There are many types of conveyor belt used in manufacturing processes. Conveyor belts or belt conveyor systems are a form of transport machinery that work using friction to move items. Conveyor belts are usually used in manufacturing industries such as packaging and transportation. They make manufacturing processes easier and more economic because they work on a large scale and reduce the amount of manual labor spent on these processes.
How Conveyor Belts Work
A conveyor belt uses motorized pulleys in operation. It is usually powered by a motorized two-pulley system that loops over a stretch of durable material that serves as the belt surface. When the pulleys turn in the same direction and at the same speed, the belt moves which allows items to be transported along its surface.
Some conveyor belts also make use of rollers. This is especially common for belts that are carrying heavy items or carrying items for a long period. The primary components of a conveyor belt include the frame, the belt, the support (such as rollers), the driving unit (motors), the pulleys, and any add-ons depending on what the conveyor is being used for.
There are also many different types of conveyor belt materials such as metal, rubber, plastic, or leather, and the material used depends on what the belt is being used for.
Types of Conveyor Belt and their Uses
Some common and popular examples of conveyor belt types include:
Flat Conveyor Belt
The flat conveyor belt is one of the most popular kinds of conveyors used today. Its simple and efficient design makes it ideal for internal transportation in a warehouse or other type of facility. Flat conveyor belts do not have any add-ons or supports. They simply use a pulley system to move a flat belt, usually in straight lines.
These are ideal for assembly lines in manufacturing industries and warehouses for packaging.
Roller Bed Conveyor Belts
In this type of conveyor, the surface of the belt is underlain with rollers for support. The presence of the rollers is directly proportional to certain requirements for the manufacturing process being undertaken such as the weight of items or the speed of the belt.
For short conveyor belts, only two rollers are usually needed. The longer the belt is, the more rollers will be needed between its two ends. Roller bed belts are most suitable for conveyors with gravity loading systems and not manual loading. This is because manual loading may cause damage to rollers.
Inclined Conveyor Belt
A simple inclined conveyor belt makes use of a simple flat belt design at an angle to transport items at an incline or decline. The surface of inclined conveyors is usually made of rough materials so that items don’t slide down the conveyor when it is in motion.
Inclined conveyors can be cleated or smooth and are usually declined for a short distance where they then even out to horizontal types of conveyors. They are mostly employed for transporting objects between floors or maximizing space in a facility.
Cleated Conveyor Belt
This is a type of conveyor designed for carrying loose items. The belt features vertical cleats at uniform intervals on the belt. The cleats work as barriers to either separate loose items and prevent mixing or protect items when the belt is moving at an incline or decline.
This type of conveyor is common among industries processing materials like grains, chemicals, coal, and other powdery or granular materials. They can also be used to ensure that items on a belt are consistently spaced. There are different shapes of cleats such as the T cleat, L cleat, or V cleat.
Modular Conveyor Belt
Modular belts are a type of conveyor made up of interlocked pieces for transporting items. The pieces of a modular conveyor belt are often made of hard plastic materials and can be removed or replaced based on the needs of the belt.
Modular belts are good for situations where items need to be safely secured while going around corners or moving at an incline or decline. They are designed to hold heavy items in place and the interlocking piece nature of the belt makes them easier to clean, repair and maintain.
Curved Conveyor Belt
Curved conveyor belts are usually flat belts made to turn around corners. They are usually designed in facilities that are trying to optimize space and are useful for making tight transfers. Some curved conveyor belts can curve as far as 180 degrees.
In some cases, a curved conveyor belt may also be a modular belt. In those cases, the belt will also have to include straight runs and cannot be fully curved as modular belts must have both straight and curved runs in their designs.
Wash-down Conveyor Belt
This type of conveyor is most common in the food industry and it is suitable for carrying items through extreme temperatures and pressures. Wash-down conveyors are also commonly used in the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries for sanitizing items.
Wash-down conveyors are made with flat wire and other materials designed to withstand the extreme conditions that food or pharmaceutical items may have to undergo during manufacturing. This may include sanitization, freezing, immersion in hot oil, and more processes. They are made to securely handle wet or slippery items and can also be used for offloading items such as oil drums from ships.
Conclusion
There are many more types of conveyor belt and specialty belts that are designed for specific uses in some industries. Many facilities will utilize two or more types of belts for different steps in the manufacturing process. Some examples of specialty belts include fiberglass belts and vacuum belts.
The type of belt used in a facility or warehouse depends on the type of item being produced and what kind of work the facility does. Packaging industries will make use of different kinds of belts than agricultural or automotive industries.
When it comes to deciding on a type of belt to use, it is good to consider the available space in the facility, the type of item being moved, and the size of the items. Proper consultation with professionals is also advisable.