Importance of conveying engineering

Conveyor technology is the technique of moving work objects and people using technical aids in any direction and over limited distances. It also includes the teaching of the funds and the systems formed by them.

Conveying is one of the most important functions of material flow and includes a variety of interesting techniques:

• Continuous conveyors, such as belt, chain, belt and gravity conveyors and roller conveyors for the quasi-continuous movement of piece goods,
• Belt and chain conveyors as well as pneumatic and vibratory conveyors for transporting bulk material over short but also particularly long distances,
• Conveyor, storage and picking systems for production and goods distribution processes,
• Forklifts, trolleys, tractors and driverless transport systems in production and storage areas,
• Cranes and elevators for heavy goods in the fields of construction industry and traffic engineering,
• Storage racks, storage and retrieval machines as well as fully automatic, computer-controlled storage and distribution systems
• Control and information systems including the simulation of material flow processes.

Conveyor technology is a sector of the economy that is becoming increasingly important. This technology is subject to constant change, primarily due to the use of modern control and computer technology. The inclusion of new materials results in new principles of action and thus completely new constructions.

The following statistics show the turnover in German mechanical engineering by selected sectors in 2015 and 2016. The turnover relates to the manufacture of the specified machines and includes the domestic and foreign turnover of companies with 50 and more employees.

The increasing importance of conveyor technology is particularly evident in the growth of the industry compared to other branches of mechanical engineering. In 2016, sales of around 15.8 billion euros were achieved compared to 15.3 billion euros in the previous year. This corresponds to an above-average increase of approx. 3.3%

Turnover in German mechanical engineering by selected sectors in 2020 and 2021 (in billion euros)

You can find more interesting statistics at Statista.

The knowledge of materials handling technology imparted in the courses is valuable for every graduate of a mechanical engineering degree with regard to a wide range of later possible applications as an engineer.