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Conveyor Belt Tensioning

Timing & conveyor belts with mechanical joint system

Determining and adjusting the initial tension of PVC, PU and Silicone Conveyor Belts with textile wefts (plies)

  • Conveyor Belts are designed for conveying applications.
  • During initial installation, tension adjustment is essential to ensure optimum operation of your system.
  • Conveyor belts are made up of textile weft and PVC or PU coating on 1 or 2 sides.
  • The type of fabric (polyester, cotton, etc.), the number of plies and the belt width all influence the initial tension.
  • Textile pleated belts are generally made of polyester weft (plies). The number of plies varies from 1, 2 or 3.
  • The elongation tension at 1% corresponds to the value in Newton per mm of width required to elongate the belt by 1%
  • Ex = 8 N/mm To elongate a belt by 1% of its length, a load of 8 Newtons per mm of width is required
  • The greater the number of plies, the greater the value of 1%
The initial tension value is expressed in % and is generally between 0.1 and 0.5%
% of tension
Width up to 1000 mm 0.1
Narrow width (- 150 mm) 0.5
Elongation at 1% greater than 15 N/mm 0.2
Elongation at 1% less than 5 N /mm 0.4

Determining and adjusting the initial tension of monolithic Conveyor Belts without textile wefts (plies)

  • Monolithic belts have no textile weft, only a polyurethane (PU) layer
  • Elastic belts are mainly used for applications with a fixed center distance (no mechanical tensioning system).
  • Shore A hardness, thickness and width have an influence on initial installation tension.
  • Monolithic belts are joined endlessly according to a manufacturing dimension (length L0 at rest)
  • Length L1 corresponds to the length of the belt with tension (belt under tension on the conveyor).
  • To obtain the LO dimension, deduct the initial % elongation of the belt, generally referred to as pre-tensioning.
  • Example: for a tensioned length of 1000 mm with an initial elongation of the belt of 5%, we obtain a manufacturing dimension of 950 mm (1000 - 5%)
  • Monolithic belts are generally short, less than 10 meters

The initial tension value is expressed in %, and is generally between 0.2% and 5%

Shore hardness from 65 to 85 shore A (Max length = 3000 mm)
Width 10 to 100 mm Width 100 to 399 mm Thickness 400 to 750 mm
Thickness 0.5 to 0.9 mm 6 to 10 % 2 to 6 % -2 %
Thickness 1 to 1.9 mm 2 to 6 % 2 to 4 % -1 %
Thickness 2 to 3 mm Thickness 2 to 3 mm 0.5 to 1 % -0.5 %
Shore hardness from 86 to 100 shore A (max. length = 10000 mm)
Width 10 to 100 mm Width 100 to 399 mm Thickness 400 to 750 mm
Thickness 0.5 to 0.9 mm 2 to 4 % 1 to 2 % -1 %
Thickness 1 to 1.9 mm 1 to 2 % 0.5 to 1 % -0.5 %
Thickness 2 to 3 mm 0.5 to 1 % 0.2 to 0.5 % -0.2 %

The % voltages indicated are given for information only, it is necessary to make a precise calculation taking into account the load on the shaft to determine the stress on the axes or bearings.

Methodology for applying tension values

  • Make a no-load mark (without tension) 1000 mm long on the belt
  • Apply tension from 0.1 to 0.5 %, depending on the belt size
  • Move the tension roller to lengthen the mark
  • The initial mark will lengthen to 1003 mm
    (for wide belts, it may be advisable to measure on both sides to avoid too great a difference in tension, which would lead to poor belt guidance).
Image
Méthode de réglage et tension des bandes transporteuses

ATTENTION :
Data and tension values are given for information only. Tanals cannot be held responsible for any misinterpretation or misuse.

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