CONVEYOR BELT
A conveyor belt is a continuous loop of reinforced rubber or polymer that carries bulk material or unit loads between two or more pulleys driven by an electric motor.
A conveyor belt is the moving carrier surface in a belt conveyor system. It is a closed loop manufactured from rubber, PVC, polyurethane or thermoplastic, reinforced internally with either textile fabric plies or longitudinal steel cords. The belt rides over a drive pulley at one end and a tail (or bend) pulley at the other, supported between them by carrying and return idlers.
Industrial conveyor belts are sized by three primary parameters: belt width (typically 500β2400 mm, standardized in ISO 251 and DIN 22102), belt rating (the maximum allowable tension per unit width, e.g. EP 500/4 or ST 2000), and cover thickness/grade. Width and tension class together determine how much mass-flow the belt can carry and how steep an incline it can climb. The belt body is divided into the carcass β the load-bearing skeleton β and the rubber covers that protect the carcass from impact, abrasion, oils, heat and weather.
Belts are classified mainly by carcass construction. A fabric conveyor belt uses 2β6 plies of polyester/nylon (EP) or all-nylon (NN) fabric for short to medium distances and moderate tensions. A steel cord conveyor belt embeds parallel steel cables for long-haul and high-tension service. Specialty belts β chevron, sidewall, pipe and heat-resistant β adapt the construction for steep angles, contained product or hostile environments.
Selecting the right belt depends on tension demand (computed via the Eytelwein equation on the drive pulley), trough geometry, material density, lump size and ambient conditions. The wrong choice causes premature wear, mistracking, slip on the drive pulley or splice fatigue.
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Related terms
- Fabric Conveyor Belt(EP / NN)
A fabric conveyor belt uses 2β6 textile plies (typically polyester warp / nylon weft, designated EP) bonded with rubber skim coats to form a flexible, high-strength carcass.
- Steel Cord Conveyor Belt(ST)
A steel cord conveyor belt embeds parallel galvanized steel cables longitudinally in a rubber carcass, designated ST500βST5400 for breaking strengths from 500 to 5400 N/mm.
- Cover Compound
Cover compound is the rubber formulation laminated to the top and bottom of a conveyor belt carcass, classified by abrasion (D, H, L), heat, oil or anti-static resistance per DIN 22102 / ISO 10247.
- Effective Tension (Te)(Te)
Effective tension (Te) is the net tangential force that the drive pulley must transmit to the belt to overcome all motion resistances; it is the fundamental input for motor power and belt selection.