Conveyor and processing belts

Recommendations
for machine design
Content

Definitions and description 2

Drums 3
Take-up devices 5
Belt support 6
Knife edges 9
Belt tracking 10
Cleaning devices 19

Further information on machine design

can be found in our brochure no. 304
“Calculation methods – conveyor belts”.

Conveyor and power transmission belts

1 made of modern synthetics
Worldwide leaders in technology, quality and service
 Conveyor and processing belts

Definitions and description

In a standard conveyor in the light

materials handling sector, the belt runs
over two end drums or terminals.
In the preferred configuration, called
a head drive, the drive drum is at the dis-
charge end of the conveyor. The forces
operating in such a configuration are
utilized better than with a tail drive design
(see Calculation Methods).

With long conveyor lines and a large total

load, support rollers are often used instead
of skid plates to reduce the effective pull.
The non-driven end drum should be
installed such that its position can be ad-
justed, enabling it to take on the function
of the tension take-up drum.
With centre distances of < 2000 mm
support rollers should also be installed on
the return side, thereby avoiding excessive
belt sag caused by the weight of the belt
itself.

If the centre distance cannot be adjusted or

can only be adjusted minimally, e.g. in the
event of consecutive conveyors, tensioning
units are located on the return side.

Conveyors with troughed belts are also

used for bulk goods conveying in the light
materials handling sector. In this case,
two- or three-section support roller sets
are installed on the upper side.
Alternatively, a skid plate of troughed
construction can be used.

2

Drums
Drum diameters should always be as large
as possible. The minimum admissible
diameter is determined by
– the effective pull to be transmitted
(see method for calculating drive
drum diameter).
It is recommended that the drive drum
have a cylindrical centre section with
tapered edges, with the length of the
cylindrical section being b/2.
For further advice on this see page 11.
Where belt width is considerably less than
the drum length, it is the belt width which
determines the proportions of the drive
drum.
Guideline figures for conicity h [mm]
bis 200
I 1-ply belts
II 2-ply belts
NOVO, E10/M, E15/M, E20/M
III 3-ply belts
3
Conveyor and processing belts
Drum diameter
Particularly with wide conveyors, drums
with too small a diameter are subject to
inadmissibly large deflection, resulting in
unwanted belt creasing and mistracking.
Drum deflection should be calculated
(page 17) as a counter-check.
– the flexural properties of the belt type
used (see under dmin in product range)
– the flexural properties of the lateral and
longitudinal profiles welded onto the
belt (see Belt Preparation and Finishing
brochure)
Drive drum
The crown height figures quoted in II
and III are maximum values which should
be reduced in exceptional cases to match
those quoted in I if lateral forces occur
which the belt is no longer able to with-
stand and which thus result in longitudinal
creasing.
This also applies in the case of centre
drives or for wide belts where the spacings
between the drive and end drums is too
Drum diameter [mm] short to permit the belt tension to be
> 200 bis 500 > 500 equalized.
0.5 0.8 1.0 The drive drum may be cylindrical if
0.7 1.3 1.5 tracking devices are installed.
1.0 1.6 2.0
 Conveyor and processing belts

To improve the coefficient of friction of 0,

Lagged surface U0, A0, E0, V1, U1, UH undersides, drive
drums are frequently lagged. The lagging
should consist of an abrasion-resistant
material, e.g. polyurethane or rubber with
a Shore (A) of ≥ 85.
Another method which can be carried
out on site is to wrap a friction lagging
material, e.g. Transilon with a U2 coating,
spirally around the drum.

The faces of all drums should have a

Bare surface smooth finish. Any pronounced grooves
caused by machining have an undesirable
effect on belt tracking.
Roughness RZ ≤ 25 (DIN 4768)
(Peak-to-valley height ≤ 25 µm)

4
 Conveyor and processing belts

Take-up devices

The contact pressure of the belt on the

drive drum required to transmit the Screw-operated take-up
effective pull is produced by elongating the
belt with a tension take-up.
The end drum can serve as a tensioning
drum if it is installed such that it can be
moved by screw tension take-ups while
remaining parallel to the drive drum.
Such a conveyor configuration is often
used in conjunction with Transilon which
is virtually free of any permanent
elongation (therefore requiring only a
short tension take-up range) and
dimensionally stable (therefore needing no
re-tensioning).
A fixed tension take-up, however, does not
permit any length compensation for
variations in elongation during start-up or
with fluctuating loads or temperatures.

