Guide to choosing the right conveyor belt for different industries
It is best to leave the selection of the appropriate conveyor belt to an expert employed by the conveyor manufacturer or distributor or an independent consultant.
A properly selected and constructed conveyor will give the best performance and life at the lowest cost.
Choosing or replacing the wrong conveyor belt can have disastrous results.
In the continuation of this article by Zarin Baspar, we will examine the characteristics of the conveyor belt and better understand the structure of the conveyor belt.
Choosing the right conveyor belt
There are a number of working parameters and material conditions that must be detailed when choosing the right conveyor belt.
In the following, we will describe the details of choosing the right conveyor belt.
Bar level
The surface of the conveyor belt should be smooth, flat and uniform hardness in the range of +/- 5 units. The hardness of rubber in America is measured by the Shore A Durometer unit.
Its range is between 30 and 95, and the higher the number, the higher the difficulty.
The International Rubber Hardness Rating (IRHD) has a range of 0-100, which refers to the elastic modulus equal to 0 and infinity to 100.
Manufacturer’s logo
Ask the manufacturer to remove or engrave their logo on the underlay so it does not interfere with the conveyor cleaner and sealing systems.
The details of the working conditions when determining the conveyor belt are:
The number of working hours of loading and unloading
The details of the transition point include the angle of the trough and the distance of the deformation and information about the direction of the material, the drop height and the velocity
Description as complete as possible of the bulk material including particle size and material temperature
Description of the used cleaning system
Description of the chemicals used (such as antifreeze and anti-dust)
Description of atmospheric pollutants (from neighboring processes or other sources)
Determining the worst weather conditions the conveyor must withstand.
Knowing the proper conveyor belt building
Placing any belt on the building of a conveyor without knowing the characteristics of the conveyor will disrupt the performance of the system and reduce the performance of the conveyor. It may result in tape deflection problems, shortened life, damaged connections, unscheduled downtime, and increased repair costs.
A detailed analysis of the proper conveyor construction and roller components is required to ensure proper conveyor selection.
It is recommended that all parameters be checked before selecting and installing a suitable conveyor on an existing conveyor.
It is wise to follow the conveyor manufacturer’s recommendations.
Compatibility with buildings and rotating components
Buying a conveyor belt is like buying clothes.
For the best fit, it should be sewn to the size of the existing conveyor belt. Conveyor belts are designed with different capacities, lengths, widths, inclination angles and tensions.
A suitable conveyor belt must match the construction of the conveyor, and there is more to it than just the width of the conveyor belt.
Unfortunately, this issue is often not considered at the operational level of a factory. It is often said that a bar is a bar.
This stems from not knowing the complexity of relationships. Usually, this philosophy is implemented when they want to quickly start the conveyor or solve the problem economically.
The usual answer in this situation is to use conveyor belts from warehouse inventory or conveyors available from external sources such as tape dispensers.
Using a cost-effective conveyor belt that is not fully compatible with the conveyor system is an economic mistake.
Conveyor mismatch with the building is a well-known issue of poor conveyor performance and return on investment. This mismatch can be the most famous cause of conveyor belt deviation due to changing the conveyor belt or adding a piece to the existing conveyor belt.
Understanding the principles of compliance is essential for good conveyor belt operation.
Specifying a conveyor belt is an important task. It is best if the production unit entrusts the responsibility of choosing the right conveyor belt to an expert.
This specialist will get to know the capabilities of the conveyor and ask the right questions.
Proper conveyor belt tension rating
Each conveyor belt is rated according to its strength (the amount of tensile force it can withstand). The strength of a conveyor belt (or more accurately the tension it can withstand) is rated in the US in pounds per inch of conveyor width with the common abbreviation PIW. In the rest of the world, the conveyor belt is graded based on the final breaking strength in metric dimensions of newtons per millimeter (N/mm) or kilonewtons per meter (kN/m).
The strength rating is a function of reinforcement including the skeleton of the conveyor belt and the number and type and material of fabrics or if the conveyor belt is steel cable, the size of the cables.
As mentioned before, the upper and lower covers of the conveyor belt have very little effect on the strength of the conveyor belt or the degree of tension.
The strength of the conveyor belt, the tensile strength of the skeleton or the ultimate breaking strength, indicates the amount of force that can be applied to the conveyor belt.
Applying more force through material load, pull weight and slope gravity can cause the conveyor belt to tear.
