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DRIVING EFFICIENCY WITH BELTS FOR TIRE PRODUCTION: HOW SOURCING THE RIGHT CONVEYOR BELTS CAN LEAD TO MORE EFFICIENT TIRE PRODUCTION I
n a tire production plant, several different conveyor belt types, like plastic modular belts, PVC or polyurethane fabric belts, and timing belts are used at any given time. As tire production continues to grow to meet increasing consumer demands, the belting demand along the production processes is also increasing. Here Jens Niepmann, global manager for automotive and tire at conveyor and power transmission belt specialist Habasit, explores the impact of a well-thought-out belt choice on production efficiency and how manufacturers can remain productive to meet global demand. According to market research by Smithers, 2.8 billion tires are expected to be produced globally in 2026, with the market expected to experience a compound annual growth rate of 4.3 per cent per year between 2022 and 2026. Growth will be strongest in specialty tire segments, driven by an increase in the sale of crossover and sports utility vehicles (CUVs and SUVs).
To meet this demand, manufacturers must increase the efficiency of production, which is not straightforward. Manufacturers already face pressure from disruptions in the availability of natural rubber and carbon black, which could affect their ability to fulfil orders. Therefore, it is vital that these companies are aware of what they can do to promote production efficiency — for example, by sourcing efficient, robust and reliable conveyor belts.
A tire manufacturing plant may have multiple different types of conveyor belts in operation at any one time, depending on production capacity. This is why sourcing the right technology is crucial to remaining productive.
So, where and how are belts used in tire production?
PLASTIC MODULAR BELTS INSIDE A PLANT
Conveyor belts are used in most stages of the tire production line, including in the weighing and mixing of raw materials. This is a batch process where materials are weighed out and kneaded in a Banbury mixer. Sometimes reaching 180 degrees Celsius and weighing up to 600 kilograms, the resulting master batch is rolled out by a rolling mill directly onto a belt to produce a long band of sticky, hot, and chemically active non-vulcanised rubber.
Manufacturers are adopting plastic modular belts made from polypropylene or polyamide more frequently for this process because you can replace one damaged module without needing to overhaul the entire belt. However, polypropylene has a contact temperature of just 105 -120 degrees Celsius, which sometimes does not give it enough temperature resistance for the master batch from the Banbury mixer. Polyamide is temperature stable enough to cope with the heat from the master batch, but after months of repeated contact with corrosive chemicals, even this strong material becomes brittle, and it loses strength and mechanical robustness. To tackle this, Habasit’s R&D team has developed and tested a new material for the company’s plastic modular belts, which combines the chemical resistance of polypropylene with the abrasion and high-temperature resistance of polyamide. Handled easily, like traditional plastic modular belts, the material itself covers a contact temperature up to 180 degrees Celsius. Therefore, they are ideal for transporting the master batch at high temperatures and manufacturers need not worry about belt longevity.
WIDE TIMING BELTS TO INCREASE EFFICIENCY
While increasing production efficiency is important for manufacturers, the safety and integrity of the final product is still a priority. This is why synchronous conveying and precise product positioning is a consideration for belts used in the cutting, slitting, and tire building stages. Coming from the calendaring process, where the rubber slabs are reinforced with steel or aramid cords, slabs are cut to the desired contour pattern, and fit around a building drum when being assembled. Habasit’s HabaSYNC range of wide timing belts are a good choice for this application because they have wide surfaces up to 24 inches and are made using a specific thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) with outstanding chemical resistance.
Due to the aramid reinforcement, the wide timing belts have good mechanical strength. An optional polyamide (PA) fabric on both the conveying and/or teeth side of the belt provides additional abrasion and cut resistance and easy-release properties. Using the patented PA hinge joint for wide timing belts, manufacturers can benefit from making their production lines wider, faster, well-maintained, and runtime efficient.
During a period when the tire industry faces supply chain disruptions and increased competition, it is clear that manufacturers need to be sourcing the right conveyor belts to boost production efficiency. To find out more about Habasit’s tire-handling belts, visit:
Habasit
www.habasit.com/en/Industries/ Automotive/Tire.
42 SEPTEMBER 2022 | FACTORY&HANDLINGSOLUTIONS
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