MATERIALS HANDLING
minimum length order quantities. It also increases the delivery lead time, which can be especially bad news if a belt needs to be replaced in an emergency. Only buy belts when you are
totally confident of their provenance (manufacturer’s origin) and where the manufacturer clearly states the level of anticipated performance rather than simply claiming to have been tested to a certain standard. Unfortunately, in today’s market, with the exception of Fenner Dunlop in The Netherlands and North America, nearly all manufacturers now supplement their production with imported belting, mostly from the Far East. My advice is to always ask for certified confirmation of the actual place of manufacture.
CONSIDER THE BELT EDGE Avoid over-specifying the type of belt edge. This may surprise you, but it can have a very significant impact on belt costs, repairs, maintenance, lost production and lead times. Many years ago, moulded edges (fully covered in rubber) were the standard because cotton was used as the reinforcing fabric in multi-ply belts. A moulded edge was therefore essential to prevent moisture penetrating the cotton fabric and causing it to rot. Since the introduction of synthetic ply fabrics using polyester and polyamide, this problem effectively no longer exists. Despite this, many conveyor operators and their buying departments continue to specify moulded edges, even though they do not provide any structural or performance advantage and can actually be susceptible to damage if the belt wanders off-track. Nowadays, the most commonly
used type of belt edge is the ‘cut & sealed edge’ or simply ‘sealed edge’, which is sufficient to prevent moisture being drawn into the carcass from the edge by capillary forces. Although the synthetic fibre plies are barely affected, moisture can ultimately cause vulcanising problems when making splice joints. A sealed edge also enables a belt to be used in very wet conditions and makes it better suited to long-term storage outdoors. The reason why it is important
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The Ultra X fabric provides up to five times better tear
resistance than conventional multi-ply conveyor belts
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