Load-dependent tension take-up

On very long, heavily loaded conveyors, Alternatively, pneumatic or spring-loaded

this tensioning unit must be located close tension take-ups can be used.
to the drive drum in order to compensate
Load-dependent take-ups are
immediately for elongations in the upper
recommended for conveyors operating in
strand during start-up.
high, fluctuating temperatures.
Tensioning with a load-dependent system
A load-dependent take-up is not suitable
can be achieved, for example, with a gravity
for a reversible drive.
take-up consisting of a weight suspended
from a cord.

5
 Conveyor and processing belts
Skid plate
Support roller design
Belt support
Skid plates should be set approx. 2–3 mm
lower than the belt and must be aligned
precisely since they have a profound effect
on belt tracking as a result of sliding
friction. Their edges should be chamfered.
Materials such as sheet steel, hard plastics
laminates (Resopal, Duropal etc.) and
laminated wood panels are generally used
for skid plates. In conjunction with the
low-friction undersides of Transilon belts,
these materials ensure favourable frictional
properties, though these can be affected by
surface finishes and operating conditions.
Support rollers are required to have
low rotational resistance and balanced
running. For this reason, support rollers
using roller bearings with low seal friction
are almost exclusively used. In order to
maintain a low centrifugal momentum,
their walls are usually made of precision
steel tubing or steam tubing (see DIN
2448).
It is important that skid plates be thor-
oughly cleaned before the conveyor is
commissioned since remnants of pro-
tective lacquer coatings or other types of
contamination can cause considerable
difficulties (e.g. tracking problems, belt
damage, increase in underside coefficient
of friction).
Slatted supports should be avoided if
possible as a means of belt support since
they often unnecessarily increase operating
noise and wear and tear on the belt.
Tubular plastic support rollers are also
used (because of their corrosion resistance
and low degree of soiling. N.B. Electro-
static build-up is possible).
Support roller pitch is determined by the
unit length of the conveyed goods. If the
support roller pitch is ≤1/2 unit length, the
weight of goods will always be borne by 2
rollers.
6
 Conveyor and processing belts

Support roller configuration

≥ 10 mm

2-piece forms should be offset and should

Form M support roller Form N: 2-piece offset overlap by approx. 10 mm.

Support roller configurations and dimen- With 2-piece forms where there is no
sions are specified in DIN 22107/ISO 1537. overlap, the gap between the support
Form M (as designated by DIN) is used rollers should be kept as small as possible
to support the tight and return sides ≤ 10 mm so as to prevent creasing and wrinkling.
of a flat running belt and the return side
of a troughed conveyor. The tight side
of a troughed belt is supported by form N
or P support rollers.

Form N 2-piece

Form P: 3-piece offset Form P: 3-piece, troughing angle 20° - 40°

Support roller pitch is also a function of

the belt’s effective pull and the combined Support roller pitch for bulk goods
yB . 800 . F
__________
masses of belt and goods. It is calculated lo = [mm]
according to the following equation: m'o + m'B
Support roller pitch is determined by the
F = ε % . SD . bo [N] unit length of the conveyed goods. If the
support roller pitch is ≤ 1/2 unit length, the
weight of the goods will always be borne by
lo = upper support roller pitch in mm m'o + m'B = weight of conveyed goods 2 rollers.
lu = lower support roller pitch in mm plus belt in kg/m
yB = max. belt sag in mm SD = SD value in N/mm width
F = effective pull at appropriate bo = Belt width in mm
point in N ε% = Elongation at fitting

If a max. belt sag of 1% is permitted,

i.e. if yB = 0,01 lo, then 8.F
lo = ________ [mm]
m'o + m'B
Recommendation lo max ≤ 2b0
lu ≈ 2 – 3 lo max

7
 Conveyor and processing belts

Snub rollers are used if: If belts with a textured surface are in use,
Snub rollers we recommend lagging snub rollers to
– the arc of contact between the belt and
reduce noise.
the drive drum must be increased.
– the distance between the upper and
return sides must be small for design or
constructional reasons.

Minimum diameter If the arc of contact of snub, support or

with small arcs of contact guide rollers is small and does not exceed
15°, the diameter of these rollers may be
equal to 1/2 dmin (for dmin see product
range).

Transition lengths

The upper edges of the end drum and of
the central troughing rollers must lie in the
same plane.
In the transition area of the troughed belt
from the drum to the belt support roller
set (and vice versa) the edges are subjected
to increased elongation.
The following nominal values for the
transition length Is should therefore be
observed:
Note:
To ensure proper belt tracking it is
recommended that the end drum be of
tapered/cylindrical design.

