A conveyor belt is designed to transport materials, supplies, and components, effortlessly and efficiently to save time, cost, and energy. This material handling system has conveyor material looped over two motorized pulleys. Depending on the industrial use, conveyor belts are available in 8 varieties. This article shares their application and use. Read on to find out more.     

8 Major Types of Conveyor Belts:

Roller Bed Conveyor Belts

The surface is created from rollers that match the weight or speed of the products that are being transported. This belt is ideal for transporting products quickly over long distances due to reduced friction. Further, items are uploaded on this material handling system by using gravity, as manual loading causes mechanical damage to the rollers.     

APPLICATION: It’s used for sorting, packing, sorting, inspecting, assembling, and transporting products. Thus, is actively used in the post office for sorting letters and parcels, and at the airport for baggage handling.

Flat Belt Conveyors

Constructed from different materials, this versatile belt is used for internal transportation, i.e., products are transported within a manufacturing facility. It uses several powered pulleys to form a single. continuous flat belt loop made from synthetic or natural fabric (nylon, polyester). Optional features are nose bars and center drives, and top transport products from end to end which can also be helpful when used with modern platform trolley for transporting goods.   

APPLICATION: Used in industrial applications such as assembly lines and wash down. If fitted with a suitable belt, it can transport soft, small, or irregularly shaped products without damaging them.

Modular Belt Conveyors

Constructed from hard plastic, this conveyor system is a single loop of uncountable interlocked pieces. These interlocks can be easily removed or replaced separately, and hence the entire belt doesn’t get discarded. Further, the belt is highly resistant to abrasive and sharp objects and is easier to wash, maintain and repair. This system is used for transporting items that go around corners, across incline and decline surfaces, or in straight lines. Plastic modular belts can be easily customized at low costs and without compromising the belt tracking method. 

APPLICATION: It’s used in the food processing industry due to its adjustable interlock mechanism which allows retention or drainage of fluids, and can be easily cleaned. The plastic version is used for detecting metal.

Cleated Belt Conveyors

It features vertical cleats (barriers) in its design. Differently shaped cleats tightly secure the loose material as it travels through declines and inclines while maintaining constant spacing between items.

Types:

Inverted Capital “T” supports perpendicular cleats to the surface of the belt. It allows flexibility and support to transport delicate items like food products and packaged items.

Forward-Leaning Capital “L” has a wide base to transport light and medium-weight bulk items on steeper inclines. Some cleats have curved faces for scooping granules. 

The inverted “V” cleat is 2 inches high for a troughing effect that endures heavy impact. Thus, it transports heavy and abrasive items.  

Lugs and Pegs can be easily positioned to move selective items or hold products in place. Thus, this cleat is used for transporting washed vegetables and fruits. They 

Curved Belt Conveyors

With curved cleats, this belt transports items around corners optimizing available floor space or making tight transfers. They can be turned up to a 180° angle.

APPLICATION: Used in bag handling systems for changing items during direction transmission.

Incline/Decline Belt Conveyors

Such a conveyor system features a gear motor, center drive, and a single or double nose. It has a rough surface that allows transporting items up/down.

APPLICATION: This cleated belt is useful for transporting items to different elevations while tightly securing them in place to prevent falling off the belt. Additionally, they are fit for increasing gravity flow systems

Sanitary and Washdown Conveyors

This conveyor system is designed to endure sanitary procedures of washing, cleaning, and sterilization as per industry norms. They have a rugged surface that is easy to clean. Thus, are used in the pharmaceutical and food industries.    

APPLICATION: It transports items with extreme temperatures, from the freezer or furnace. It can handle greasy and wet items, hence bigger washdown conveyors with flat wire belts are used for offloading crates and oil drums from ships.

Specialty Conveyor Belts

Fiberglass Conveyor Belts are used in processes with extreme temperatures. 

Metal Nub Conveyor Belts are designed for transporting machines and their parts.

