Conveyor Belt Explained: What It Is and How It Works

Conveyor belt is an necessary device in industry and manufacturing, widely used in production lines, warehousing, logistics and mining fields.This text explains what is conveyor belt, what is conveyor belt made of ,how does conveyor belt work and what is a conveyor belt used for ?

What is conveyor belt ?

Conveyor belt is a mechanical device used in production processes to convey materials. Its main function is to transfer materials from one location to another, improve production efficiency and reduce labor costs.

What is conveyor belt made of ?

Conveyor belt is composed of three layers, including a covering layer, carcass and skim layer. The covering layer (upper and bottom covering layer) is responsible for direct contact with the material, protect the internal structure and resist external wear, corrosion, impact, etc., which is usually made of wear-resistant materials such as rubber, PVC, PU etc. The carcass provides strength and stability for the conveyor belt and common materials include canvas,fabric, polyester etc. The skim layer is mainly used for bonding the covering layer and carcass to ensure the overall strength of the conveyor belt, located between the covering layer and the carcass.

The choice of conveyor belt material depends on its intended use, durability requirements, its operation environment and many other factors. The following are common conveyor belt materials:

• PU: PU is resistant to oils and solvents, food grade which meets FDA standard and is much more durable compared with other materials.
• PVC: PVC conveyor belt has various colors, thickness, surface pattern and other designs, it is quite cost-effective compared with PU and some are designed with anti-static properties, which is vital for electronics manufacturing industry. It is also used to transport fin material from the discharge device to the stamping area for fin stamping machine.
• Silicone: Silicone is also food grade material, can be used for food processing. Its non-sticky surface make it important in hygiene industry.
• Teflon: PTFE conveyor belt is high temperature, it is widely used for baking and drying. Teflon conveyor belt resists the erosion of acids, organic solvents and other chemical substances, so it is particularly suitable for chemical processing industry.
• Kevlar: Kevlar is heat resistant, it is widely used for hot glass transportation and it has high tensile strength.

How does conveyor belt work ?

The conveyor belt system consists of a driving device, a roller, a support system, a tensioning device and a speed reducer. The conveyor belt transfers items by rotating the roller.

• Driving device: Provide power to the conveyor belt when starting, including motor, speed reducer.

• Roller: It is usually made of medal. Located at two ends of the conveyor belt, one is the driving roller and the other is the driven roller. The driving roller is connected to an electric motor and moves the conveyor belt by rotating.

• Support system: It is mainly used to support and fix the conveyor belt, reduce friction and wear, including support frame and support roller, etc.

• Tensioning device: Keep conveyor belt always maintains a certain tension to ensure normal operation.

• Speed reducer: It is used to control the speed of the conveyor belt to meet the needs of different situations.

The working principle of the conveyor belt is based on the role of friction, when the roller rotates, the conveyed material creates friction with the conveyor belt, causing the item to move on the conveyor belt. This transmission mode has high efficiency and reliability. By adjusting the position of the roller or driving, the tension of the conveyor belt can be adjusted to keep the items stably moving during the transportation process.

What is a conveyor belt used for ?

Conveyor belt is widely used in various fields, including industrial production, transportation & logistics, mining, airport, food processing, etc.

• Industrial production:Conveyor belt is widely used for material handling and processing. For example, in mining, coal mining, steel, chemical and other industries, conveyor system can load a lot of raw materials and  finished products by using automatic lubrication system to greatly improve transportation efficiency.

• Logistics transportation: Conveyor belt is widely used in logistics for warehousing and sorting process of goods. The conveyor belt can transport goods from one location to another, improve logistics efficiency and reduce labor costs.

• Warehouse management: Conveyor belt can achieve continuous conveying and sorting operations in the warehouse, reducing the handling intensity and working time of workers.

• Food processing: Conveyor belts are widely used in the food process of baking, cooking, cooling and packaging. It can ensure the hygienic quality and production efficiency.

• Airport baggage handling: Conveyor belt is used in the airport baggage handling system for automatic delivery and sorting of baggage, improving the efficiency and accuracy of baggage handling.