Profab Machine makes stainless steel roller conveyors and conveyor rollers in 304 and 316L, in gravity, powered, and chain-driven layouts. The tube, axle, and frame are stainless steel. We build to your width, roller pitch, and section length, and we accept OEM production runs.
A roller conveyor is a frame that carries a row of rollers. The product rides on the rollers by gravity, a push, or a drive. Stainless steel is used for the tube, the axle, and the frame where daily washdown, caustic or acid cleaning, or salt would corrode carbon steel.
We build custom stainless steel rollers and roller conveyor sections to your drawing. A complete line also needs a drive, controls, and guarding, which we review with you.
The conveyor type depends on the product weight, the line speed, the need to accumulate, and whether the conveyor must stop product without back-pressure. The three types below can share the same stainless roller and frame. We confirm the drive with you.
Stainless steel gravity roller conveyors have free-spinning rollers in a fixed frame that move product by hand, by a slight incline of about 1° to 3°, or by momentum from upstream equipment. With no motor, gearbox, or chain, there is no electrical enclosure to seal against washdown and fewer places for residue to collect. It suits assembly staging, accumulation lanes, and packing out-feed.
A powered roller (MDR) conveyor has a motor built into one tube that drives the rollers next to it through drive bands. A low-voltage DC motor is a common choice for washdown. Switching zones on and off lets product accumulate without pushing against the next carton. We make the stainless frame and rollers. The drive and controls are matched to your line in a system review.
A chain-driven live roller (CDLR) conveyor has roller chain under the bed and drives each roller through a sprocket, which moves drums, IBC totes, pallets, and heavy crates that light drives cannot. We make the 316L tubes, the stainless chain, and the sprockets. Motors and gearboxes are matched to your system in a review.
Roller diameter and wall gauge set the load per roller on a stainless steel roller conveyor. Give the product length, width, and weight when you enquire, and we calculate the roller pitch so at least three rollers always support the shortest product in your mix.
| Roller Diameter | Wall Gauge | Typical Roller Capacity | Typical Frame Capacity per ft |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 3/8 in (35 mm) | 16 ga (1.5 mm) | 90 lbs | ~180 lbs |
| 1 5/8 in (41 mm) | 16 ga (1.5 mm) | 100 lbs | 235 lbs |
| 1 3/4 in (45 mm) | 11 ga (3 mm) | 290 lbs | ~400 lbs |
| 2 1/2 in (63 mm) | 11 ga (3 mm) | 594 lbs | ~800 lbs |
| 3 1/2 in (89 mm) | 7 ga (4.5 mm) | 1,000+ lbs | Custom |
| Custom | Per spec | Per calc | Per application |
These are typical values for a 20 in (510 mm) roller length, for reference only. Capacity depends on the tube, the shaft, the bearing, and the roller length, so confirm it against your load before ordering. Typical ranges: between-frame widths of 12 to 60 in (up to 96 in on request), section lengths of 5 ft and 10 ft, and roller pitch of 1.5 to 12 in, with custom pitch available.
A stainless steel roller conveyor is only as clean as its weakest part. In a washdown the bearing is often the first to fail. Choose the build by how the line is cleaned.
| Cleaning Level | Typical Build |
|---|---|
| Wipe-down, low splash | 304 tube, plastic housing bearing |
| Regular hose washdown | 304 tube and axle, sealed bearing |
| Frequent CIP | 304 or 316L, continuous weld, sealed bearing |
| Sterile area | 316L, smooth surface finish, grease agreed per project |
| Sealed bearing | Keeps water out and is replaced when worn. Use it for washdown. |
| Shielded bearing | Can be re-greased and runs faster. Keep it out of wet zones. |
| Sleeve bearing | Self-lubricating and quiet, for light to medium loads. |
A conveyor roller has five material parts: the tube, the axle, the bearing, the housing, and the frame. If you name only the tube grade, the axle and the bearing can corrode from the inside in a wet or acidic area, so name every part.
304 is the usual grade for stainless steel roller conveyors in food lines cleaned with standard caustic and mild acid CIP. Its chromium and nickel give adequate corrosion resistance there. 304 also welds well, so a continuous-weld frame stays at a sensible cost.
