When it comes to conveyor belting, there are a lot of different applications that require hundreds of different styles of belting. In this blog post we are going to break down some of the different kinds of belts, what their application is, and what materials are used to make them.
These are what you imagine when you think of a conveyor system. These are hands down the most prevalent way to convey materials across a number of industries. On flat belt conveyors there are a series of pulleys that are used to move a single continuous loop of material around them. When it comes to the actual conveyor, they usually have pulleys at each end to move the actual belt. Belt conveyors give precise control of the products being conveyed. That is why they are used in situations where conditions, applications, and products being conveyed are varying.
These belts can either be laced or made endless to where one will use a tension pulley to make the belt is tight on the system. When it comes to the materials that are being used to make the belts, there are a lot. Some common materials are PVC, polyester, rubber, Kevlar, cotton, polyurethane, polyolefin, nylon, and more. Since these conveyors vary in conditions and applications, you need to pick your belt appropriately. We have several articles on our home page for pricing of these materials and articles comparing different materials on our conveyor and transmission weekly blog. Here is a summary of the materials for those who are just looking for the overview. Rubber and PVC are the most commonly used materials and are therefore the cheapest. Polyurethane is more expensive because; it is abrasion resistant, has a better release of materials, and is more chemically resistant than rubber. Kevlar is typically used in high temperature applications since it is a flame-resistant material. All other materials are used for specific purposes such as chemical resistance during the production process.
These conveyors are all equipment with rollers that are meant to withstand the weight and speed of the products that are being conveyed. When it comes to these kinds of conveyor belts, you need to discuss the three different kinds of roller conveyors. Depending on which kind of roller conveyor that you are using, there will be a completely different style of belt.
This is similar to the flat belt conveyor, however, the belts are supported by non-driven rollers. This set up allows the conveyor to have a coefficient of friction of only 5%. This allows heavier materials to be moved longer distances due to the decrease in friction. These belts have width that usually range from 12-36 inches and are usually made out of black PVC.
This conveyor system consists of one or two belts that are motorized and used to drive all of the rollers on the machine. A lot of the time, these belts have a kevlar core with covers made from tempered polyurethane. A great example of this can be seen in Nitta’s CFTG series .
These rollers are driven by a line shaft that runs perpendicular to all of the rollers on the machine. The line shaft is driven by clear round belts that are made of urethane.
These “belts” are made up of countless interlocked pieces of hard plastic. The benefits to these are that if a certain section breaks, it can be removed and replaced like lego bricks. The shape of the pieces can be made so that the belt can go in a straight line, up/down inclines and declines, and around corners. Since these belts are made of plastic, they are easier to wash and less likely to break due to sharp abrasive materials. Common materials that are used to make these belts are nylon, acetal, polypropylene, and polyethylene. If you click here, you can see an article that goes into more detail on the materials that are used to make these pieces. Chemical resistance, heat resistance, strength, and impact resistance will always determine the material that is used to make the pieces.
These belts have sections, pockets or dividers that are (generally) equally spaced and used to secure the product. This is a fabrication that can be done to most styles of belting at the customer’s request. Here are some of the common kinds of cleats that are found on conveyor belts.
These are all styles of cleats that stand perpendicular to the surface of the belt and provide support for materials being handled. The heights of these cleats range from 1/2”-6” with 2 part constructions going all the way out to 14.5”. These are used for light duty jobs conveying delicate materials. There are wider versions of these cleats that are often referred to as beefy cleats.
These are a style of cleat with a wide base that can be curved to scoop up granular materials. Scoop cleats usually range from 1”-5”. When a forward leaning L/Scoop cleat has a bend in the middle of it, it is referred to as an S cleat.
These are two inches or less in height and can withstand impacts. They create a trough-like effect and are used to convey heavy, abrasive, and large pieces of bulk materials.
Lugs and Pegs are used to meet the specific needs of the product that are being conveyed. One example of this is to make sure that liquids run off the belt. Lugs are generally shaped liked and the same size as those of standard V-belts. Square cleats are very similar to lugs but are square shaped instead of shaped like a trapezoid. Lugs/pegs range in sizes from 3/8”-1”.
Sidewall is used to create trough running the whole length of the belt. This is ideal for keeping materials on the belt and increase product load capacity. These sidewalls can be corrugated to section off parts of the belt.
Incline and decline conveyor belts are very similar. They both need a rough, anti-skid surface that holds materials as they go up or down the incline/decline system. These are a cleaner alternative to bucket conveyors. When it comes to incline conveyors, there are two kinds. Regular incline is anything up to 18 degrees. Steep incline is anything between 18 to 90 degrees. In reference to decline conveyors, they are a continuous operating system with an articulated frame that has a pivoted section to allow the downward movement of products from the higher location.
Modular belts, timing belts, and cleated belts can all be used for this application. In reference to the modular belts, incline/decline conveyors usually use a plastic chain lattice with a flush high friction surface. When dealing with conveyors that are less than 30 degrees of incline, smooth conveyor belting is a common option. This has a rough surface to hold the material with a smooth underside so that it can glide. Cleats or chevron belting can be added to increase adherence to the belt. Anytime you are dealing with steep inclines over 30 degrees you will need pocket cleated belts or corrugated sidewall. Electro-adhesion conveyor belts are another option for incline/decline scenarios. These act like magnets and are activated by a switch to secure iron dense materials to the belt. Low amp power strips are used to power electrically conductive materials that are knitted into the belt. Other materials that are used in incline/decline belting due to their grip are:
Standard roughtop
Grip top/mini rough top
Jink wave
Diamond top
Tab surfaces
V-top surfaces
Cross rib surfaces
Quadrangular surface
Waffle surface with inverted pyramid
Fishbone structure
Meat cleat
Saw tooth surface
Crescent top
Orange peel
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