Pallet Conveyor Systems — The 2026 Guide
Chain vs roller pallet conveyors, transfer cars, AS/RS infeed and safety.
Pallet conveyors are simple in concept and brutal in detail. Pallet quality varies, loads shift, throughput spikes, and a single jam can stop an entire AS/RS infeed. This guide collects everything Conveyor-Design publishes on pallet handling into one reference for engineers and ops managers.
1. Drive type: chain vs roller
| Criterion | Chain-driven pallet | Roller-driven pallet |
|---|---|---|
| Best load range | 200–1 500 kg | 50–800 kg |
| Pallet quality tolerance | High (handles damaged bases) | Medium |
| Throughput | Up to 600 pallets/h | Up to 400 pallets/h |
| Capex (€/m installed) | 800–1 400 | 650–1 100 |
| Use case | Heavy, mixed pallet quality | Light/medium, uniform pallets |
For mixed pallet pools in food and 3PL — where you'll see EUR, half-EUR, Düsseldorfer and damaged bases — chain-driven wins. Roller pallet works when the pallet pool is controlled.
2. Pallet quality — the silent killer
Most pallet conveyor jams trace back to pallet quality, not the conveyor. Reject criteria worth automating at goods-in:
- Missing or broken bottom boards.
- Protruding nails > 3 mm.
- Diagonal warp > 10 mm.
- Load overhang > 25 mm.
3. Direction changes and transfer cars
Pallet conveyors change direction with chain transfers, turntables or shuttle/transfer cars. Transfer cars beat turntables above ~80 pallets/h per node and are cheaper to maintain over a 10-year horizon.
4. AS/RS infeed integration
The pallet conveyor is the AS/RS's mouth. Design rules:
- Buffer ≥ 8 pallets before the AS/RS to absorb crane variability.
- Profile gauge (height, width, weight, overhang) before the buffer, not after.
- Reject lane sized for 2–5% of throughput.
- Sub-second telegram exchange with the WCS — REST is too slow.
5. Safety standards (Europe)
EN ISO 13849-1 PLd is the de facto target for pallet conveyor safety circuits in EU food and pharma facilities. Light curtains at access points, lockable maintenance gates, and category-3 e-stops linked to the safety PLC.
6. Energy and noise
VFD-driven chain conveyors at partial load use 40–60% less energy than fixed-speed drives. Noise typically sits at 70–78 dB(A) — manageable but worth budgeting acoustic enclosures in pharma.
7. Where to start
Easy Systems designs and installs pallet conveyor systems and AS/RS infeed/outfeed across the Benelux, with the simulation and emulation discipline needed to hit throughput on day one.
Every article in this guide.
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Planning a new conveyor or automation project?
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