Rolcon offers gravity conveyor rollers that cover a wide range of applications, from light and medium to heavy-duty.
Our gravity rollers are manufactured to fit into a slightly inclined frame and use gravity to move items along a conveyor. At Rolcon, we customize high-quality gravity rollers that meet and exceed Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards, reduce vibration and extend the life of your conveyor systems. RG series rollers are an excellent choice for new and replacement conveyor roller applications and fit almost any type of conveyor system.
Applications of Gravity Conveyor Rollers
Our custom and standard gravity rollers are fit for use in low-speed or gravity-feed conveyor system applications across numerous industries. They’re suitable for helping transport small and large boxes, crates, pallets and tote boxes. Some of the industries where gravity rollers might be ideal include:
- Food and beverage
- Packing and logistics
- Postage and couriers
- Distribution and warehousing
- Air cargo and airports
- Loading docks
- Assembly areas
Features and Benefits of Gravity Rollers
Gravity rollers rely on a system’s slope, natural thrust and frictional forces to transport materials placed on the conveyor systems. Sometimes, they require a mechanical push to transport the packages along the conveyor. They have many benefits for businesses:
- Suitable for slow applications where the conveyor speed doesn’t exceed 200 feet per minute
- Use commercial-grade bearings to support and move packages and unit items
- Easy installation and simple maintenance requirements
- Affordable due to low purchasing and maintenance costs
- Energy saving as they don’t use any power or electricity to transport packages
- Impressive versatility and application adaptability
- Consistent and efficient service across a range of industries
- Can be used with indoor or outdoor conveyors
- Lightweight and suitable for temporary and permanent applications
- Heavy-Duty Gravity Rollers designed for long-term use
What to Consider When Selecting Gravity Rollers
Rolcon heavy-duty gravity conveyor rollers are available in many options, including different tubing materials, axle styles and coatings. Here are some factors to consider when choosing a gravity roller:
- Size: Our standard gravity rollers are available in diameters of 1 inch up to 2 ½ inches.
- Roller material: Rollers are made using materials such as stainless steel, galvanized steel, raw steel and PVC. Steel gravity rollers are preferred for their durability and smooth and easy-to-clean surface.
- Coating materials: Rollers are often coated using plastic sleeves or rubber coatings. Rubber coatings protect the roller and provide superior grip, anti-static, chemical resistance and durability.
You also need to choose between a range of axels and tubes and options with or without grooves. At Rolcon, we manufacture custom replacement gravity rollers suitable for a range of unique applications. Gravity rollers typically have different weight capacities to fit various applications and conveyor types.
Contact Rolcon for a Wide Selection of Gravity Conveyor Rollers
Rolcon has been in the business of manufacturing rollers and other conveyor accessories since 1988. We specialize in customizing rollers to fit your unique needs and your industry’s requirements. Our team of experts will help you select the materials, dimensions and load ratings for your new or replacement gravity rollers.
If you know the type of gravity rollers you need, contact us for a quote. You can also request more information on our gravity roller options.
Rolcon Rollers also offers custom machine shop services to produce precise parts for any need.
Frequently Asked Questions
Oiled bearings provide lower friction than grease packed. If your application calls for a free spinning roller then an oiled bearing would be your best choice. Grease packed provides better protection in some environments but will not spin as freely as oiled.
The standard rule of thumb for a gravity conveyor system is 2″ to 8″ inches of drop per 10 foot section of conveyor. This is a rule of thumb and a good starting point, but the parameters of your application such as weight of the load, type of bearing and type of environment will determine the correct pitch.
Gravity rollers are not considered a good fit for high speed applications. A good rule of thumb is if your system is running at 200′ per minute or LESS then you could use a gravity type roller. Over 200′ per minute a premimu roller is better.
The primary advanctage of a hex axle over a round axle is that it prevents the axle from rotating inside the conveyor frame. In a gravity system it is not as critical as in a powered system due to the speed differences and requirements. However it is typically cheaper to go with a hex axle due to it being the standard configuration in the conveyor industry.
PVC gravity rollers are a good choice for the following applications: Trying to reduce the weight of the system, non-marring applications, wet environments and some sanitary or food grade applicaitons.
Gravity rollers do not require regular lubrication.
The rollers on our site are our standard offerings. If you can’t find the roller you are looking for call or send and email. We do a lot of custom rollers and we can probably help you with a custom roller.
There are many ways an axle can be retained. The most common and standard way is with a spring on both sides of the axle for ease of installation. But we offer other ways to retain the axle. Call us for your specific application.
We do require a number of dimensions in order to make sure you get the correct roller. Typical dimensions are: Diameter of the tube, gage of the tube, length, size and configuration of the axle, the between frame dimension and the bearing set.
If you have any questions on how to order your roller you can always email or give us a call. You can also click here to get our instructions on how to measure your conveyor roller.
Check out this guide for all of the information we require to insure the proper sizing of your replacement roller. chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www.rolconrollers.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/How-To-Measure-A-Conveyor-Roller.pdf
A good rule of thumb is if your conveyor is running at 200′ per minute and HIGHER then a precision bearing will give you the most benefits. Lower than that a non-precision bearing will work well.
You can spot a failing bearing by looking for these four early warnng signs: Auditory – grinding or screeching, clicking or rhythmic popping and increased hum. Touch – heat and vibration. Is the bearing excessively hot to the touch? Is the frame vibrating more to the touch? Both of these indicate a failing bearing. Spin – If the roller is not spinning freely OR there is excessive wobble between the bearing and the axle the bearing could be going bad. Visual – If the bearing is “bleeding” grease or there is metal dust around the bearing it could be a sign that the bearing is going bad.