One of the most misunderstood belt conveyor idler assembly types in the industry is the “mighty” picking idler. It is also known as an “unequal” troughing idler however the former name for this assembly is perhaps more descriptive. While the wing rollers in the assembly will still form the conveyor belt that it carries into a trough shape, perhaps the most recognizable feature of this type of idler assembly is the fact that the middle roller(s) is longer than the wing rollers, thus making it an “unequal” idler. The moniker “picking idler” therefore comes from one use of this type of idler in food processing plants whereby slow-moving conveyor belts loaded with fruit, vegetables, etc. will allow for workers to “pick” the undesirable product off of the belt, due to the low trough height. Read more →