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24V MDR Conveyors

24VDC technology (also known as Motorized Drive Roller or MDR) has been on the market since the early 1990s, and it has matured with increasing affordability to become a widely used general purpose conveyor technology selection for a variety of applications. This technology uses a small motor inside each roller to drive a segment of a conveyor.

One of the most overwhelming differences owners notice immediately are its ultra low (office quality) noise levels, resulting in a substantially improved operator working environment. Unlike “sleep mode” used on competitive designs, where a few tread rollers are disengaged, the entire conveyor stays off and only portions start when needed.

Another striking difference is the ease of maintenance and reduction in spare parts count. No expensive motors or oil-filled gear reducers, chains to lubricate or belts to track. Spare parts are reduced to a handful and are easy to replace. No compressed air is required for zero pressure accumulation, which can be a benefit in small warehouses.

One of the most expensive portions of the total landed conveyor system cost is the electrical wiring, conduit and installation, but not with MDR conveyor. Power is extracted from 120VAC, single phase power supplies and often for small installations, the conveyor is simply plugged in like an appliance.

The system has built-in variable speed control without the use of expensive frequency drives, and the driver cards provide for zero pressure accumulation without the need for PLCs or other controllers. This can be a big benefit for small installations.

As one can imagine the resulting reconfigurability benefits are tremendous. As your requirements change and grow, a system can be easily modified in a few hours rather than a few days, enabling you to capture revenue without extended downtime. This also allows for the ability to quickly retrofit existing installations.

Because torque is distributed and not concentrated in a large motor, the conveyors are extremely safe for your operators. Plus no hazardous 480V power is required. Some customers ask us if the low-voltage motors are as electrically efficient as conventional conveyors. Absolutely! Our experience is that an MDR system will use one-third to one-half the power consumed by a 480V system. Contact us and we will be happy to provide a proforma power savings estimate for your application.

• Modular design improves layout/easy to reconfigure
• Low profile improves ergonomics in stacked applications.
• Run on demand/less noise, wear, and energy
• All-electric operation
• Compact low profile/multi-level usage
• Reversible/less hardware required
• No scheduled maintenance/lower operating cost
• Improves working environment (quieter, safer, better ergonomics and cleaner operation)
• Lower power consumption
• Low voltage/safety and lower cost
• Simple installation/lower cost
• Wash down versions available
• Variable speed/versatility to suit each requirement
• Choice of control level to meet needs and budget