Conveyor belt material analysis: how to choose the most suitable material

1. Common Conveyor Belt Materials and Their Characteristics

1.1 PVC Conveyor Belt

• Composition: Made from polyester fabric and polyvinyl chloride (PVC) coating.
• Characteristics:
  • High elasticity, resistant to deformation.
  • Stable operation, minimal deviation, strong joints, excellent lateral stability.
  • Operating temperature range: -10°C to 80°C.
• Applications:
  • Ideal for lightweight, flat-surfaced materials (e.g., packaging, paper).
  • Widely used in tobacco, logistics, packaging, printing, food, wood, aquatic products, stone, and other industries.

1.2 PU Conveyor Belt

• Composition: High-strength synthetic polyurethane fabric as the core, coated with polyurethane resin.
• Characteristics:
  • High tensile strength, flexibility, lightweight, thin, and tough.
  • Oil-resistant, food-grade (FDA-certified), easy to clean.
  • Resistant to corrosion, cold, cutting, abrasion, and physical aging.
• Applications:
  • Food, pharmaceutical industries (hygienic requirements).
  • Sharp-edged materials or environments with oil/grease.

1.3 Rubber Conveyor Belt

• Composition: EP-impregnated canvas as the core material.
• Characteristics:
  • High strength, thin and lightweight, flexible, good troughability.
  • Impact-resistant, wear-resistant, corrosion-resistant.
• Applications:
  • Heavy loads, high-speed, medium-to-long-distance transport.
  • Coal, mining, ports, metallurgy, power, chemicals, construction.

1.4 Nylon (NN) Conveyor Belt

• Composition: Nylon canvas core.
• Characteristics:
  • Exceptional tensile strength, abrasion resistance, and longevity.
  • Excellent flexibility and troughability.
• Applications:
  • Long-distance, high-capacity, high-speed transport.
  • Complex conveyor line layouts.

1.5 Polyester (EP) Conveyor Belt

• Composition: Polyester canvas core.
• Characteristics:
  • High strength, fatigue resistance, dimensional stability, and troughability.
• Applications:
  • Heavy-duty, high-speed, long-distance transport.
  • Performs well in high-temperature, humid, or corrosive environments.

1.6 Steel Cord Conveyor Belt

• Composition: Steel cords as tension members, combined with canvas/polyester cores and rubber coating.
• Characteristics:
  • Ultra-high tensile strength and load capacity.
• Applications:
  • Large-scale mining, ports, and complex conditions.

1.7 Silicone Conveyor Belt

• Composition: High-temperature, corrosion-resistant, flame-retardant fiberglass fabric coated or impregnated with silicone rubber.
• Characteristics:
  • Temperature range: -70°C to 280°C.
  • High adsorption, thermal/chemical stability, and mechanical strength.
• Applications:
  • High-temperature material transport (metallurgy, ceramics, glass).
  • Environments with corrosive gases.

1.8 PE Conveyor Belt

• Characteristics:
  • Lightweight, durable, corrosion-resistant, easy to clean.
• Applications:
  • Light-to-medium loads and speeds.
  • Food, pharmaceuticals, electronics industries.

2. Selection Guidelines

Choose materials based on:

• Load capacity: Heavy loads require steel cord or EP belts.
• Operating environment: High temperatures demand silicone belts; corrosive settings need PU or silicone.
• Hygiene standards: FDA-certified PU for food/pharma.
• Flexibility and troughability: Nylon or rubber for complex routes.
• Cost-effectiveness: PVC or PE for lightweight, low-intensity applications.