11 Things To Include When You Ask A Conveyor Company For A Quote

A conveyor quote is only as good as the product data behind it. Most quoting delays, and most mis-specified lines needing rework after installation, trace back to five or six missing numbers, not a complicated project. Send conveyor companies a complete picture upfront, and you’ll get a custom conveyor quote back faster, priced closer to your real conveyor design requirements. Our guide on how to choose a conveyor manufacturer explains what happens after the quote, from design review to installation.

People Also Ask

What information does a conveyor company need for an accurate quote? 

Product dimensions, weight, throughput, wash regime, layout and any equipment the conveyor needs to connect with. If you leave anything out, they’ll come back asking for the missing info.

How long does a conveyor RFQ usually take to turn around? 

It depends on how complete the request is. A complete RFQ can yield a quote in days, whereas an incomplete RFQ will require back-and-forth until you provide all the necessary information.

1. Describe The Product, Not Only The Category

The terms “frozen food” or “cartons” don’t give the manufacturer much information. Instead, describe the product in detail. 

Ask:

What does the packaging look like? 

What does the item’s surface look like? 

Is it rigid, bagged, or loose? 

Two items in the same category can act completely differently on a belt. 

2. Give Dimensions And Weight, Including Worst Case

Average dimensions undersize a build. Use the largest, heaviest, and smallest item that the line needs to handle, not just a typical example. 

Use worst-case numbers, not averages, to size the frame and drive correctly.

3. State Throughput In Units Per Minute

“High volume” means nothing on a spec sheet. State a real number, units per minute or cases per hour, at both current and peak production rates. 

The gap between the two matters. A conveyor sized for your average 40 cases a minute will choke the first time a promotion pushes the line to 55.

4. Confirm Orientation And Whether It Must Be Maintained

Some products need a specific orientation preserved end to end, such as a label facing up for inspection. Others tolerate tumbling. 

State which applies, since maintaining orientation changes conveyor type and transfer design entirely.

5. Define The Wash And Sanitation Regime

Daily caustic washdown, occasional hose down, or no washdown at all changes frame material, belt type, and drive rating. 

This is one of the most common gaps in a conveyor specification, and it shapes cost more than almost any other factor.

6. Supply The Layout, Footprint, and Elevations

A rough sketch or existing facility drawing showing available floor space and elevations lets a manufacturer model the actual path instead of guessing the installation constraints.

7. Identify Infeed And Discharge Equipment

Name what feeds into the new conveyor and what it discharges onto, along with their speeds and heights. A conveyor sized correctly on its own still fails if it does not match the equipment on either side.

8. Specify Accumulation Requirements

State where buffering is needed and how much. Skip it, and a small upstream delay becomes a full line shutdown.

9. State Controls And Integration Expectations

Note the conveyor’s relationship to existing PLCs, if any; whether it needs to be driven by simple zone controllers; or its relation to a robotic cell or inspection station. 

The level of control will affect both design time and cost.

10. Note Environment, Temperature, and Regulatory Context

Freezer zones, humid rooms, and FDA or USDA-regulated production all demand different materials and finishes. 

Flag the environment upfront rather than letting a manufacturer assume standard ambient conditions.

11. Flag Installation Access And Shipping Constraints

Note doorway widths, ceiling height, existing equipment the new conveyor must fit around, and any access restrictions during install. 

This sounds obvious until a perfectly specified conveyor shows up and will not clear the loading dock door. A conveyor built to spec still causes problems if it cannot reach or fit its final location.

A Reusable Conveyor Enquiry Data Sheet

Keep one document on file with the following 11 points. Product description, dimensions, weight, throughput, orientation, wash regime, layout, connecting equipment, accumulation, controls, environment, and access. 

Reusing this for all conveyor RFQs in your plant will standardize conveyor design requirements and reduce quoting time on each subsequent project.

Complete Specs Get You A Faster, More Accurate Quote

Work through these 11 points once, and conveyor system companies in Canada have what they need to price your line against your actual product, not a rough description chased down later.

Ready to request a quote? Send your specification to sales@conovey.com or call 1 (844) 876 8889 to start the conversation with CONOVEY.