convey products. What are some of the characteristics of a good overhead load?

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With 2019 rounding to a close, we at Cisco-Eagle wanted to pretend to be the Pitchfork of the material handling industry and highlight five of the blog posts we’ve produced that we feel are the best. Our staff discussed, argued and analyzed every one (ok, maybe it was just me and maybe I just took some quick glances), and below we present the winners of the 37th annual Top 5 Blog Posts.

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Belt and roller-powered conveyors are specified for a variety of reasons within a given conveyor system. The reasons almost always come down to load characteristics and functionality. Both can be used in transportation, sortation, and accumulation applications. This article delves into the differences and the specific advantages each conveyor type offers.

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