When it comes to material handling, conveyor systems are extremely important for efficient operation. There are numerous types of conveyors used for this purpose, such as roller conveyors, belt conveyors, chain-driven conveyors, plastic conveyors and more. Coming to the latter, plastic conveyor belts are made entirely of interlocked plastic parts/links. In this blog, the 5 major benefits of these plastic conveyor belts and some crucial applications will be addressed.
Why Are Plastic Conveyor Belts Useful?
1. Economical
One of the biggest benefits of plastic conveyor belts is their cost of manufacturing. It is actually quite economical to produce. Therefore, it is an excellent investment for warehouses and material-handling organizations.
2. Easy To Stock
Due to the low cost of production, it is convenient for warehouses to stock more parts of the conveyor belt. Thus, they have instant access to spare parts and components in the event of repair or breakdown.
3. Designed To Handle Heavy-Duty Loads
Most plastic belt conveyors are made using injection moulding. The major advantage of using this method is that there are few to no limitations when it comes to designing a part. Hence, plastic conveyors designed this way can be optimized to handle heavy loads and be extremely durable.
4. Material Characteristics Can Be Customized
Another major benefit of plastic modular conveyor belts is the flexibility in terms of manufacturing the parts. Plastic conveyor belt components can be customized to fit your particular requirements. For instance, it can be made more rigid or flexible, or it can be designed to be more high-friction or low-friction. These modifications will have a significant impact on the operation, so it is important to be clear on the design requirements.
5. Ergonomic And Safe During Operation
Following up on the above point, since it allows extensive customization, plastic conveyor systems can also be manufactured to be more ergonomic and include features which promote safety. Thus, when all these benefits are combined, plastic conveyors are excellent for material handling operations.
A few major applications of these conveyors will be explored in the next segment.
Applications Of Plastic Conveyor Belts
Warehousing Distribution
Plastic belt conveyors offer an excellent solution for warehousing distribution operations. They are highly customizable and adaptable to different product sizes and shapes, making them ideal for handling various items such as boxes, cartons or pallets.
Furthermore, plastic belt conveyors have a non-slip surface that ensures the products won't slide off during transport, reducing the risk of damage or loss in transit. This makes them perfect for moving fragile or heavy goods around your warehouse safely.
Assembly Lines
One major advantage of using plastic belt conveyors in assembly lines is their ability to handle a variety of product sizes and shapes. This flexibility allows manufacturers to easily switch between different production runs without having to change equipment or reconfigure the assembly line.
Another benefit is that they can be designed with curves and inclines, allowing for more efficient use of space in facilities where floor space may be limited. And since most plastic belts are modular, repairs and maintenance can be done quickly and easily by swapping out individual sections rather than replacing an entire conveyor system.
Packaging Lines
Packaging lines are used to transport a wide range of products from one point in the production process to another, including packaging and labelling stations.
Plastic belt conveyors in packaging lines also offer flexibility because they can be customized to fit into different spaces throughout the line. They can be adjusted for speed, direction, and height depending on what type of package is being transported.
Tray Merging Or Routing
When it comes to the food service/manufacturing industry, tray merging or routing is a crucial part of their operation. It involves efficiently moving trays filled with food items from one point to another without any spills or accidents.
This is where plastic belt conveyors come into play as they are designed for gentle movement and precise control over tray handling. The conveyor system helps merge multiple trays into one single line while also routing them toward different stations based on specific orders.
The plastic belts used in these conveyors come in various configurations that can handle different types of food containers such as round plates, square trays, or even irregular-shaped packaging. Moreover, these belts have a non-stick surface which makes cleaning faster and easier when dealing with messy foods like sauces or dressings.
Drying Or Cooling
Drying or cooling is another application where plastic belt conveyors excel. In industries such as food processing or pharmaceuticals, it's important that products are dried or cooled quickly and efficiently to prevent spoilage or contamination. Plastic belt conveyors allow for even airflow around the product which helps speed up the process while ensuring consistent results.
Modular Plastic Belt Conveyor
Norpak Handling has its own line of modular plastic belt conveyors. Here are some salient features of the plastic modular belt conveyor design:
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Available in the form of straight belts and radius belts for general conveying and for transportation around curves.
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Can be made using a wide variety of materials such as Electrically Conductive (EC) Acetal, Impact Resistant (IR) Nylon, Polypropylene Composite (PPC) and more.
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Chains are available in 4 industry standard widths: 83 mm, 114 mm, 191 mm and 85mm.
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Temperature-resistant, corrosion-resistant, and easy to clean and maintain.
Conclusion
In closing, modular plastic belt conveyors are an incredibly versatile and cost-effective solution for material handling operations due to their many benefits. This is why they are used extensively in the above-mentioned applications. If you are looking for a similar solution for your particular operation, reach out to us at Norpak Handling. With decades of experience in providing customized material handling solutions to many major operations across Canada, we supply systems and conveyor equipment from the best plastic conveyor belt manufacturers. Contact us today and we will be happy to provide extensive consultations in order to ensure you choose the best conveyor system for your particular operations.
