Gravity Roller Conveyor System
Simple, reliable, and cost-effective flow using gravity-powered roller sections.
The Gravity Roller Conveyor System from GlobalRoll provides an efficient, low-maintenance way to move cartons, totes, and packages using gravity instead of powered drives. Ideal for manual workstations, pick lines, staging areas, and flexible layouts, these conveyors use standardized roller modules and adjustable stands to create dependable product flow with minimal energy and complexity.
Applications & Use Cases
Gravity roller conveyors are a go-to solution for low-complexity, high-value material flow.
- Manual pick, pack, and put stations
- Order consolidation and staging lanes
- Infeed and outfeed at workbenches and inspection tables
- Short transfers between machines or processes
- Flexible, reconfigurable conveyor runs for changing layouts
- Shipping and receiving staging areas for cartons and totes
System Overview
GlobalRoll’s Gravity Roller Conveyor System is built from standardized roller sections and adjustable stands that can be configured for straight runs, slight declines, or gentle curves. Product moves along the rollers under its own weight, guided by gravity and proper conveyor slope, eliminating the need for powered drives where they aren’t necessary.
Gravity roller conveyors are defined in our templates with standardized roller diameters, frame profiles, support options, and hardware kits. We configure these templates to match your product size, weight, and desired slope so that cartons and totes flow smoothly without excessive speed or stalling. High-volume systems benefit from consistent component choices, stable forecasting, and reusable modules that are easy to redeploy as your operation evolves.
Key Features & Benefits
Features
- Standardized gravity roller sections in multiple lengths and widths
- Adjustable stands to set slope and working height for each section
- Roller options for different product weights and carton types
- Robust steel frames designed for industrial use
- Simple, modular construction for easy reconfiguration or expansion
- Optional side guides and end stops to control product path
- Compatible with powered conveyors, workstations, and other system elements
Benefits
- Low cost: No powered drives, motors, or controls where they aren’t needed.
- Low maintenance: Fewer moving parts and simple mechanics reduce maintenance load.
- Flexibility: Easy to reconfigure, move, or repurpose as your layout or processes change.
- Operator-friendly: Supports manual work at pack stations, inspection areas, and assembly cells.
- Energy savings: Uses gravity instead of power to move product in many applications.
- Fast deployment: Standardized modules allow quick installation and layout adjustments
Configuration Options
Each Gravity Roller Conveyor System is configured to your product mix, slopes, and workstation layouts using standardized GlobalRoll modules.
Mechanical & Dimensional Options
- Section Lengths: Multiple standard section lengths to fit between equipment or create longer runs
- Conveyor Widths: Effective widths sized to your cartons or totes with appropriate side clearance
- Roller Specifications: Different roller diameters, materials, and wall thickness options for various loads
- Roller Centers: Configurable roller spacing to support small items, large cartons, or mixed product
- Frame Profiles: Robust channel or structural frames depending on duty and environment
- Stand Types: Fixed or adjustable-height stands, with options for casters where mobility is required
Slope & Layout Options
- Slope: Configured for gentle declines that provide reliable flow without excessive product speed
- Layout Type: Straight runs, simple curves, or combined segments transitioning between workstations
- Integration Points: Gravity sections feeding into powered conveyors, scales, or checking stations
- Workstation Integration: Sections tailored to ergonomic working heights at pack or inspection stations
Available Accessories
- Side guides and guardrails to keep product centered
- End stops and gates to control product release and positioning
- Support brackets to connect to existing equipment or structures
- Optional table surfaces or insets for work areas alongside conveyor
- Label or signage mounting options for lane identification
Technical Highlights
Technical details are configured to your product and layout, but Gravity Roller Conveyor Systems typically feature:
- Load Capacity: Engineered roller and frame selections based on your maximum product weight per roller and per section
- Roller Diameter: Selected to balance load capacity, rolling resistance, and product type
- Roller Centers: Defined spacing to support minimum product length and prevent tipping or bridging
- Slope Range: Configured slope angles to provide reliable movement without uncontrolled speeds
- Environment: Suitable for typical indoor warehouse, production, and distribution environments
- Materials: Steel frames and rollers with appropriate finishes; alternative materials available for specific conditions
Typical Layouts & Use Cases
A typical Gravity Roller Conveyor layout might include short sections feeding each pack station, longer sections connecting stations to consolidation areas, and staging lanes near shipping where cartons wait for palletizing or loading. Slight declines can be used to move product with minimal push, while flat sections support ergonomic manual handling where workers need to interact with product.
Example Use Case
A distribution operation wanted to improve packing efficiency without adding complex automation. GlobalRoll configured a Gravity Roller Conveyor System that ran along a row of pack stations, with short spur sections into each workstation and a main gravity line feeding a powered takeaway conveyor. Adjustable stands allowed the slope and working height to be tuned for each station. The system reduced walking, improved pack speed, and gave the facility a flexible, low-cost layout that could be easily changed as volumes and workflows evolved.
Quality, Traceability & Maintenance
Although gravity conveyors are mechanically simple, GlobalRoll still builds them using engineering-controlled templates. Roller types, frame profiles, stand designs, and hardware kits are standardized in our BOMs and routings, ensuring consistent quality and performance across all gravity sections in your facility.
Standardized components allow you to treat gravity sections as a product line rather than one-off builds. Roller sets, frame assemblies, and stand kits can be tracked and reordered using consistent part numbers, simplifying maintenance, expansion, and spare parts planning.
Maintenance requirements are minimal but important: periodic checks of roller condition, stands, and fasteners keep the system running smoothly. Because models are modular and standardized, sections can be swapped or reconfigured quickly with minimal downtime, making gravity conveyors a practical long-term tool for evolving operations.
Ready to Configure Your Gravity Roller Conveyor System?
If you need a simple, flexible way to move cartons and totes between workstations, staging areas, or adjacent processes, a Gravity Roller Conveyor System can often deliver the best value. GlobalRoll will help you define product types, slopes, and workstation requirements, then configure a solution from proven gravity conveyor modules.
Downloads & Resources
Use these references to design, plan, and maintain your gravity conveyor layouts.
- Gravity Roller Conveyor System Overview (PDF)
- Gravity Roller Conveyor Technical Datasheet (PDF)
- Gravity Conveyor Layout & Slope Planning Checklist (PDF)
- Maintenance & Inspection Quick Guide (PDF)