HEAVY DUTY CONVEYOR BELT

Choosing the correct belt specification for the intended application is the most critical step in achieving satisfactory performance of a belt conveyor system but in the current competitive environment it can also be the most difficult. Would anyone buy a tire without a name or even with a name that is unfamiliar? Many belts are being sold today "unbranded" or with trade names that are not related to the actual manufacturer. The rubber is black and the number of fabric plys are visible but what is the quality of the rubber and how strong is the fabric? A buyer should be completely convinced of the belt strength including the safety factor and the suitability of the rubber compound for his application when making a decision to buy. Down time, maintenance costs and splice charges can cause a low priced belt to become very expensive.

Belt Carcass Selection

The carcass which makes up the strength member of a belt must meet each of the following conditions:

TENSION - Strength required to withstand the maximum operating tension, usually this occurs when starting a conveyor, fully loaded in a cold environment. If the 10:1 safety factor rule is not followed splice failure, excessive stretch and premature belt failure can be expected.

IMPACT RESISTANCE - Ability to resist damage from impact forces created in the loading area. Fabric strength and design determine impact resistance, not cover thickness.

LOAD SUPPORT - Ability to provide adequate load support at the troughing idler junctions. Bottom cover blisters and fabric breaks longitudinally along the idler junction lines are the result of inadequate load support.

EMPTY BELT TROUGHING - Must have transverse flexibilty to make good contact in the troughing idlers. If the empty belt does not lay on the center idler rolls, training will not be possible.

PULLEY FLEXING - Must have longitudinal flexibilty for good operation over all pulleys. A carcass that is too heavy for the pulley diameters will develop transverse breaks and spices will fail. Fabric design and operating tension are selection factors.

Note: Heavy bare fabric back conveyor belt specifications used in slider bed applications carrying logs and other forest products have evolved from practical experience, not from the belt manufacturers' engineering groups. The Pacific Northwest lead the development of these belts and a variety of application opinions still exist. Modern high speed mills continue to push the envelope of bare back belt functionality. We have the resources and experience to solve slider bed belt problems. Contact C&R Resources by email or phone 509-460-2425.

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Cover Compound Selection

Belt cover thickness and grade must provide 1) cut and gouge resistance for the material handled 2) abrasion resistance and 3) sufficient adhesion to the carcass to limit accidental cover damage. Special properties are available to meet other material load and environment considerations.

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FREE Engineering Design Service

Print, complete and return CONVEYOR BELT DATA FORM to fax 509-585-4081
or contact us by email; Resources@ConveyorAndRubber.com