Modular Conveyors
Reliable, Efficient and Versatile Conveyance
When your production line changes and your conveyor can't keep up, everything slows down. Retooling traditional belt systems for a new product size, layout adjustment, or facility expansion means extended downtime, expensive replacements, and lost throughput. A modular conveyor solves that problem at its core. Span Tech's modular conveyor systems are engineered so you can reconfigure, extend, repair, and adapt your conveyance without tearing out entire sections of your line.
Unlike conventional fixed-belt designs, Span Tech's modular belt conveyor is built on an interlocking plastic chain-link system connected by precision-milled rods. Individual links can be swapped, added, or removed without disassembling the entire conveyor. Need to widen the belt? Change the chain pattern. Need to extend a run? Add sections. Need to replace a worn link? Pull a single rod, swap the piece, and get back to production in minutes rather than hours.
This level of flexibility is what sets Span Tech apart from other modular belt conveyor manufacturers. Every component we produce is manufactured in-house at our facility in Glasgow, Kentucky, giving us complete control over quality and ensuring that a replacement part ordered five years from now will fit and perform exactly like the original.
COMMONLY USED IN THESE INDUSTRIES
Modular Conveyor Systems for Every Industry
Span Tech's modular conveyor solutions serve operations across food production, beverage processing, pharmaceutical manufacturing, cosmetics, packaging, e-commerce fulfillment, and general manufacturing. Here's what that looks like in practice:
- Food & Beverage: Our modular systems accumulate, merge, divide, incline, and vertically convey products through complex processing lines. Open chain designs allow thorough washdown access, and materials meet food-grade requirements. The Tube Top chain option reduces back pressure with freely rotating tubes, protecting delicate items during accumulation.
- Pharmaceutical & Cosmetics: Sterile environments demand conveyors that are easy to clean, resistant to cross-contamination, and reliable enough to avoid unplanned stops. Span Tech's modular belt conveyor design delivers accessibility at every point along the conveyor path, so sanitation teams can do their work without fighting the equipment.
- Manufacturing & Packaging: Product changeovers happen constantly. Span Tech's modular architecture means you can swap chain types, adjust widths, and reconfigure layouts to match new SKUs or packaging formats. No need to buy an entirely new conveyor when your product mix shifts.
- E-Commerce & Distribution: From polybags to irregular parcels, our modular conveyor systems handle the unpredictable product shapes that define modern fulfillment. High-speed switches, powered diverts, and spiral conveyors all integrate within the same modular platform.
The Modular Advantage: Lower Total Cost of Ownership
Choosing a conveyor system is a long-term decision, and the real cost goes well beyond the purchase price. Span Tech's modular conveyor belt systems are built to deliver the lowest total cost of ownership in the plastic chain conveyor industry.
That starts with durability. Our components are manufactured from carefully selected, high-tolerance molded materials and precision-machined parts. The result is a conveyor that runs year after year with minimal part replacements and low service requirements. When you do need a replacement, our "Copy Exact" manufacturing principle guarantees dimensional and performance consistency regardless of when the part was produced.
Maintenance is where the modular advantage becomes most apparent. Traditional belt conveyors often require specialized technicians and significant disassembly to address even minor issues. With a Span Tech modular belt conveyor, your maintenance team can replace chain links, swap sections, and adjust configurations on the line. Downtime is measured in minutes, not shifts.
One Platform. Unlimited Configurations.
What makes Span Tech's approach to the modular conveyor unique is the sheer range of what a single platform can accomplish. Straight runs, horizontal curves, vertical inclines and declines, helical curves, and even full spiral elevations are all achievable within one continuous conveyor powered by a single gear motor. With other manufacturers, each directional change requires a separate conveyor, a separate drive, and a separate integration effort.
Our modular chain types give you further flexibility. SuperTight chain delivers one of the tightest turning radii on the market. PillowTop chain provides a gentle, cushioned conveying surface. Tube Top chain reduces friction during accumulation. MaxiSpan, MonoSpan, MiniLink, and J-Trax round out the lineup, each purpose-built for specific applications.
