Conveyor Belting

What is conveyor belting?

Conveyor belting is the continuous belt that carries materials or products along a conveyor. It runs over a drive pulley and a tail pulley, supported by rollers or a slider bed, and moves anything from sand, gravel, and grain to boxes, parcels, and food products. Conveyor belting is made in many different constructions and materials, from heavy-duty rubber belts for quarries to thin, hygienic belts for food lines, so it can be matched to the load and the conditions.

A standard conveyor belt has three main parts:

• A carcass, made from layers of fabric (plies) or steel cords, which gives the belt its strength
• A top cover, which carries the material and protects the carcass from wear, cuts, and impact
• A bottom cover, which runs over the pulleys and rollers.

The carcass and covers are chosen to suit the job.

• The carcass sets how much tension, and so how much load and length, the belt can handle.
• The covers set how well the belt resists wear, heat, oil, chemicals, or fire, and whether it is suitable for food.

Conveyor belting is usually sold by width and length, either as an endless belt made to size, or by the metre to be cut and joined on site.

Why is conveyor belting essential?

Conveyors move materials quickly, safely, and continuously, reducing manual handling and keeping production running. The belt is the most important part of the conveyor, and the part that wears. A belt that suits the material, load, and conditions will run reliably for a long time, while the wrong belt can wear, stretch, tear, or slip, causing spillage and downtime.

Because conveyor belting comes in so many grades and constructions, replacing a belt with the correct type for the application can also reduce wear on pulleys and rollers, improve grip on inclines, and meet food or fire safety requirements.

Typical applications include:

• Quarries, mines, and aggregate plants
• Recycling and waste handling
• Agriculture, grain, and animal feed handling
• Food processing and packaging lines
• Warehousing, parcel, and baggage handling
• Manufacturing and assembly lines
• Wood, paper, and timber processing
• Construction sites and concrete plants

The main types of conveyor belting

• Multi-ply rubber conveyor belting - Heavy-duty belts with several layers of fabric, usually polyester and nylon (EP), covered in rubber. The most common belt for bulk materials such as aggregates, sand, and coal.
• Lightweight PVC and PU conveyor belting - Thin, flexible belts with a PVC or polyurethane surface, used for light loads, unit handling, and food. Food-grade versions are available for direct contact with food.
• Chevron and patterned belting - Belts with a raised pattern on the top surface, such as a chevron, which stops materials sliding back on inclines.
• Heat resistant belting - Belts with special rubber covers designed to carry hot materials, such as clinker, castings, or hot aggregates.
• Oil resistant belting - Belts with covers that resist oils and fats, for recycling, food waste, wood chips, and fertilisers.
• Fire resistant belting - Belts made to resist burning and limit the spread of fire, used underground and in areas with a fire risk.
• Cleated and sidewall belting - Belts with raised cleats or flexible sidewalls, for carrying materials up steep inclines.
• Steel cord belting - Belts with steel cords instead of fabric, for very long, high-tension conveyors in mines and ports.

How to choose the right conveyor belting?

• Material carried - Consider the size, weight, sharpness, temperature, and abrasiveness of the material. Heavy, sharp, or abrasive materials need thick, tough covers.
• Belt strength - Choose a carcass strength and number of plies to suit the conveyor length, load, and drive power.
• Width - Choose a belt that suits the conveyor frame and the volume of material. The belt should be narrower than the pulleys, with room either side.
• Cover grade - Choose a cover grade for abrasion, heat, oil, fire, or food use, depending on the conditions.
• Incline - For conveyors running uphill, consider a chevron, patterned, or cleated belt to stop material sliding back.
• Joining method - Decide whether the belt will be supplied endless, vulcanised on site, or joined with mechanical fasteners, as this affects the length and preparation needed.

Essential references and specialised ranges

How the numbering works:

Multi-ply rubber conveyor belting is usually described by width, carcass type and strength, number of plies, and cover thicknesses. For example:

600mm EP400/3 4+2

600mm = belt width

EP = polyester and nylon fabric carcass

400 = total belt strength in N/mm

3 = number of fabric plies

4+2 = top cover 4mm thick, bottom cover 2mm thick

Lightweight belting is usually described by its material, thickness, number of plies, and surface finish, such as smooth, matt, or patterned.

Suffixes:

EP = polyester and nylon fabric carcass

PVC, PU = surface material on lightweight belts

Many rubber belts also carry a cover grade code, such as Y, X, or W, which shows the level of abrasion and cut resistance, along with codes for heat, oil, or fire resistance.

Suffix codes vary between manufacturers, so check the supplier’s catalogue for the exact meaning.

FAQ - All you need to know about conveyor belting

What does EP mean on conveyor belting?

EP describes the fabric used in the carcass: polyester (E) running along the length of the belt and nylon, or polyamide (P), running across it. EP belting is strong, has low stretch, and resists moisture, which makes it the most common type for general bulk handling.

How are conveyor belts joined?

There are three main methods. Hot vulcanising bonds the belt ends with heat and pressure, giving the strongest and smoothest joint. Cold bonding uses adhesives. Mechanical fasteners use metal plates or hinges, which are quick to fit and easy to replace.

Why does my conveyor belt run to one side?

Common causes are misaligned pulleys or rollers, an uneven or poorly made joint, material building up on pulleys or rollers, or the load being placed off-centre. Check and correct these before adjusting the tracking.

How tight should a conveyor belt be?

The belt should be just tight enough to drive without slipping under full load. Over-tightening stretches the belt and joint, and overloads the pulley bearings. Follow the conveyor or belt maker’s recommendations.

How do I fit a new conveyor belt?

Release the take-up tension, remove the old belt, and check the pulleys, rollers, and scrapers for wear or damage. Fit the new belt the right way up and in the correct running direction, make the joint, then tension the belt and check it tracks centrally along the full length of the conveyor.

How do I identify the belting I need?

Check any markings on the underside of the belt, which often show the type, strength, and plies. If there are none, measure the width and total thickness, count the plies at a cut edge, and note the cover type and surface pattern.

How can I tell if a conveyor belt needs replacing?

Warning signs include:

• Worn, cut, or gouged top cover, especially in the loading area
• Exposed or damaged fabric plies
• Cracked, frayed, or damaged edges
• A failing or damaged joint
• Excessive stretch that the take-up can no longer correct
• The belt slipping on the drive pulley or running off-track