The biggest cause of delay in conveyor quotations is not price — it is missing information. Gather these numbers before contacting any supplier and weeks of back-and-forth collapse into a single accurate proposal.
1. The product
What exactly is being moved? Discrete units (cartons, bottles, crates) or bulk material (sand, grain, cement)? This comes first because it decides the conveyor type outright. Bulk → troughed. Units → belt, modular or slat chain.
2. Load per linear metre
Not the weight of one item — the total weight sitting on each metre of conveyor at worst-case loading. This number decides the support: under 40 kg/m on a skid plate, up to 150 kg/m on rollers, beyond that special configurations.
3. Length and width
Length from pick-up to discharge in metres (noting that a skid conveyor stays practical to roughly 25 m). Width follows from the product's largest dimension plus side clearance — not from a guess.
4. Speed or required throughput
Either metres per minute or, better, units per hour the line must deliver. The second lets the supplier calculate speed and product spacing for you.
5. Operating environment
Temperature, humidity, washdown with water and detergent, direct food contact, dust, acids. The environment dictates material: polypropylene, polyethylene, AISI 304 or 316.
Two things people forget:
• Elevation and incline — if there is a level change, say so. An incline changes the belt type (cleated instead of smooth) and changes the drive calculation. • The path — straight or with corners? Corners determine whether you need a radius modular belt or side-flexing chain rather than two separate conveyors.
When you send these figures with a quotation request, attach a photo or short video of the location if you can. An image answers a dozen questions about available space and heights.