316L is the grade for stainless steel roller conveyors where chloride-bearing sanitizers, seawater-adjacent plants, or salty and acidic product are present. Its 2 to 3% molybdenum gives a PREN of about 24, which helps the tube surface and the weld zones that attack 304.
Stainless roller conveyors are chosen where carbon steel would corrode, where daily washdown with caustic or acid chemistry is routine, and where the plant needs materials that suit product-contact surfaces. Each line needs the grade, the bearing, and the weld finish matched to how it is cleaned.
316L stainless steel roller conveyors suit evisceration lines, trimming stations, and carton handling after chilling, where hypochlorite and washdown attack welds.
304 stainless steel powered roller and gravity roller conveyors handle cans and bottles after the filler and seamer. A sealed bearing suits peracetic acid.
316L stainless steel roller conveyors carry vials, cartons, and trays between filling, inspection, and packing stations, where the surface must wash clean.
316L stainless steel roller conveyors carry fish and shellfish through fillet, grading, and packing stations, where seawater and hypochlorite attack lesser grades.
Stainless steel gravity roller conveyors carry frozen cartons between the blast freezer and cold store. The stainless axle and bearing resist freeze-thaw condensation.
316L stainless steel chain-driven live roller conveyors move drums and IBC totes at filling and staging stations, with stainless chain and sprockets that resist acid drip.
Work through these points before you request a quote, and send what you know.
| Factor | What to Confirm | Why It Matters |
|---|---|---|
| Conveyor type | Gravity, powered, or chain-driven | The type decides the drive and the frame. |
| Frame and section | Width between frames and section length | They set the layout and the supports. |
| Roller | Diameter, wall, and pitch | Capacity and product support depend on them. |
| Product | Length, width, weight, and base | At least three rollers should carry the shortest product. |
| Grade | 304 or 316L, for the tube, axle, and frame | The cleaning chemistry decides the grade. |
| Bearing | Sealed, shielded, or sleeve | A sealed bearing suits washdown. |
| Environment | Washdown method, temperature, and chemicals | They drive the material and weld finish. |
We CNC machine your stainless steel roller conveyor rollers and axles ourselves, so you deal directly with the factory.
Send a drawing or your product dimensions and weight. Our engineers will review the roller pitch, the frame, and the material before cutting metal. Samples are typically ready in about 20 days.
Pricing is tiered by order quantity, so the price per roller falls as the quantity rises. We are glad to talk through terms for long-term partnerships.
Not seeing your question? Email us at [email protected] and we typically reply same day.
Ask for continuous welds at every frame joint, not stitch or skip welds, with the beads on product-zone surfaces ground flush to a smooth profile. That removes the crevices that trap residue and resist CIP fluid.
Use at least three rollers under the shortest product in your mix, so the maximum pitch is the shortest length divided by three, rounded down to a standard pitch. For a 300 mm carton, that is 100 mm. Soft or uneven loads, such as fresh produce, flexible packs, and cans without a rigid base, usually need a tighter pitch of 50 to 75 mm to stop tipping and sag.
A sealed bearing has a seal on both sides that keeps washdown water and chemicals out, and it is replaced when it wears. A shielded bearing has a metal shield that keeps out large particles but lets moisture in, and it allows re-greasing and higher speed, so keep it out of direct-wash areas.
We make the stainless frame, rollers, axles, chain, and sprockets to your drawing. Motors, gearboxes, and controls are matched to your line in a system review, so tell us the line you need and we will say which parts we make.
Send a drawing, or give the conveyor type, width between frames, roller diameter and pitch, section length, the product dimensions and weight, the grade, and how the line is cleaned.
Send the conveyor type, frame width, roller size and pitch, section length, grade, and product weight.
Our engineers review your roller conveyor request or drawing and send you a specific quote within 24 hours.
Standard lead time for roller conveyors is 30 days. Custom designs are sampled before the full production run.
We ship roller conveyors by sea, air, or express courier. A tracking number follows once the order ships.
We support small-batch and prototype runs with no hard minimum order quantity. A first prototype run is typically around 100 pieces.
If you already have drawings, email [email protected] directly and we will quote from them.
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