Tapered Conveyor Rollers

Tapered conveyor rollers play an integral role in material handling conveyance. They contrast straight rollers based on the differing diameters at each end of the roller, creating a cone shaped tube, that that provides a slope from the inner diameter to the outer. Tapers are commonly used in material handling systems, sorting facilities, packaging lines and distribution centers when a conveyor line needs to make a turn, generally, 45, 90 or 180 degrees, or divert items to different lanes or tracks based on their destination.

What are tapered rollers?

Tapered conveyor rollers are defined by the change in the roller tube diameter from the inside to the outside, creating a tapered slope from one end of the roller to the other. The amount and slope of the taper is determined by the length and the desired diameter of the roller. The most common diameter for tapered rollers is 2.5” but your specific application will determine the product sizing.

There are several materials that tapered conveyor rollers can be manufactured from. Woodsage utilizes plain steel, galvanized steel, stainless steel, and aluminum.  While available, plastic is not recommended by Woodsage due to the frequent failures to deformation, cracking, or breaking under load.

How do tapered conveyor rollers work?

Roller Shape: Tapered rollers have a cylindrical shape that changes in diameter from one end of the roller to the other. Manufacturing the roller into a cone shape creates an inclined surface covering most of the length of the roller.

Taper Angle Orientation: Tapered conveyor rollers are installed at an angle relative to the direction of the conveyance line. This angle determines the direction in which the materials will be turned, diverted, or transferred.

Conveyor Curves: As items move along the conveyor line and reach a tapered roller section, the tapered shape causes the item to gradually shift or slide sideways, following the included surface of the rollers until it reaches the next straight section.

Item Transfers or Diversions: Based on the orientation of the rollers, items can be transferred to an adjacent conveyor line or diverted to a different lane. The amount of taper and the angles of the rollers control the degree of diversion.

Gravity: The tapered shape and angled orientation of the rollers often work in tandem with gravity to facilitate a smooth transfer of items. The items naturally tend to slide down the inclined surface created by the tapered rollers.

The benefits of using tapered rollers

Gravity-Assisted Savings: Because tapers utilize an inclined surface, they take advantage of gravity to assist in material movements, reducing the need for powered equipment.

Energy Efficiency: By leveraging gravity in your tapered conveyance roller sections, energy consumption can be lowered or eliminated when compared to powered diverters or pushing mechanisms.

Space Savings: Tapered rollers can help save space through product diversions, lane changes, or turns within a compact space, allowing for efficient utilization floor space.

Safe Product Handling: Tapers can help minimize product damage or scuffing resulting from hard impacts due to the gradual diversion of the tapered slope, making these rollers a great choice for impact sensitive items.

 

Woodsage is the industry leader in steel tapered conveyor roller manufacturing, providing products to the industry’s largest conveyor equipment manufacturers and industrial distributors. With a rich history of precision tube manufacturing, Woodsage has perfected the art of tapered conveyor rollers for all applications.