A pallet conveyor must do one job well: move a loaded pallet reliably, at the right speed, without damaging the load or the line. The conveyor format underneath it, chain or roller, decides how well that job gets done in each environment.
Both formats move pallets. The difference is in what each one tolerates, what it costs to run, and where it is likely to let a site down. This is not a question of which format is better. It is a question of which format fits the pallets, the load, and the environment in front of you.
MCL specifies and builds both chain and roller pallet conveyors in house, alongside our exclusive New Zealand distribution of PulseRoller motor driven roller technology. This means the format is chosen to fit the job, not the other way around.
Feature. Chain conveyors move pallets on a positive drive chain rather than a set of powered rollers. The chain physically engages with the underside of the pallet or a carrying frame, rather than relying on friction alone.
Advantage. That positive engagement is what makes chain conveyors tolerant of pallets in poor condition. A chain drive keeps moving pallets with broken boards, protruding nails, or damage from a forklift, where a roller bed is more easily fouled or stalled by the same damage. Chain also tends to hold the higher end of the load capacity range, into the thousands of kilograms per unit.
Benefit. For sites handling heavy, irregular, or well used pallets, chain conveyors keep the line moving without needing every pallet sorted or replaced before it reaches the conveyor. This matters most in primary industry, heavy manufacturing, and any site where pallets come back into rotation many times before they are retired.
Feature. Roller conveyors move pallets across a bed of powered or free running rollers. Drive can come from a single motor across a line shaft, from zone motors, or from motor driven rollers such as PulseRoller, MCL's exclusive New Zealand line.
Advantage. Roller conveyors typically run quieter than chain, and modern motor driven roller options add zoned control, meaning sections of the line only run when a pallet is present. This suits sites where noise, energy use, or precise accumulation matter as much as raw load capacity.
Benefit. For standard, well maintained pallets in food, warehousing, or distribution environments, roller conveyors give a quieter, more controllable line, with lower running costs where zoned motor driven roller technology is used.
| Factor | Chain Conveyor | Roller Conveyor |
|
Typical load capacity |
1,000 to 1,500 plus kg, up to several thousand kg per unit |
Commonly to about 1,500 kg single drive, heavy duty models 2,000 to 5,000 kg per unit |
|
Pallet condition tolerance |
Tolerates broken boards, nails, plastic and foam pallets, and forklift impact |
Best suited to sound, regular pallets |
|
Speed range |
|
Typically 5 to 60 FPM |
|
Drive type |
AC three phase gearmotor, positive chain drive |
Can be AC or DC and MDR depending on spec |
|
Environment suitability |
Robust, handles harsh conditions |
Engineered for clean to standard industrial spaces
|
|
Noise |
Louder, chains and sprockets |
Quieter operation, especially with 24V zoning and PulseRoller MDR technology
|
|
MCL capability |
Built in-house, AC fabrication |
Exclusive New Zealand PulseRoller MDR distribution |
The right format comes down to four questions on any given site:
What condition are the pallets in, and how much do they vary?
What is the heaviest load the line needs to carry?
Does noise or energy use matter in this environment?
Does the line need zoned accumulation, or is continuous movement enough?
MCL can help your team make the right decision for your environment. If you are specifying a pallet line and are not sure which format fits, MCL's design office can talk through the load, the pallet condition, and the environment before anything is quoted.