Narrow-width Conveyor Belts are used for transporting small items.

Back-lit Conveyor Belts are fitted with a light fixture to assist with quality control.

Vacuum Conveyor Belts create suction to keep light-weighted products like leaflets and sheets on the assembly line despite high speed and incline.

Magnetic Conveyor Belts transports iron and its products. It holds these items in place with electromagnets that are installed equidistant on the conveyor’s bed.

Sandwich Belt Conveyors use two face-to-face belts for securely transporting items at steep inclines or a vertical movement.

Conclusion:

Seeking suitable conveyor belts to improve the assembly line? EarthTech is a trusted name in designing, manufacturing, and installing custom industrial belts. Talk to experts, now!!!

Conveyor System

Batch or continuous processing conveyor selection is not always as simple as it sounds. In truth, this rarely happens. It can be challenging for process engineers and procurement staff to move material regularly at a rate that is in line with production needs and in a way that does not contribute negatively to the plant’s operating environment, such as dusting or higher maintenance.

There are many reasons why conveyors are misused, including minimizing the number of specialized pieces of equipment while simultaneously staying within budgetary constraints. While these are important considerations, they should not be the primary or only assessment criteria utilized when selecting a conveyor for a material-handling application.

Important Aspects Of Choosing A Conveyor System:

1) Choose the quantity that you trust

Do your homework and pick a business with an excellent track record that you know you can rely on. Intending to offer its customers the best value for their money, seeks out business partners who have the same ideals. They proud to provide items that you can count on to stay working well for many years to come. They will also be able to maintain and repair your system so that it’s always in peak condition.

2) Understand the material

The comprehensive definition of a material comprises several essential qualities. A complete understanding of each should be achieved. One or more of these characteristics may impact the others, so it’s best to look at them all together.

Do you know what it’s called?

It is common for materials to be referred to by multiple names. Some examples of these include esoteric or trade names like “SnoMelt,” “salt,” or a chemical formula defined by the main ingredient or substances (such as sodium chloride, NaCl).

In what state or form must the substance be handled?

What is the loose bulk density (lbs/ft3, g/cc, kg/m3) of the senses in question? The terms “loose bulk density” and “specific gravity” are frequently used interchangeably, although this is incorrect because the two concepts are quite distinct.

What are the solids made of?

How do you describe them: powder, granule, pellet, fibre, or flake?

How big are the particles?

Solids are typically characterized by how easily they can flow through a certain-sized screen.

What is the material’s flowability?

The capacity of a solid material to flow is one of its most critical properties, yet there is no universally accepted way to test it in the industrial world.

What is the material’s abrasiveness?

Abrasiveness, like flowability, has no universally accepted definition. In most cases, however, the abrasive quality is determined by combining two different types of materials.

What is the material’s current temperature and moisture content?

Flowability and cohesiveness can be determined by looking at the range of the material’s temperature (from the lowest to the highest) and its moisture content (as a percentage of its weight).

3) Work environment

Conveyor system choices are influenced by a wide range of factors in your workplace. You’ll need particular gear if you’re dealing with open ignition sources or the possibility of fire or explosion. Health and safety procedures must be considered if humans are going to be working with the equipment. When it comes to safety, you don’t want someone to get hurt because of a substandard piece of equipment.

4) Operation

A conveyor must be able to function and perform to be operational. Some components of the procedure need to be explained in greater detail. Conveying and feeding are two of the most common ways to move material through a process. Processors must know the difference between the two to make the proper conveyor selection.

Conveying is nothing more than the act of transporting items from a collection point to a delivery place. Since the rate at which this is achieved and the delivery time it takes to complete it are generally predetermined, there is no room for flexibility. Surge hoppers, feeders, and other process equipment are frequently refilled using conveyors.

