Conveyor belts form an integral part of material handling industry
Though a conveyor belt system is not used for bulk material handling, it forms a vital component of material handling industry and is used extensively in units for moving materials from one segment to other in a factory and also in grocery stores and other commercial applications. They are also used to carry and move industrial and agricultural materials such as grain, coal, ores, etc. generally in outdoor locations. They are also used in ski areas to carry the skiers up the hill. Given the variety of uses, these belts range from screw conveyors, vibrating conveyors, pneumatic conveyors, the moving floor system, which uses reciprocating slats to move cargo, to roller conveyor system, which uses a series of powered rollers to convey boxes or pallets.
A belt conveyor consists of two or more pulleys, with a continuous loop of material - the conveyor belt - that rotates about them. One or both of the pulleys are powered, moving the belt and the material on the belt forward. The powered pulley is called the drive pulley while the unpowered pulley is called the idler.
The belt consists of one or more layers of material made out of rubber. When the belt has two layers, the under layer of material is used to provide linear strength and shape called a carcass and the over layer is called the cover. The carcass is often a cotton or plastic web or mesh. The cover is often various rubber or plastic compounds specified by use of the belt. Covers can be made from more exotic materials for unusual applications such as silicone for heat or gum rubber when traction is essential.
A beltweigher may be used to weigh the materials in transit. Elevator belts, with regularly spaced partitions, are used for transporting loose materials up steep inclines. Belt Conveyors are used in self-unloading bulk freighters and in live bottom trucks. There are numerous uses to which these conveyor belts can be put to use and many variations can be added to them according to these uses.
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