There are two primary ways to categorize accumulation conveyors:
- By material-handling configuration: How the system stores, moves, and returns products to the production line.
- By pressure-control method: How much contact or force is allowed between products while they accumulate.
These categories can overlap. For example, an inline accumulation conveyor may use zero-pressure controls, while a bi-directional table may allow products to accumulate through controlled contact.
Accumulation Conveyor Types by Material-Handling Configuration
The following accumulation conveyor types are distinguished by their physical layout and how products move through the accumulation area.
Rotary Accumulation Tables
A rotary accumulation table uses a rotating circular surface to temporarily collect and move products between stages of a production or packaging line. Products may enter automatically from a conveyor or be manually placed onto the table.
Inline Accumulation Tables
An inline accumulation table uses a widened conveyor surface to temporarily hold products while maintaining their general direction of travel. It receives products directly from upstream equipment and transfers them to the next manufacturing or packaging stage.
Recirculating Accumulation Tables
A recirculating accumulation table, sometimes called a reflow or flow-through accumulation table, continuously moves products through a looping path until downstream equipment is ready to receive them.
Products that cannot immediately exit the system are returned to the accumulation area rather than being stopped or manually removed.
Bi-Directional Accumulation Tables
A bi-directional accumulation table uses conveyor sections moving in opposing directions to store excess products and automatically return them to the production line when downstream capacity becomes available.
These systems are often configured around first-in, last-out product handling, although the exact release sequence depends on the equipment layout and controls.
Accumulation Loop Conveyors
An accumulation loop conveyor uses a dedicated closed conveyor path to circulate products until downstream equipment is ready to receive them.
Unlike a compact recirculating table, an accumulation loop generally uses a longer conveyor circuit that extends around a defined section of the production floor.
Accumulation Conveyor Types by Pressure Control
Accumulation conveyors can also be categorized by the amount of pressure allowed to build between products while they are stopped.
Zero-Pressure Accumulation Conveyors
Zero-pressure accumulation conveyors prevent products from touching while they wait. Sensors and controls divide the conveyor into independently operated zones, stopping each product before it reaches the item ahead of it.
When downstream capacity becomes available, the zones release products individually or in a controlled sequence.
Minimum-Pressure Accumulation Conveyors
Minimum-pressure accumulation conveyors allow products to lightly touch while limiting the amount of force applied to the accumulated line.
The conveyor continues applying reduced drive pressure so products remain together without experiencing the full force generated by a traditional continuously driven conveyor.
Contact Accumulation Conveyors
Contact accumulation conveyors allow products to collect directly against one another while the conveyor continues applying drive force.
As additional products enter the accumulated line, pressure can increase, particularly near the front of the queue.
How the Two Accumulation Conveyor Categories Work Together
Material-handling configuration and pressure control describe different aspects of an accumulation system.
The configuration determines where products go and how they move through the accumulation area. Pressure control determines what happens when those products approach or contact one another.
A single system can therefore fall into both categories:
- An inline accumulation conveyor may use zero-pressure zones to keep cartons separated.
- A rotary accumulation table may use contact accumulation because products collect together on the rotating surface.
- A bi-directional accumulation table may use controlled mass flow to accumulate stable containers.
- A recirculating accumulation system may keep products moving rather than allowing pressure to build in a stationary queue.
Understanding both classifications makes it easier to compare systems accurately.
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