5) Cost of Equipment

When considering a business investment, one of the first and most essential considerations is undoubtedly the price. Your company’s growth depends on the decisions you make with the money you’ve worked so hard to obtain. When your equipment breaks down, and you don’t have a service staff to call, you may regret your decision to go cheap. In contrast, you may feel cheated and cheated if you choose the most expensive alternative.

6) Foot Print

There are many factors to consider while choosing between different conveyors, but space is one of the most important considerations. A common omission is that people don’t include this information when they ask for help.

7) Long Term Company Goals

Your company’s long-term goals should also be considered when selecting a conveyor system. This is going to have a significant impact on your choice. If you expect to develop your business in the future, you’ll want to choose your equipment accordingly. This will allow for future expansions to be completed more quickly and cost-effectively. On the other hand, you may decide to approach things differently if this is a permanent configuration.

8) History

It’s impossible to overstate the significance of a service history when it comes to replacing current equipment. In situations where reliability has been a problem, gaining a knowledge of the challenges might lead to appropriate responses. To get a better piece of equipment, you don’t just need to swap out the brand name. Provide information about the vendor’s service history and ask for an explanation of how the proposed conveyance solution will better serve your needs.

Conclusion:

Several factors influence choosing the suitable conveyor for your batch or continuous processing application. Conveyor selection necessitates careful consideration of a plethora of variables. To get the most out of your investment in conveying technology, it’s essential to take the time to understand these elements and acquire the most precise data possible about each component. Ideally, it would help if you worked with a trustworthy, experienced provider to do this.

What is a Conveyor System and how does it work?

These days, the conveyor systems are being used in both commercial and civil sectors. The demand of conveyor systems has increased over the years since the industrial and civil sectors have noticed a sharp increase in productivity with installation of conveyor system.

The conveyor system manufacturing companies are estimated to have the CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) at 4.5% within a period of 2020-2025 and are believed to achieve $10.07 billion by 2025.

This is a mechanical handling apparatus which is used for speedy conveyance of different types of products. In a conveyor system:

• A belt remains stretched across two or more pulleys.
• It forms a closed loop around the pulleys to ensure continuous rotation.
• A rotor is used to transmit power to the belt and drive pulley.
• The drive pulley tows the belt and moves the items from one location to another.

The conventional conveyors are straight in shape. However, some conveyors have been designed to bend in different directions in order to deliver the items to the right location. These systems are fitted with cone-shaped rotors or wheels to follow a bend without any difficulty.

Types of Conveyor Systems:

1. Roller Surge Conveyor

There are different types of roller conveyors: 

• In a gravity roller conveyor system, a rolling surface is formed by a series of rollers that are attached to the side frame. The products slide down the surface after being placed on the decline angle. The users have to control the speed and the angle of placing the articles on a conveyor in order to prevent collision during transfer.
• A CDLR (Chain Driven Live Roller) system is a combination of chain and gravity conveyor. This type of conveyor is fitted with a gearbox and motor. The rollers are attached to the chain. This mechanism is used in floor mounted conveyors to move heavy materials (pallets, containers, seats, tires etc.). The articles remain still whilst being moved by the rollers.
• In motorized roller conveyors, the rollers are fitted with technologically advance motors. One conveyor system may be fitted with more than one motor to drive the rollers per zone which creates a series of zones along the conveyor belt. Reinforced belts are used to connect the motorized rollers to non-motorized rollers.

2. Feed Conveyor

The feed conveyors are developed by Material Handling Equipment Manufacturer to move raw materials in bulk. These machines are used to:

• Transfer dried animal food products.
• Shred or clean raw materials at the preliminary stage of manufacturing various products.

The feed conveyor functions in the following manner:

• The conveyor is placed close to a vehicle that supplies raw materials.
• The raw materials pass through a valve (fitted to the conveyor) and are collected into a bin.
• The materials are transferred to a storage tank or to a specified point of delivery.

