Accumulating Curve for 24V MDR Conveyor Systems
Straight accumulating conveyors handle the bulk of product transport in most systems, but every layout eventually needs a turn. Standard unpowered curves break the accumulation chain — products coast through the turn without zone control, spacing collapses, and the zero pressure logic downstream has to re-establish itself. The Roach 596PRAC solves this by extending powered zone control through the curve itself, maintaining singulated accumulation even as products change direction.
Tapered rollers inside the curve guide cartons and totes through the turn without skewing or jamming. Each curve section operates as an independent accumulation zone with photoeye actuation, the same zone logic used in the straight 596PRA sections. Products enter the curve with proper spacing and exit with proper spacing — no gaps, no contact, no loss of accumulation control.
Specifications
- Tread Rollers: 2-1/2 in. dia. to 1-11/16 in. dia. x 14 ga. steel tapered rollers, Model 254T
- Drive Belt: 3/16 in. dia. polyurethane belts, nominal 15 lbs. per roller drive
- Capacity: 15 lbs. per roller or up to 70 lbs. per zone
- Speed: 60 FPM constant
- Roller Centers: 3 in.
- Accumulation: Zone singulation operation; 24 in. zone length; photoeye actuated
- Motor Drive: Indirect driven by 24V DC powered roller
- Bearings: Precision ABEC bearings
- DC Power Supply: 24V fixed output required
Why Powered Accumulation Through the Curve Matters
In a system without powered curve accumulation, the curve becomes a dead zone. Products rely on momentum to travel through the turn, which means spacing varies depending on product weight, surface friction, and how many items are queued upstream. Lighter products may stall. Heavier products may accelerate. Downstream sensors then have to compensate for irregular spacing, which slows throughput and increases the chance of product contact.
The 596PRAC eliminates this problem by treating the curve as a full accumulation zone. The tapered rollers are powered by the same 24V DC roller drive used in the straight sections, and the photoeye sensor in the curve zone communicates with the upstream and downstream zones just like any straight section would. The result is a continuous accumulating conveyor system with no gaps in logic, no loss of zero pressure control, and no throughput penalty at the turn.
Tapered Roller Design
Flat rollers in a curve create differential speeds between the inside and outside edges of the conveyor bed, causing products to skew, rotate, or drift toward the outside rail. Tapered rollers solve this by matching the circumferential speed across the full width of the conveyor. The 596PRAC uses steel tapered rollers that taper from 2-1/2 in. diameter on the outside to 1-11/16 in. on the inside, keeping products tracking straight through the entire turn.
Integration with 596PRA Straight Sections
The 596PRAC is designed to integrate directly with Roach 596PRA straight accumulating conveyor sections. Both share the same 24V power supply, zone singulation logic, roller centers, speed, and capacity ratings. This allows system designers to build complete accumulating conveyor layouts with curves, straights, and mixed zone configurations using a single product family and control platform.
Applications
The 596PRAC is typically specified when an accumulating conveyor system requires a direction change and maintaining product separation through the turn is critical. Common installations include L-shaped or U-shaped distribution center sort lines, packaging line infeed and outfeed routing, accumulation buffers around facility columns and equipment, and any MDR conveyor layout where zero pressure accumulation must continue uninterrupted through a curve.
Industries that use powered accumulating curves include e-commerce fulfillment, distribution, third-party logistics, food and beverage packaging, pharmaceutical, and manufacturing.
Selection Assistance from Barron Equipment
Designing an accumulating conveyor system with curves requires coordinating zone lengths, speeds, controls, and layout geometry. Barron Equipment’s conveyor specialists design and install Roach conveyor systems across Iowa and the Midwest.