Different Types of Conveyors: How to Choose the Right Conveyor System for Your Industry

Whether you’re transporting raw materials, fresh produce, packaged foods, cartons, or finished products, the right conveyor helps maintain an efficient production line. It affects product flow, labour requirements, floor space utilisation, and overall operational efficiency.

With so many different types of conveyors available, selecting the right system isn’t always straightforward. Each conveyor is designed for specific products, production layouts, and handling requirements. Choosing the wrong one can lead to product damage, frequent downtime, and unnecessary operating costs.

Understanding the most common conveyor system types helps manufacturers make informed decisions when planning new facilities or upgrading existing production lines.

In this guide, we’ll explain the different types of conveyors, their applications, advantages, and the factors to consider when selecting the right solution for Nexgen’s industry needs.

Every production facility has unique material handling requirements. Some products need to be transported horizontally, while others must be elevated, accumulated, or transferred between different processing stages.

Let’s look at the most widely used conveyor system types and where each one performs best.

Belt Conveyor

The belt conveyor is one of the most widely used industrial conveyor systems across manufacturing industries.

It uses a continuous belt stretched over rollers or pulleys to transport products smoothly from one location to another.

Because the belt provides continuous support, it is suitable for carrying products of different shapes, sizes, and weights.

Common applications

• Food processing
• Packaging lines
• Warehouses
• Distribution centres
• FMCG manufacturing

Advantages

• Gentle product handling
• Continuous product flow
• Suitable for a wide range of products
• Low maintenance
• Easy integration with automated systems

A belt conveyor is often the preferred choice when products need stable movement without frequent transfers.

Roller Conveyor

A roller conveyor moves products using a series of rotating rollers instead of a continuous belt.

Depending on the application, rollers may be gravity-driven or motor-powered.

This conveyor works best for products with rigid, flat bottoms such as cartons, crates, trays, and pallets.

Common applications

• Warehousing
• Packaging facilities
• Logistics centres
• Distribution operations

Advantages

• Ideal for heavy loads
• Simple construction
• Easy maintenance
• Modular design for future expansion

Although a roller conveyor is highly effective for boxed products, it is generally not suitable for loose or irregularly shaped materials that require continuous support.

Z Conveyor

A Z conveyor is designed to move products vertically while occupying minimal floor space.

Instead of transporting products only in a straight line, it lifts materials from one processing stage to another using an inclined “Z”-shaped path.

This makes it especially valuable where production lines require elevation without increasing the factory footprint.

A Z conveyor is widely used in food processing because it can transport delicate products while maintaining a continuous production flow.

Common applications

• Fruit and vegetable processing
• Snack food manufacturing
• Frozen food processing
• Bakery production
• Packaging lines

Advantages

• Saves valuable floor space
• Enables vertical product transfer
• Supports continuous automation
• Gentle product handling
• Easily integrates with upstream and downstream equipment

Many modern food processing conveyors use Z conveyors to transfer products between washing, inspection, cutting, seasoning, and packaging stations.

Modular Belt Conveyor

A modular belt conveyor uses interlocking plastic modules instead of a continuous rubber or PVC belt.

Its modular construction makes it highly durable and easy to repair. Individual belt sections can be replaced without changing the entire conveyor belt.

This conveyor is commonly used where frequent cleaning is required.

Common applications

• Meat processing
• Dairy processing
• Seafood processing
• Beverage manufacturing

Advantages

• Excellent washability
• High durability
• Easy maintenance
• Suitable for wet production environments

Because hygiene is critical in food manufacturing, modular systems are among the most widely used food processing conveyors.

Chain Conveyor

A chain conveyor transports products using one or more continuous chains instead of belts or rollers.

It is primarily used for moving heavy loads that require stable support over long distances.

Common applications

• Automotive manufacturing
• Heavy engineering
• Pallet handling
• Industrial assembly lines

Advantages

• Handles heavy products
• High durability
• Reliable under demanding operating conditions
• Long service life

While chain conveyors are excellent for industrial applications, they are generally less suitable for handling delicate food products.

Choosing between the different types of conveyors becomes easier when you compare their strengths side by side.

No single conveyor is ideal for every application. The right choice depends on your product characteristics, production layout, throughput requirements, and industry-specific needs.

Not every conveyor is suitable for food manufacturing. Food products often vary in shape, size, texture, and moisture content, making careful product handling essential throughout the production process.

This is why food processing conveyors are designed with hygiene, cleanability, and gentle handling in mind.

The ideal conveyor should:

• Be easy to clean and sanitise
• Prevent product contamination
• Minimise product damage
• Handle wet and dry products efficiently
• Integrate with washing, cutting, inspection, and packaging equipment

For many food processing applications, belt conveyors, modular conveyors, and Z conveyors are preferred because they provide continuous product movement while supporting hygienic manufacturing practices.

Stainless steel construction, food-grade belts, and easy-access designs further improve cleanliness and simplify maintenance.

Selecting the right conveyor involves much more than choosing between different conveyor system types. Every production line has unique operating conditions that influence equipment performance.

Here are some of the most important factors to evaluate.

Product Characteristics

Consider the product’s size, weight, shape, and fragility.

For example, delicate fruits require much gentler handling than cartons or pallets. Likewise, sticky or wet products may require specialised food-processing conveyors that are easy to clean and prevent product build-up.

Production Capacity

Your conveyor should match both current and future production volumes.

An undersized conveyor can slow production, while an oversized conveyor may lead to unnecessary investment and operating costs.

Plant Layout

Factory space often determines conveyor selection.

Where floor space is limited, a Z conveyor provides an efficient way to move products between different processing levels without increasing the production footprint.

Hygiene Requirements

Industries such as food, beverage, and pharmaceuticals demand strict hygiene standards.

Choosing stainless steel industrial conveyor systems with food-grade components helps support compliance with GMP, HACCP, and other food safety requirements.

Maintenance Requirements

Equipment that is easy to clean, inspect, and service reduces downtime and improves long-term reliability.

Simple designs with fewer wear components also lower maintenance costs over the equipment’s lifecycle.

Future Expansion

Production requirements rarely remain the same.

Selecting modular or easily expandable industrial conveyor systems allows manufacturers to increase capacity or modify production layouts without replacing the entire conveyor system.

Understanding the different types of conveyors is the first step towards building an efficient production line.

From the versatility of a belt conveyor and the strength of a roller conveyor to the space-saving design of a Z conveyor, each system serves a specific purpose. The right choice depends on your products, production layout, hygiene requirements, and long-term growth plans.

For industries focused on automation, productivity, and food safety, selecting the right industrial conveyor systems can improve product flow, reduce manual handling, and support consistent production performance.