Some feed conveyor systems are fitted with a magnet to separate the ferrous and non-ferrous materials. They can be used to separate the metal debris from the recycled paper. Different types of feed conveyors use different types of transfer mechanisms, such as:

• A rubber belt reinforced with fiber or metal.
• A series of trays to pick up and carry the raw materials vertically to a higher level.
• A sticky artificial or natural rubber belt.
• A curved metal track welded to the central shaft.

3.  Belt Conveyor

A belt conveyor is the simplest form of conveyor system that is fitted with a moving belt. It rests on a steel frame which provides support to the belt as well as the articles being transferred. This type of conveyor system can work at variable speed limits due to being fitted with a speed drive.

• In a sliding style belt-conveyor system, a supporting frame is present underneath the system.
• In a conveyor system fitted with roller belt, there are closely placed rollers to provide additional support to the belt. 

Implementation of Conveyor in Warehouse:

A conveyor system is designed to quickly and efficiently transfer numerous articles from one part of a warehouse to another or to transfer large and heavy articles. It can be designed to span multiple levels of a warehouse and can be used to transfer articles up and down the floors. Each conveyor system is fitted with an inclined belt to safely unload the articles.

Thus, a conveyor system increases the productivity of a business alongside improving the efficiency of the workers and preventing accidents or injuries resulting from carrying or unloading the bulky or large articles.

Benefits of Having a Conveyor System:

Reduce Time Consumption:

The primary objective of using a conveyor system is to quickly transfer the articles from one part of a business facility to another. It can transfer the goods to different levels or directions of a business facility.

Accidents Decrease

A conveyor system makes the work environment safe for workers since there is no need to manually transfer or unload the heavy or large articles. Therefore, the possibility of accidents reduces when conveyor systems are being used at a warehouse or any other business facility. 

Increased Productivity

A conveyor system can swiftly transfer the articles to different levels of a warehouse or business facility alongside being able to transport the goods to different directions. Thus, the productivity of a business as well as the efficiency of its employees increase when a conveyor system is being used.

How to Choose the Right Conveyor System?

You will notice the following issues if you cannot select the right type of conveyor system for a warehouse or business facility.

• Reduced operational efficiency
• Increased operational expenditures
• Customer dissatisfaction

Therefore, it is important to select the right type of conveyor system if you want to provide your business with competitive advantage and have to consider the following factors.

Product requirements

The selection of a conveyor system primarily depends upon the type of the product being transferred and you have to consider the following factors to determine the design and configuration requirements of a system.

• Type of product
• Product’s average weight per foot
• Product’s maximum weight 
• Products minimum, maximum and average dimensions
• Each product’s dimensional data

Process requirements

The following factors determine how a conveyor system operates and condition of a work environment.

• Distance between the functional areas
• Features of the pathway (presence of or number of stops, curves, diversions or elevation changes)
• How products will be positioned
• Speed of transfer (rapid/short/slow/steady)
• Availability of space

Transfer Requirements

Different types of conveyor systems are fitted with different types of transfers, such as powered transfers, side transfers, dead plates, gravity rollers etc. The conveyors with powered transfer are suitable for smaller products and conveyors with gravity rollers are suitable for longer or larger products. Thus, it is important to think about the type of the transfer before selecting a conveyor system.

Flow Rate

It is important to select a conveyor system which is capable of handling the average transfer rate as well as the peak seasonal demands of a business facility. The speed and length of a conveyor system depends upon the number of products being transported per hour. 

A conveyor system is used to move different types of products within a business facility. There is less possibility of accident and less requirement of manpower when a conveyor system is used in order to transfer the loads. You will notice increase in productivity and efficiency of workers alongside noticing reduction in labor costs if you install a conveyor system at your business facility.

What Is a Conveyor System?

A conveyor is a faster and more efficient alternative to manually lugging materials around a packing center or warehouse. Essentially, it’s a handling apparatus that automatically transports goods along a predefined route. Conveyor systems consist of a belt stretched out over multiple pulleys, forming a closed-loop that continuously rotates.

