Direct answer. A conveyor is a fixed, continuous-flow material-handling system, rollers, belt, chain or strap, that automatically moves loads (parcels, totes, cartons or pallets) between two points in a warehouse or production line, with no manual transport. It generally runs along a fixed route, set once and for all at installation.
The main types of conveyors
There are several families depending on the load being transported and the use case: the roller conveyor (powered or gravity-fed), very common for cartons and totes in sorting or picking areas; the belt conveyor, suited to irregular or bulk loads; the chain conveyor, sturdier, used in particular to move heavy pallets between two stations; and so-called "accumulation" conveyors, capable of temporarily holding loads without moving them forward, to absorb pace differences between two workstations.
Conveyor or mobile robot (AMR)? A conveyor is fixed infrastructure: once installed, its route doesn't change without construction work, but it offers high, steady throughput on a stable, repetitive flow. An AMR, by contrast, moves autonomously and can be redeployed on a new route within hours, with no civil works, which makes it better suited to flows that evolve (new storage points, seasonal reorganization). In practice, the two solutions are often complementary rather than competing: many warehouses combine conveyor sections on the most stable, high-volume flows, with AMRs or autonomous pallet trucks on more variable flows, for example to link a receiving area to a repackaging station. A conveyor also frequently operates downstream of an automated storage and retrieval system (AS/RS), in goods-to-person setups, to carry a tote to the picking station.
FAQ
Conveyor or AMR, how do you choose?
A conveyor suits a stable, high-volume flow with a fixed route, offering high, steady throughput. An AMR suits more variable or evolving flows, since it can be redeployed on a new route without construction work. The two are often combined within the same warehouse.
What are the main types of conveyors?
The main types include the roller conveyor (parcels, totes), the belt conveyor (irregular or bulk loads), the chain conveyor (heavy pallets) and the accumulation conveyor, which temporarily stores loads to absorb pace differences between two successive workstations.
Does a conveyor require a CACES to operate?
No: a conveyor is a fixed, automated piece of equipment with no operator riding it. CACES concerns the operation of trucks by a human driver; operating and maintaining a conveyor falls under separate machine-safety rules, specific to each installation.
Related terms
Automated storage and retrieval system (AS/RS) · Goods-to-person · AMR · AGV · Fleet manager · Order picker (machine).
To compare the different types of warehouse robots: logistics robots, the types explained · logistics picking methods.
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