A material handling belt is a type of belt conveyor system among the numerous conveyor systems available. Depending on the weight and speed required, different conveyor systems can be used for different tasks. A material handling belt, which is alternatively known as a conveyor belt, has multiple pulleys in addition to an endless loop that carries the material.
Following are some of the popular types of material handling belts.
Roller bed conveyor belts
The surface of this kind of conveyor belt has rollers that support the movement of the belt. The rollers are selected based on the requirement of weight and speed at which the products have to move. If the conveyor belts are short, only two rollers can be used for the belt movement. However, for longer distances, the number of rollers has to increase. These belts may be used for packing, assembling, sorting, transporting, and inspecting items.
Hinged belts
This type of material handling belt is used in industries involved in handling scrap, mainly for recycling. The belts, in this case, are made of metal and have a hard surface. The rotating mechanism is provided by a pulley system, which makes use of the interlocking hinges. Based on the nature of the job, the belts can be used in a rough manner and are very sturdy.
Woven metal belts
When the flow of air is required while the material is being carried, woven metal belts are used. The industries in which this kind of belt is used mainly comprise food manufacturing, glass, and electronics. Interlinking chains or wiring are used for airflow, and the cooling, heating, or drying process is not interrupted.
This is the most common type of material handling belt that we see around us today. These are mostly used for internal conveyance, wherein goods have to be transported within a facility. There are several powered pulleys used for consistent motion on a flat belt. The belt can be made of synthetic fiber like nylon or polyester, or any natural material. The items are placed on the belt, and then they move automatically from one side to the other. Different kinds of items can be carried on this kind of belt without causing any damage to the items.
Material handling belts often play a crucial role in the manufacturing systems that operate on automatic systems. They are a safe and efficient way to move parts in from one point to another point in a warehouse. A material handling belt can also move parts through automated systems in a manufacturing system. But, how do you know which material handling belt is best for you? Here’s some help.
Functioning or operation of the material handling belt
This entirely depends on your requirement. Therefore, before you step out to purchase a material handling belt, make sure you have clarity on the purpose of its function. Transferring of material usually falls under two broad categories: feeding and conveying. Understanding the difference between the two is essential to decide which material handling belt is best for you. While conveying simply means moving material from point A to point B, feeding is more complex and time-sensitive in terms of the material amount that has to be moved. So, when you pick a material handling belt, make sure you are aware of this difference.
Environmental factors
To make proper selection of a material handling belt, several environmental factors need to be considered. Some of the environmental factors include the following.
Sometimes, these environmental factors can get combined with the characteristics of the material and cause handling problems. With some environmental factors, you might have to get some additional safety measures onboard.
Cost of the product
Like every other purchase you make, cost also has a crucial role to play while buying a material handling belt. While some companies will provide you reliability, lower maintenance cost, and less energy consumption in exchange for a substantial long-term cost, others might ask you to make an initial investment. When you purchase a material handling belt, the cost of the product must be discussed with the potential supplier to measure the feasibility. Having this discussion at the beginning can save you and the supplier a lot of time and energy.
Consider service history
If you have an existing material handling belt and wish to replace it, you must not overlook the service history of the provider. If you have experienced problems with reliability in the past, you must put them into consideration and think of ways to combat the issues. Only getting a machine with a different brand name will not solve your problem. You must talk to your vendor and ask them to propose solutions to your problems. If their solution convinces, only then go ahead with the purchase.
A material handling belt or a conveyor system is usually a part of handling equipment used to take materials from one place to another. One can come across a material handling belt at various places such as airports and manufacturing units. But what are the benefits of using a material handling belt? Let’s find out.
Flexible
Each time a company has to change its plant, it can come with many changes and adjustments in equipment. But when you have a material handling belt installed, it can give you the flexibility to adjust, change, increase, or reduce the need for equipment as per the new plan. For example, companies in the F & B industry have to make changes to their products as per the latest trends in the market. Therefore, to adapt to the ever-changing market, having a material handling belt is important because it gives a company the convenience of adaptability.
Time-saving
This is one of the most apparent benefits of having a material handling belt. Some material handling belts come with inclination. This makes transferring material, regardless of its size, be transferred from one place to another. It saves a lot of time and energy and gives a boost to efficiency.
More space
When a place is cluttered, it can hamper productivity to a large extent. But with a material handling belt, you do not have to worry about space. They require half the space of manually operated machines. When the room has a lot of free space, without unnecessary forklifts or multiple people operating the machinery, productivity shoots up. Also, a material handling belt does not need to be grounded. It can be easily suspended from a ceiling. This can prove highly beneficial for small or medium-sized facilities and need more floor space.
Reduced labor cost
Handling material manually can require a lot of labor for operations. But with automatic material handling belts, this labor cost can be reduced. Almost no human intervention is necessary when you are transferring material using a material handling belt.
Less room for human error
When human intervention is reduced, it automatically reduces the chances of human error. Although some human supervision will be required while the machine functions, the streamlining of handling the material on the belt can significantly be so efficient that it can reduce human error.