Conveyor Belt Types and Their Industrial Uses

Home » Conveyor Belt Types and Their Industrial Uses

1. Flat Conveyor Belts

Description:
  • Flat conveyor belts are the most common type of conveyor belt. They consist of a flat surface made from materials such as rubber, fabric, or plastic. These belts are supported by rollers or a flat metal surface.
Applications:
  • – Manufacturing: Transporting items between workstations or assembly lines.
  • – Packaging: Moving packaged goods through production lines.
  • – Warehousing: Conveying boxes, cartons, or pallets.
  • – Food Industry: Transporting packaged food items.
Advantages:
  • – Simple design.
  • – Suitable for light to medium loads.
  • – Easy to clean and maintain.
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2. Modular Conveyor Belts

Description:
  • Modular belts are made up of interlocking plastic segments, creating a durable and flexible surface. They are ideal for curved and inclined conveyor systems.
Applications:
  • – Food Processing: Washing, cutting, and packaging fruits and vegetables.
  • – Pharmaceuticals: Transporting sterile products.
  • – Automotive Industry: Moving parts through assembly lines.
Advantages:
  • – Resistant to corrosion and wear.
  • – Can handle complex routes, including curves and inclines.
  • – Easy to repair by replacing individual modules.

3. Cleated Conveyor Belts

Description:
  • Cleated belts have raised sections (cleats) along the surface to prevent materials from sliding. They are used for transporting items on inclines or declines.
Applications:
  • – Agriculture: Transporting grains, seeds, and fertilizers.
  • – Mining: Moving coal, sand, or minerals on steep inclines.
  • – Recycling: Transporting materials like bottles, cans, and paper.
Advantages:
  • – Prevents material rollback.
  • – Ideal for transporting loose or bulk materials.
  • – Increases carrying capacity.
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4. Roller Conveyor Belts

Description:
  • Roller conveyor belts use a series of rollers to transport goods. They are typically powered by motors or gravity.
Applications:
  • – Logistics and Warehousing: Sorting and transporting packages.
  • – Retail Distribution: Moving goods in e-commerce fulfillment centers.
  • – Automated Systems: Integration with robotic pickers or sorters.
Advantages:
  • – Suitable for heavy loads.
  • – Requires minimal energy for operation.
  • – Flexible and easily configurable.

5. Curved Conveyor Belts

Description:
  • These belts are designed to move materials around corners or curves. They are often modular and can handle a range of materials.
Applications:
  • – Airport Baggage Systems: Moving luggage through curved pathways.
  • – Postal Services: Sorting and transporting mail.
  • – Manufacturing: Efficiently routing items in complex layouts.
Advantages:
  • – Saves space in confined environments.
  • – Smooth transitions around bends.
  • – Customizable radius and angle.

6. Inclined Conveyor Belts

Description:
  • Inclined belts are specifically designed for transporting materials to higher or lower levels. They often feature cleats or sidewalls for better grip.
Applications:
  • – Food Industry: Moving products to different levels in production lines.
  • – Construction: Transporting materials like bricks or gravel to elevated areas.
  • – Recycling Plants: Moving materials to crushers or separators.
Advantages:
  • – Handles steep gradients effectively.
  • – Prevents spillage during transport.
  • – Increases production efficiency.

7. Conveyor Belts for Heavy-Duty Applications

Description:
  • These belts are made of reinforced rubber, steel, or other robust materials to handle extreme conditions and heavy loads.
Applications:
  • – Mining: Transporting ore, coal, and heavy rocks.
  • – Construction: Moving cement, asphalt, and construction debris.
  • – Ports: Loading and unloading ships with bulk materials like grain or coal.
Advantages:
  • – High load capacity.
  • – Resistant to wear and tear.
  • – Suitable for harsh environments.

8. Metal Conveyor Belts

Description:
  • Made from metal wires or plates, these belts are durable and capable of withstanding high temperatures.
Applications:
  • – Food Processing: Baking, frying, or cooling products like bread or snacks.
  • – Automotive Industry: Conveying hot components during production.
  • – Metalworking: Transporting parts through furnaces or cooling stations.
Advantages:
  • – Heat and corrosion-resistant.
  • – Suitable for high-temperature applications.
  • – Long lifespan.

9. Vibrating Conveyor Belts

Description:
  • These belts use vibrations to move materials, making them ideal for fine or delicate items.
Applications:
  • – Pharmaceutical Industry: Handling pills and capsules.
  • – Food Processing: Transporting grains, nuts, or powders.
  • – Mining: Moving fine minerals or sand.
Advantages:
  • – Gentle on fragile items.
  • – Ideal for small, lightweight materials.
  • – Reduces risk of material blockages.

