For any business or business person that is looking into investing in a conveyor belt for their assembly line, it is very important that they purchase the right one that suits their needs and that of their business. However, in order to be able to make a fully informed purchase, it is important that these businesses and business people know all about the different types of conveyor belts and what they can be used for. By investing in a conveyor belt, a business can increase its profit margin, streamline the assembly process, and contribute to the overall growth of the business.
Modular Belt Conveyor
These types of conveyor systems make use of interlox belts that consist of a continuous loop of lots of interlocked plastic pieces. The individual segments can be taken out and replaced so that the whole belt does not need to be discarded when any issues with it arise. When it comes to having to wash the belt, this is an easy thing to do. Additionally, they are much more resistant to abrasive and sharp materials given the fact that they are made from a hard plastic. Because of this, these types of conveyors are much easier to repair and maintain than what other ones are.
They are perfectly suited for things such as moving items around a corner, up an incline, down a decline, as well as in straight lines. Due to the modular construction of the belt itself, the conveyor can be easily and cheaply customised without compromising the belt tracking. For instance, a belt can be customised so that it is wider than it is long for the purpose of transporting and moving around things such as cardboard boxes, soft plastic bags, and even goods that have been shrink wrapped.
Additionally, modular belt conveyors can also be used for the purpose of carrying food items on as they are very easy to clean. This is because the spacing that there is between each of the plastic segments can be easily adjusted so that fluid can pass through. With each of the segments being made from plastic, these types of conveyor belts are also good for the purpose of metal detection.
Curved Belt Conveyor
When there is the need to carry items around a corner, it is a curved belt conveyor that should be used. They are also useful for use when the amount of available floor space is tight and for the purpose of making transfers that are very tight. These types of conveyors have the ability to go up to 180 degrees. A proper curved conveyor that does not run straight at all, can only use a flat belt and not a modular plastic one as there needs to be runs both before and after the curved section.
These types of conveyors are typically used for the purpose of the purpose of baggage handling when there is a need to change direction.
Flat Belt Conveyor
One of the most commonly used types of conveyors of all, flat beds are the ideal choice for transporting items of all shapes and sizes within a facility. It works via a series of high powered pulleys that all come together to move the flat belt. The belt on these types of conveyors are typically made out of either synthetic or natural materials, such as nylon or polyester. An item is placed on top of the belt as it is moving, to be carried from one end to another.
With the belt having the ability to be made of various different materials, it makes this type of conveyor belt highly versatile. Additional features that can be added to it include nose bars and centre drivers, although this depends upon the requirements of the application. A flat belt conveyor is typically used within industrial type environments, assembly lines that are slow, and wash down points. When they are fitted with the right type of belt , they can be used to move around a wide range of different items without damaging them.
Roller Bed Conveyor
The name kind of gives it away with this type of conveyor. The belt sits on top of a number of rollers that have all been put into place in order to perfectly match the requirements of production, such as the speed at which items need to be transported from point A to point B and their weight. The shortest of all roller belt conveyors can consist of just two rollers. That being said, as the distance grows between each of the ends of the belt, the more rollers that are required in order to aid its function.
Where items are put onto the conveyor under the force of gravity, a roller bed conveyor is the perfect choice. The reason for this is that the mechanical loading of items onto a belt can cause a certain amount of damage to the rollers and mechanical shock. They are good to use when there is a need to transport items a long way, as there is very little friction, thus allowing things to move along the belt with ease.
Typically roller bed conveyors are used for transporting, inspection, assembling, sorting, and packaging items. Real world applications include postal offices for sorting parcels and airports for transporting customer baggage.
Decline / Incline Belt Conveyor
Thes incorporate a gear motor, a center drive, and a take up with either a double nose or a single nose. Rather than using a belt that has a smooth surface, this type of conveyor has a belt with a rough surface, which is needed in order to be able to carry items up or down without them toppling over.
They can be used with cleated belt conveyors in order to produce a range of elevations, such as between different floors. This is why they are suitable for different gravity flow systems.
All of the above things should be kept in mind by a business person when looking for a conveyor belt to use for their business.
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