The primary drive pulley drives the belt, transporting items from one end of the room to another. Conveyor systems have a range of benefits that make them essential to a workplace: they make moving large and bulky items more accessible. They also reduce both labor costs for the company and stress on workers.

Major Types of Conveyor Systems

Conveyor systems are primarily made with the same goals in mind: to reduce the amount of time it takes to move objects to a different location. Still, there are several significant types of conveyor systems out there. Keep reading to know about the three significant types of conveyor systems:

Belt Conveyors

Belt Conveyors are the most commonly found type of Conveyor Systems out there & a great way of material handling in fast way. A cover, usually made of rubber or plastic, is placed on top of the belt to act as a platform for placing things. Belt Conveyors typically differ based on the material the strap is made of, which can include things like:

• Solid Belts: Made of rubber or fabric like nylon, mining and milling industries usually choose rubber belts.
• Filter Belts: Filter belts are found in water treatment plants, where they’re used to filter out toxins and pollutants.
• Plastic Interlocking Belts: Interlocking belts are typically found in the automobile manufacturing and food packaging industries.

Feed Conveyors

A feed conveyor is vastly different from a belt conveyor. These conveyors are mostly found under a vehicle and with an attachment, like a shredder used to recycle soft materials like paper or cardboard. The conveyor feeds the shredded material into the bin, creating a fast and efficient way to gather lots of material quickly.

Feed Conveyors are sometimes the longest conveyors since their length can vary from short conveyors feeding into a tank or longer belts sending mined rock large distances to processing.

Roller Conveyors

Roller Conveyors are meant for transporting solid cargo exclusively but usually work in ideal conditions faster than belt conveyors. The conveyor system itself consists of rotating roller bars spaced out at short, regular intervals. Most roller conveyors are chain or belt-driven, but some can also be line-shaft-driven or work by utilizing gravity. The bars transfer cargo by rotating and pushing large solid objects fast.

This conveyor of choice for packing centers that need products moved around a single floor with remarkable speed since their design is meant for large objects with flat surfaces.

Benefits of Conveyor Systems

Conveyor systems are a more easily accessible alternative to manually moving cargo around locations through means like forklifts. Besides making sure that your plant is operating at the maximum efficiency possible, conveyor systems also have a range of other benefits, like:

1. Decreasing Personal Risk

There’s always a chance of a mishap when somebody is manually moving cargo. With stable, properly installed conveyor belts, you can all but eliminate the possibility of injury to your workforce. Heavy loads can be easily carried by the system, instead of forklifts where a disbalance could easily cause the item to fall on somebody and significantly injure them!

2. Ensuring Safety of Products

Conveyor belts also remove the chance of damage to the products being manufactured, packaged, or transported. Having a reliable transport system like a conveyor eliminates the possibility of human error causing damage to the cargo.

3. Moving Items Back and Forth

Any standard belt conveyor can work in both directions, making them invaluable for locations where materials have to be transported back and forth around a floor quickly. It’s also one of the main reasons behind the popularity of conveyors in the manufacturing sector.

Choosing the Best Conveyor for Your Application

Feed conveyors are only suited for small cargo, like recycled paper and cardboard, or even harvested grains like wheat. On the other hand, roller conveyors have trouble transporting cargo that doesn’t have flat surfaces for it to rest on. Thus, you have to consider many things when considering the idea of buying a conveyor system. A conveyor system’s effect on your operations is based on how suited the conveyor is to your situation. Some of the factors you have to take into account are:

• The distance you want the conveyor to cover.
• The size and weight of the materials to be transported.
• Safety measures for people.
• If your products need gentle handling.

It is possible to make the wrong decision even after considering all of these factors. Instead, choose a professional consultant who can recommend alternatives after assessing your situation, like Earth Tech Engineering. This company has years of experience in helping companies choose the right conveyor system for them.