Pallet Handling Conveyors in Houston, TX — Move, Accumulate & Transfer Heavy Unit Loads
Chain driven live roller conveyor, zero pressure pallet accumulation, right-angle chain transfers, transfer cars, and powered turntables — Lone Star Automated Systems designs, supplies, and installs complete pallet handling systems across Texas.
Chain Driven Live Roller: Positive Drive for Heavy Loads
Chain driven live roller (CDLR) conveyors handle heavier loads than belt driven live roller because the driving force is positive rather than friction-based — each roller is driven by roller chain and sprockets in a roller-to-roller loop, so there's no belt to slip under a heavy pallet.
That same chain drive makes CDLR the choice for harsh environments: it keeps running in applications where oil or other contaminants would have an adverse effect on belting — machine shops, drum handling, food processing floors, and manufacturing cells.
For lighter carton and tote handling, see our live roller conveyors; for irregular or bagged loads, see belt conveyors.
What Pallet Conveyor Systems Do
Move heavy unit loads between palletizers, stretch wrappers, staging, and shipping without fork trucks.
CDLR designed to index accumulate steps pallets forward one position at a time on cue.
Loads accumulate by cascading — each pallet closes up behind the one ahead for dense staging.
Automatic zones between pallets, controlled by mechanical or photo-eye sensors, stop pallets without contact.
Chain transfers move pallets on and off the line at 90° for compact, grid-style layouts.
Transfer cars serve multiple lanes and powered turntables rotate loads for labeling, wrapping, or direction changes.
Pallet Handling Equipment We Design & Install
These building blocks combine into complete systems — from a single CDLR spur at a stretch wrapper to a full palletizing floor with transfers, cars, and accumulation lanes.
CDLR & Zero Pressure Pallet Accumulation
CDLR handles pallet transportation and can be designed to index accumulate or accumulate by cascading loads. For zero pressure accumulation, the conveyor is divided into zones between pallets that accumulate automatically — each zone controlled by mechanical or photo-eye sensors — so heavy loads stop and stage without contact.
Choose zones when: loads are unstable, product could shift, or downstream equipment releases pallets one at a time.
Chain Transfers
Chain transfers move unit loads on and off the CDLR conveyor at right angles to the direction of travel. The load is supported and conveyed by powered chains, which raise and lower between the companion CDLR rollers via an air-cylinder/cam lift mechanism or airbag lift.
Styles available: in-frame • thru-frame • thru-frame pivot — selected to match your frame widths, load, and layout geometry.
Transfer Cars
A transfer car is a powered shuttle that carries pallets along a fixed rail path between multiple conveyor lines, staging lanes, or machine centers. One car replaces long runs of fixed conveyor and cuts fork truck traffic — the efficient backbone of high-density pallet staging and palletizer floors.
Ideal for: serving many accumulation lanes with one device • connecting palletizers, stretch wrappers, and shipping lanes.
Powered Turntables
A powered turntable rotates the pallet on a circular CDLR platform — changing conveying direction in tight layouts where a curve won't fit, or presenting each side of the load for labeling, inspection, and wrapping operations.
Common uses: 90°/180° direction changes • orienting loads for print-and-apply labelers • integrating with wrapping and strapping stations.
CDLR vs. Belt Driven Live Roller at a Glance
| Factor | Chain Driven Live Roller (CDLR) | Belt Driven Live Roller (BDLR) |
|---|---|---|
| Drive principle | Positive — chain and sprockets link every roller | Friction — belt pressed under the rollers |
| Load class | Heavy unit loads: pallets, drums, containers, dies | Cartons and totes to ~150 lb unit load |
| Environment | Unaffected by oil and contaminants that ruin belting | Needs clean, dry conditions for belt life |
| Typical role | Pallet transportation, accumulation, transfers | Carton distribution, accumulation, sortation infeeds |
Handling cartons instead of pallets? See the full range of live roller conveyor systems.
Pallet Handling Conveyor FAQs
What is a CDLR conveyor?
CDLR stands for chain driven live roller — a heavy-duty powered roller conveyor where each carrying roller is driven by roller chain and sprockets. Because the drive is positive rather than friction-based, CDLR handles heavier loads than belt driven live roller and keeps working in oily or contaminated environments that would ruin a drive belt. It's the standard conveyor for moving pallets.
What is the difference between CDLR and belt driven live roller?
BDLR turns its rollers by friction from a belt pressed underneath — economical for cartons, but limited in load and vulnerable to oil and debris. CDLR drives each roller positively with chain and sprockets, so it carries far heavier unit loads and is unaffected by contaminants that would adversely affect belting.
How do you accumulate pallets on a conveyor?
CDLR can be designed to index accumulate or to accumulate by cascading loads. For zero pressure pallet accumulation, the conveyor is divided into zones between pallets that accumulate automatically — each zone controlled by mechanical or photo-eye sensors — so pallets stop and stage without contacting each other.
How does a chain transfer move a pallet at a right angle?
Powered chain strands sit between the CDLR rollers. When a pallet arrives, an air-cylinder/cam lift mechanism (or airbag lift) raises the chains above roller height, lifting the load and conveying it off at 90° to the original direction of travel. In-frame, thru-frame, and thru-frame pivot styles are available.
What is a pallet transfer car?
A transfer car is a powered shuttle that carries pallets between multiple conveyor lines, staging lanes, or machines along a fixed rail path. One car can serve many lanes, replacing long runs of fixed conveyor and reducing fork truck traffic.
Does Lone Star Automated Systems install pallet conveyors in Houston?
Yes. We're headquartered in Houston, TX and provide layout, design, supply, and installation of complete pallet handling systems — CDLR, accumulation, chain transfers, transfer cars, turntables, and controls — throughout Houston, the Gulf Coast, and all of Texas. Call 713-532-4444 for a quote.
Pallet Conveyor Design & Installation Across Texas
Lone Star Automated Systems is headquartered at 2500 Citywest Blvd., STE 150, Houston, TX 77042 and serves manufacturers, distribution centers, food and beverage plants, and warehouses throughout the Gulf Coast and statewide.
Ready to Spec Your Pallet Handling System?
Tell us your pallet sizes, weights, rates, and layout constraints. We'll design the CDLR runs, transfers, and accumulation — and quote the complete system with controls.
713-532-4444