Partner with a Manufacturer That Builds Everything Under One Roof
When you work with Span Tech, you're working directly with the people who design, engineer, and manufacture your conveyor system. We're not assembling someone else's components and putting our name on them. Every sprocket, chain link, rod, drive, and frame section comes from our facility. That means faster lead times, consistent quality, and a support team that knows your system inside and out.
Ready to see what a modular conveyor can do for your operation? Contact Span Tech for a custom estimate.
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FAQs
How long does it take to install a modular conveyor system?
Installation timelines depend on the complexity of your layout, but Span Tech's modular design significantly reduces setup time compared to traditional welded or fixed-frame conveyors. Because sections connect without cutting or welding, most standard installations can be completed in a matter of days rather than weeks. More complex multi-conveyor systems with elevation changes and integration points may take longer, but the modular architecture still compresses the schedule.
Can a modular conveyor handle inclines and elevation changes?
Yes. Span Tech's modular platform supports inclines, declines, helical curves, and full spiral elevations within a single continuous conveyor run. Our Topper Lift conveyor achieves the highest incline angles in the market by using a second conveyor chain on top to hold products in place, preventing backslide even with varied product shapes and sizes.
What is the weight capacity of a modular conveyor?
How does a modular conveyor compare to a traditional belt conveyor in long-term cost?
Modular plastic chain conveyors typically cost less to own over the life of the system. Traditional PVC belt conveyors may have lower upfront pricing, but belts wear out and must be replaced entirely, often every 12 to 18 months. With a modular system, you replace individual links or small sections instead of the full belt. Combine that with lower maintenance labor, less downtime, and the ability to reconfigure rather than replace, and the total cost of ownership favors modular.
What materials are Span Tech modular conveyors made from?
Span Tech conveyors use FDA-compliant plastic chain links, precision-milled stainless steel or carbon steel rods, and frames available in stainless steel, powder-coated steel, or anodized aluminum. Material selection depends on your operating environment and sanitation requirements. Food and pharmaceutical applications typically call for stainless steel frames and food-grade chain materials.
Do modular conveyors require tracking or tensioning adjustments?
No. Span Tech's modular chain design eliminates the need for belt tracking and tensioning that traditional flat belt conveyors require. The chain is positively driven by sprockets, which keep it aligned without manual adjustments. There is no catenary sag to manage. This removes one of the most common sources of maintenance calls and unplanned downtime on conventional systems.
What is the typical lead time for a custom modular conveyor order?
Lead time varies based on the scope and complexity of the project. Because Span Tech manufactures all components in-house at our Glasgow, Kentucky, facility, we control the production schedule from start to finish. This single-source approach typically results in shorter lead times compared to manufacturers who source components from multiple suppliers. Reach out to our team for a timeline specific to your project.
“It made our life a whole lot simpler and easier” when speaking about EZGUIDE Adjustable Guiderail SpanTech’s EZGuide rail system has greatly improved change over times on our bottle filling line. We fill a wide range of bottle sizes and styles. The EZGuide system makes it easier and quicker to adjust between larger and smaller containers. One great feature is the lack of protruding rods from the sides of the conveyors. We are looking at installing this rail system on more filling lines in the near future. I feel like Span Tech offered us more diversity, custom conveyors, especially for the products that we run and how we run them. The sales and service personnel at Span Tech are always very professional and helpful throughout the entire process, from design phase, quoting, order processing and delivery of equipment. Quality equipment, professional service and knowledgeable personnel are why Arr-Tech’s choice for conveyor systems will always be Span Tech. Paradise Tomato Kitchen has used Span Tech conveyors for our sanitary food pouch conveying systems for many years. These sanitary conveyors have provided the best cost of ownership, or the lowest net present value, of any processing conveyors we have used in our food manufacturing plants. These conveyors are easy to widen, lengthen or design for curves and angles to convey our flexible pouches between unit operations. The quality of this product speaks for itself. Where the difference lies is in the quality of the organization. The whole Span Tech organization – Sales, Engineering, Service – works to serve customers’ needs, not just sell conveyors.
