The Basics of Lightweight Conveyor Belting （轻型输送机带的基础知识）.pdf

    The Basics of Lightweight Conveyor Belting Contributed by Bob Reusch Technical Sales Support Engineer, Ammeraal Beltech Inc. Beltline Reprint March 2005 The overall belting market share for lightweight conveyor belting has increased modestly over the past several decades. The primary reasons for the increase are process automation, market globalization, and competition. Process automation has resulted in increased demands on belting that often require the properties of a lightweight belt design. The move toward faster process and transport speeds, combined with compliance to increasingly strict standards in areas such as noise and sanitation, has also favored the growth of lightweight belting. Lightweight Belt Categories The lightweight belting market is primarily made up of thermoplastic covered, solid plastic, lightweight rubber, and nonwoven belting. Each of these categories offers unique properties and advantages as summarized below. Thermoplastic Covered Thermoplastic coatings that can be melted and rehardened while retaining the material physical properties characterize this segment of belting. This property provides the unique advantage of high quality heat welded splices and the ability to configure belts for specific applications by adding a variety of belt accessories. The most common covers are PVC, polyurethane, and polyolefin. These cover materials provide a wide range of properties such as cut/abrasion resistance, chemical resistance, oil/fat resistance, product release, high/low friction, impact resistance, and sanitation. These types of belts are used in the following industries: Food Processing: Industries such as bakery, confectionery, snack foods, meat and poultry, dairy, fruits and vegetables, and seafood are some examples of where lightweight belti