Written by Paul Montgomery, Marketing Leader at PRAB. Reviewed by Mike Hook, VP of Sales. Published July 22, 2026. Last updated July 22, 2026.

Quick Answer: The right metal scrap conveyor depends on four variables: scrap type, coolant load, throughput volume, and plant layout. Steel belt conveyors handle mixed, abrasive, wet or dry scrap and are the most versatile option. Pivot belt conveyors are built for oily, thin-gauge stamping scrap that clings to belts. Oscillating conveyors excel at moving hot, wet, or abrasive chips with minimal maintenance. Magnetic conveyors move ferrous chips without carryover. Pneumatic conveyors handle long-distance or overhead routing. PRAB’s conveyor selection tool matches your specific scrap and coolant profile to the right configuration before you buy.

Thirteen conveyor types exist for a reason: no single design handles every combination of scrap, fluid, and floor plan equally well. Picking the wrong one does not just underperform, it creates carryover, jams, and premature wear that show up as unplanned downtime months after installation.

The Four Variables That Actually Determine Conveyor Choice

Scrap type. Chip size, chip form (fine versus bushy), and material (aluminum, steel, cast iron, titanium) determine belt style, trough geometry, and drive sizing. A conveyor sized for fine aluminum turnings will not perform the same way on bushy steel wads.

Coolant load. Wet versus dry scrap changes belt perforation, carryover prevention, and fluid retention design. Pivot belt conveyors are built specifically for oily, sticky scrap that would cling to a standard belt. Oscillating conveyors handle wet, abrasive environments well, with over 98% uptime documented in stamping operations.

Throughput volume. High-volume, multi-shift operations need continuous-duty designs with long-life wear components. Steel belt conveyors and drag chain conveyors are specified for the highest-throughput environments.

Plant layout. Z-style, L-style, straight, in-floor trough, and pneumatic routing accommodate nearly any floor plan. Pneumatic conveyors are the right call when scrap needs to travel long distances or overhead without floor-level routing.

A Simple Rule of Thumb

  • Versatile and heavy-duty: Steel Belt
  • Sticky or oily stamping scrap: Pivot Belt
  • Horizontal chip transfer, wet and abrasive: Oscillating
  • Ferrous chips without carryover: Magnetic

Why the Decision Is Worth Getting Right the First Time

PRAB conveyor systems are engineered for 20 to 30 years of continuous operation, with documented installations exceeding 40 years, and are backed by the Performantee Guarantee. Getting the configuration wrong at the outset does not just cost performance, it shortens that service life considerably. That is why PRAB’s engineering team evaluates your actual scrap and coolant data, not a generic industry profile, before any system is specified or quoted, using free materials testing to confirm sizing before you commit capital.

Further Reading

Not sure which conveyor fits your operation? Try PRAB’s conveyor selection tool or talk with an expert.

About the Author: Paul Montgomery is the Marketing Leader at PRAB, Inc., bringing more than 20 years of B2B marketing leadership experience, including CMO and VP roles where he drove measurable growth such as 300% year-over-year revenue increase and an 83% reduction in customer acquisition costs. At PRAB, Paul leads SEO/AEO strategy and content development across the company’s metal scrap and fluid recycling equipment lines.

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