Bucket Conveyors: Five Key Buying Tips

If you are sourcing or purchasing a bucket conveyor, it is important to recognize the essential differences between the offerings of various equipment suppliers. This blog contains a checklist of five key tips to be aware of when making your buying decision.

Bucket Conveyor Buying Tips

Tip #1: Look for Energy efficiency

With today’s increased awareness about energy conservation, it is important to choose equipment that is energy efficient. TipTrakTM bucket conveyors achieve high energy efficiency by employing low-friction drive assemblies and energy efficient motors. These features contribute to lower energy consumption and operating costs.

Tip #2: Consider the Advantages of a Rubber versus a Metal Chain.

Most bucket conveyors available in the market today employ metal chains. These chains can be noisy, and require periodic tightening and lubrication. In contrast, TipTrakTM bucket conveyors employ a unique rubber BeltChain which eliminates the drawbacks of metal chains. TipTrakTM rubber BeltChains never require lubrication or tightening, and the chain runs much quieter than a metal chain. In addition to these advantages, TipTrakTM rubber BeltChains can be application tailored – we have a wide array of proprietary rubber formulations which suit specific applications and operating conditions.

A unique advantage of the TipTrakTM rubber Beltchain is that because it is a single length, it can be quickly removed and installed when undertaking maintenance – there is no need to remove each individual bucket. In addition, an optional belt harness can be provided to further expedite the belt change-out process. These advantages ensure minimal equipment downtime and throughput loss.

Tip #3: Look for Interlocking versus Overlapping Buckets

Many bucket conveyor designs use overlapping buckets, where the buckets “ride” on each other as they travel through the horizontal section conveyor. Unfortunately, these designs allow product spillage as the buckets become separated during their travel through the curves and vertical section of the conveyor. Unlike these designs, TipTrakTM conveyors have interlocking buckets where the buckets remain seamlessly joined and never separate during their entire travel. This feature virtually eliminates product spillage, increasing product yields and avoiding the resource consumption associated with cleanup.

Tip #4: Consider Application Readiness

When buying equipment on price alone, it is easy to overlook the suitability of equipment to the application at hand. Lower priced machines often lack the accurate application tailoring that can mean the difference between a successful acquisition and an unsuccessful one. Every TipTrakTM bucket conveyor is “customerized” to each customer’s specific application requirements. This assures seamless integration with upstream and downstream equipment, precise material handling and throughput, and unmatched reliability and performance when put into use.

Tip #5: Evaluate Service and Support

Choosing the right equipment is only one aspect of the equipment buying process. Buyers should consider the total life cycle of the product being purchased to avoid unforeseen costs. This includes evaluating a vendor’s ability to provide service and support, especially when unplanned downtime occurs. Every TipTrakTM conveyor we sell is backed up with a full portfolio of service and support, from equipment commissioning, training, preventive maintenance program, replacement parts, detailed installation and maintenance manuals, instructional videos, and onsite service if required. We have over 45 years’ experience in supplying fully reliable equipment and service to our industry partners.

If you are sourcing a new bucket conveyor, or replacing a unit currently in service, our application specialists will be pleased to guide and assist you in your purchase. Please contact our sales team today!