10. Magnetic Conveyor Belts

Description:
  • Magnetic belts use magnetic force to hold ferrous materials in place during transport.
Applications:
  • – Metal Recycling: Separating ferrous from non-ferrous metals.
  • – Automotive Industry: Handling metal components like bolts or screws.
  • – Electronics: Transporting magnetic materials during production.
Advantages:
  • – Ensures materials stay securely in place.
  • – Reduces material spillage.
  • – Improves sorting efficiency.

11. Chain Conveyor Belts

Description:
  • These belts use chains to transport heavy materials, often in combination with slats or platforms.
Applications:
  • – Automotive Industry: Moving car frames or large parts.
  • – Timber Industry: Transporting logs or wooden planks.
  • – Industrial Manufacturing: Handling heavy machinery components.
Advantages:
  • – Suitable for very heavy loads.
  • – Durable and long-lasting.
  • – Handles harsh environments well.

12. Specialty Conveyor Belts

Description:
  • Custom-designed belts for unique applications, such as those resistant to chemicals, oil, or extreme temperatures.
Applications:
  • – Chemical Processing: Transporting corrosive materials.
  • – Oil and Gas Industry: Handling petroleum-based products.
  • – Textile Industry: Transporting fabrics during dyeing or printing.
Advantages:
  • – Tailored to specific requirements.
  • – Enhances safety and efficiency.
  • – Reduces downtime in challenging conditions.

Conclusion

Each conveyor belt type serves unique purposes across different industries. Selecting the right conveyor belt depends on factors like material type, load capacity, temperature, and environment. Understanding the features and applications of each type can help industries optimize efficiency and reduce operational costs.

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MATT BEVERLEY

A time served Mechanical engineer Matt’s background includes many high-profile projects within the Automotive Industry: The Rolls Royce Phantom, Rolls Royce Cullinan, Spyker Le-Mans racing teams, Bentley, Aston Martin, and Airbus A380. This history and knowledge of complex manufacturing and engineering projects have been transferred and further developed into the bulk material handling sector. Matt has work in Europe, North America, Indonesia, and China

He joined the bulk solids and bulk handling industry in 2019 as Managing Director of Hoverdale UK Ltd and subsequently completed a Management buyout in July 2020. The business has grown yearly, increased employment, its customer base, and worldwide reputation, and disrupted the market with groundbreaking innovative technology. Since Matt took over Hoverdale, the company has filed four patents for innovation; one was granted in 2023 for a design to improve bulk handling. The success had been driven by delivering tailored solutions to the waste recycling sectors that keep material flowing out and money flowing in.

Awards Include

  • 2024 – Shapa company of the Year
  • 2024- Shapa Innovation in Technology
  • 2024- MHEA Engineer of the year
  • 2021 – MHEA Innovation of the year
  • 2021- IMechE Innovation award

Current Positions Include.

  • Group Chairman Hoverdale UK Ltd
  • President (MHEA) Material Handling Engineers Association
  • Vice Chairman: IMechE Bulk Material Handling Committee
  • Council Member: (SHAPA) Solids Handling & Particle Association
  • Member: Chartered Management Institute

Matt has been happily married to Julie for 22 years and has 4 children, 3 of which are involved within the Hoverdale group of companies. He is an RFU level 2 qualified coach and referee having been in several head coaching roles at various age groups from under 6’s to adults for his local team Nuneaton RFC. He believes in the core values that rugby teaches of Teamwork, Respect, Enjoyment, Discipline, Sportsmanship and try’s to carry this through in his day to day business activities. He is passionate at brining the next generation of young, diverse engineers into the sector through promotion of apprenticeship scheme and further education routes.

DAVID BARTER

David is an experienced leader, with a background covering Operations, eCommerce, Finance, Compliance, HR and IT. His career spans Banking, Retail and Engineering, spending the majority of his career working for ALDI as they grew to become 4th largest supermarket in the UK, including seven years on their UK board as Managing Director of IT and eCommerce.

David joined Hoverdale’s Senior Management Team in 2023 to seek a fresh challenge in a completely different industry sector. He has applied his approach to Process Improvement, Efficiency, Customer Service and Teamwork to great effect during Hoverdale’s sustained growth.

Married to Jane, with three adult sons between them, David volunteers on the board of the Nottingham Playhouse theatre as well as his local rugby and football clubs. Any spare time he spends enjoying walks with their Golden Retriever, Buzz, who is also regularly seen in the Hoverdale office.

BEN DUCHESNE

Ben is a time serviced field service engineer in the busy waste and recycling sector, who’s career moved into to managing service teams and beyond. Originally beginning his career with a HGV repair and maintenance apprenticeship with IVECO, from there travelling and working in multiple countries moving towards waste processing shredders.

Ben joined the Hoverdale team in September 2024 seeking to apply his extensive knowledge to a new area. His values and ethics fit perfectly within the Hoverdale ethos.

He is happily married to Kristina, with 4 wonderful young children; 14, 11, 8 and 5. We the children he doesn’t get much spare time. He is a family man, who enjoys spending as much time with them as possible.