In manufacturing there are a variety of ways that you can elevate products. One of the most elegant options is a spiral elevator.  

The name is pretty straight forward. Spiral elevators are shaped like corkscrews, and they allow products to move up and down between different heights. 

Why would you want a spiral elevator rather than a side grip conveyor, or maybe an alpine style conveyor to change elevation? 

Well, side grip conveyors, also known as wedge conveyors, might compress your product or you might have an open top that you don’t want to spill. Spiral elevators don’t have either of these problems – products move up and down on spirals in the same orientation and depending on the design of the spiral elevator itself may not even really touch the guiderails except occasionally. That’s good news if you have delicate products. 

When would you choose a spiral over an alpine style conveyor? The simple answer is space. Spiral elevators are a very compact option for elevation changes in a plant. Due to the “switch back” design of an alpine conveyor they can take up valuable floor space that many facilities just don’t have to spare. 

“So, Lauren,” you say, “spiral elevators sound amazing. Don’t I always want one of them then?”

If only it was that easy! This is where doing some research, or talking to an expert is useful. Depending on your product, and what all you are hoping to do with it, a spiral elevator might not be your ideal solution. Do you need to accumulate? You can’t do that on a spiral elevator. Spirals are also a bit more limited in height changes because they are pre-formed rather than built to your exact need. We could build you a side grip conveyor or alpine with just about any reasonable inlet and discharge heights; but with spiral conveyors there are a handful of options and configurations and we have to work within them. 

As always we are here to help. Get in touch with us to get a quote on the right elevation option for you!