Conveyor belts: the different types and what they're used for

Before the invention of conveyor belts, material handling involved incredible effort, time, and manpower. Today, conveyor belts are a crucial tool in the material handling industry and are most commonly used to transport bulk materials safely and efficiently. 

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Belt conveyor systems consist of two or more pulleys, also known as drums, with the belt on an endless loop. The drive pulley moves the belt while the idler pulley is unpowered and redirects the belt. Side guide rollers help protect the conveyor belt and prevent premature wear.

Companies that understand the different types of conveyor belts can choose the safest and most efficient system for their needs. We list a few different types of conveyor belts below. 

General use conveyor belts

A common type of conveyor belt is solid belts made from rubber or fabrics such as nylon, polyester, nitrile, or neoprene. The right type of belt material depends on your use. For example, rubber conveyor belts are typically used in mining and milling industries, while grocery stores commonly use PVC belts. 

Woven metal conveyor belts

Interlinking chains or wiring make up woven metal belts to allow for airflow. This design is made for industries that require drying, cooling, and the heating of food, electronics, glass, and more. Conveyor belt manufacturers can build woven metal belts to the company&#;s specifications. 

Plastic interlocking conveyor belts 

Plastic belts are a modular alternative to metal interlocking belts and are ideal for applications that require frequent cleaning and belt replacement. You&#;ll commonly see plastic belts in food handling, packing processes, or in the automotive industry.

Filter belts

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Industries that use filter belts include water treatment companies, breweries, and chemical factories. Filter belts are made of metal or synthetic fibres and drain excess liquid, filter out toxins, and allow particulates to pass through. 

Hinged belts

Hinged belts feature interlocking hinges that are capable of rotating around the pulley system while offering a flat, solid surface. Hinged conveyor belts are often used for small products and recycling applications. 

Final thoughts

Whether you need a conveyor system to transport sensitive materials or one that can handle bulk-steel handling, conveyor belt manufacturers like Luff Industries can design and engineer a belt specific to your application. 

A rubber conveyor belt is a type of continuous moving belt that transports materials or packages from one place to another. In other words, this is a solid band made of tough, long-lasting substances, upon which different materials are conveyed. They are made from a variety of materials, ranging from rubber compounds and leather to urethane and PVC to wire mesh composed of assorted metals, like stainless steel and carbon steel. Rubber conveyor belts are very popular and widely used in various industries to transport and process materials from one point to another. They are widely used in conveyor systems. Multiple belting are used to transfer or shift power from one rotating shaft to another on conveyor systems. They are available for a wide range of applications and media transportation. Production, mining and shipping companies all make use of conveyor belts to manage materials more efficiently and reduce labor costs.

Conveyor belts are also used in food and beverage companies, automotive and tire assemblies, electronics, pharmaceutical and medical, printing, mail sorting, tobacco and packaging.

Characteristics of conveyor belts

There are a number of characteristics which are the basic factors in differentiating one type of belt from another. For example, if the traction on a conveying system is an issue, it is better to select a deep slotted V-belt. Similarly, sizes play a key role in determining belt configuration. The belt must be wide enough and strong enough to handle heavy load. There are uniquely shaped belts for specialty uses like food processing. Some belts have raised stoppers or blockaded sections which are used to easily sort and package the food. Choosing the proper belt is an important part of using these systems, depending on various uses.

Types of rubber conveyor belts

• Agricultural Conveyor Belt
• Recycling & Recovery Conveyor Belt
• Food Processing Conveyor Belt
• Package Handling Conveyor Belt
• Forest Products Conveyor Belt
• Aggregate/Cement & Construction Conveyor Belt etc.

Applications
There are different types of conveying belts available for unique applications. The construction of conveyor belts and materials used often application-specific. For example:

• General-purpose belting: This is for general conveying or power transmission.
• Agricultural belting: This is for agricultural applications like silage transfer, farm equipment belts, etc.
• Retail belts: They used used in checkout counters or inventory transfer for various commercial purposes.
• Construction belting: They are used for materials such as roofing shingles or plywood. They are heavy-duty belts designed for use on construction equipment.
• Elevator conveyor belts: These kind of belts are typically used in vertical applications where there are additional safety factors for bucket attachments as well as holes for meshing with drive and tracking components.
• Food and beverage processing belts: They are designed to be used in food or beverage processing applications.
• Forest conveyor belts: These are designed for use in the logging, sawmill, tree farm, and related industries.
• Mining and quarrying belts: They are heavy-duty belts used for applications in mines and quarries. They can transport materials such as ore, stone, tailings, gravel, aggregate, etc.
• High temperature belting: They are used for materials that can safely tolerate extreme temperatures. They can transfer high temperature materials.
• Inclined conveyor belts: They are typically designed for use in conveyance of material up an incline or down an incline.
• Manufacturing and fabrication belting: They are used in factory production lines. They include belts designed for specific fabrication applications like semiconductor chip manufacturing.
• Belting for packaging operations: These belts are abrasion resistant for use with cardboard, package paper, etc.
• Power transmission belting: They are used in power transmission applications like engine belts, belting for power takeoffs, industrial machinery etc.
• Belting is used in the pulp and paper industry to transfer pulp, paper or paper products.
• Custom conveyor belts: They can be designed for special applications.

Buying tips for conveyor belts

• You should know about the belt's necessary strength to handle the tension requirements.
• Determine the minimum number of plies or carcass gauge which can ensure that the belt offers sufficient load-support characteristics.
• The conveyor belt should also offer necessary troughability characteristics which will help in making good contact with the center idler roll in light loading and empty conditions.
• Try to select a belt who has the impact resistance to handle the load as it falls onto the belt.
• Select a belt which has enough flexlife capabilities to effectively operate around the terminal pulleys.
• Determine the proper covers of conveyor belts to handle the material and loading conditions of a given system.

Types of rubber used in rubber conveyor belts Advantages of Conveyor Belts

• Mechanical strength is high
• Flexibility is high
• Low temperature resistance
• Abrasion resistance is high
• Resistance to chemicals
• Cleaning requirement is minimum
• Very durable

There are different types of conveying belts available for unique applications. The construction of conveyor belts and materials used often application-specific. For example:

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