The belt on a powered conveyor is the only component in contact with both the drive pulley of the conveyor and also the product. As such it could be considered the most important component of the conveyor but is often the component with the least amount of thought given to it.

  There are literally hundreds of combinations of belt styles, materials of construction, thicknesses, colors and types of surfaces. This article will concentrate on those belts selected most frequently for use with LEWCO’s MDSB (Medium Duty Slider Belt) Conveyor as described on pages 144 and 145 of our catalog.

  The catalog lists the following belt options (listed below in approximate order of cost, dependent upon actual lengths and widths of the conveyor):

• B98 PVC 120, Black COS

• B25 Trackmate, PVC 120, Black FBS

• B01 PVC 120, White, COS, Food Grade

• B03 Rough Top, 2 Ply SBR

• B26 Trackmate, PVC 150, Rough Top

• B24 Trackmate, PVC 150, Black, COS

• B02 Hot, Stock & Water, 3 Ply

• B04 Rough Top, 2 Ply Nitrile

• B05 Urethane

  B25, Trackmate, PVC 120, Black FBS. To overcome the difficul-ties created by the weave pattern of inter-woven belts mentioned above, the belting industry created Trackmate (other trade names of similar design include Ultimate and Polymate) belts. These are non-woven belts and offer superior tracking characteristics (there is no chance of camber with these products), superior lace retention, low noise, lightweight yet with the same strength of interwoven, superior edge integrity (very low fray), and high impact and tear resistance. All this and yet they typically add only a few percent to the overall cost of the conveyor. Our records indicate a much lower incidence of belt tracking problems with these belts compared to the interwoven products. FBS (friction both sides) indicates that there is a friction surface on both sides of the belt, allowing the belt to be turned over, increasing its life.

  B01, PVC 120, White, COS, Food Grade. White, Food Grade belts which are F.D.A and U.S.D.A. approved are economical as well as durable. They are resistant to chemicals, food acid and moisture. The cover is easy to clean, is usually of a matte finish to reduce glare and the coated bottom prevents bacteria growth.

  B03, Rough Top, 2 Ply SBR. Styrene Butadiene Rubber (aka Buna S or GRS, a designation dating back to the WW II development of synthetic rubber, meaning Government Rubber Styrene) is an economical substitution for Natural Rubber in many applications because it provides significant cost savings. SBR is a good choice for applications where finished product exposure includes acids, organic salts and alkalis. It is wear resistant and non-toxic. Rough Top surfaces should be used for inclining and declining applications.

  B26, Trackmate, PVC 150, Rough Top. Trackmate belts are also made with Rough Top surfaces for incline/decline applications. A 150 belt is thicker and has a higher strength than a similar style 120 belt.

  B24,Trackmate, PVC 150, Black, COS. If you have managed to read this far, this belt construction should be obvious.

  B02, Hot, Stock & Water, 3 Ply. These belts have a heavy duty bare cotton duck top which makes them suitable for use on accumulating and diverter conveyors. This belt is best known for its use in