Troughing angle 15° 20° 30° 40°

Is = belt width b0 · c7 constant [mm]
c7 0,7 0,9 1,5 2

8
 Conveyor and processing belts

Knife edges

Fixed knife edges

Energy consumption by the belt rises when
it runs over knife edges. At the same time,
belts running at high speed can be sub-
jected to a substantial temperature increase
because of friction in the knife-edge zone.
For this reason, the arc of contact should
be kept to a minimum (to reduce energy
consumption, heat build-up and initial
tension).
If the knife edge belt only operates in one
direction, a gravity take-up can be installed
after the drive drum instead of the usual
screw tension take-up to ensure correct
belt tension. This movable tension roller
reduces belt tension at the knife edge and
can considerably reduce the frictional force
at the knife edge by comparison with the
fixed screw tensioning system.

Rolling knife edges, which substantially

Rolling knife edges
reduce the frictional force at the knife
edge, are finding increasing acceptance.
Knife edge radii of r = 4 – 10 mm are
commonly used.

9
 Conveyor and processing belts
Belt tracking
Fundamentals of conveyor belt tracking
The conveyor should be as rigid as possible.
It must not be distorted by the forces
exerted by the belt.
All drums and rollers, especially the drive
drum, must be clean. Remove
anticorrosion coatings, oil and dirt deposits
from skid plates, drums and rollers.
Replace damaged or heavily worn parts.
Align knife edges, drive and end drums,
and support rollers such that they are
parallel.
To do this, first align the end drums such
that they are parallel to each other and at
right angles to the conveyor frame by
adjusting the drums until each centre
distance 1 and each diagonal 2 are equal.
< 90 °
Drums whose axes are not at right angles to
the running direction of the belt will cause
mistracking.
Another method is first to align the drive
drum using a set square and then to adjust
the end drum until the centre distances 1
are equal.
It is then possible, starting from one of the
end drums, to align each support roller or
skid plate section individually such that the
axes are parallel.
Goods should always be loaded onto the
centre of the belt in the direction of travel.
Large drops should be avoided if at all
possible.
Attention should be paid to the surface
quality of the drums.
90 °
Straight running due to right-angled
alignment of drum.
10
 Conveyor and processing belts

If a tracked belt is exposed to a

considerable degree of asymmetrical Effect of temperature
heating and loading, this can lead to a non-
uniform change in its inner tension state.
The result of this are tracking forces which
may cause the belt to run off to the side.
An automatic belt tracking device is
recommended.

The drive drum is tapered/cylindrical.

Effect of conicity and belt width

A conveyor belt is tracked to the centre of

the conveyor by a tapered/cylindrical
drum.
The higher the belt speed and the larger the
Excessive conicity. drum diameter, the greater the centering
effect.
Belt does not hug drum, thus losing
tracking effect. Recommendations on conicity can be
found on page 4.

Belt is too narrow.

Solution: Match drum proportions to belt
width.

Belt wider than drum.

To be avoided at all costs because of non-
uniform tracking effects, particularly with
laterally flexible belt types.

11
 Conveyor and processing belts

The tracking of troughed belts can be

Effect of support rollers controlled by angling the side rollers of
some sets in the direction of belt travel by
up to approx. 3°, depending on the belt
speed.

Non-troughed belts can often be tracked

sufficiently by installing some support
rollers whose position can be adjusted
horizontally and then pivoting them
through approx. 2°– 4°.
This system is recommended for long belts.
▼

Effect of negatively troughed roller sets

12

A B
End drum
Tapered/cylindrical drive drums should be
adjustable in order to be able to
compensate for production tolerances in
the conveyor and belt.
With conveyor lengths of ≥ 5 m both
terminals should be tapered/cylindrical.
1 initial positions such that their axes
The tracking effect is particularly marked
when snub rollers C, D are used, especially
if they are in contact with a coated belt face
(giving a high friction coefficient).
13
Conveyor and processing belts
Belt tracking
with tapered/cylindrical drums
Initial tracking
– Fit the belt and tension drums A + B
such that their axes are parallel until
the required working elongation at
fitting is attained.
– Belt tracking can be adjusted by
tensioning or slackening one end of
the tensioning drum A. The belt will
Drive drum move towards the slacker belt edge.
– It may be necessary to install a belt
If tapered/cylindrical drums do not guidance system near the end drum
provide sufficient belt tracking, angled (e.g. with short, wide belts).
rollers or automatic tracking devices can
be used.
Use of snub rollers
Initial tracking
2 – Locate all drums/rollers in their
are parallel.
– Fit the belt and adjust the tensioning
drum B, ensuring that it remains
parallel to the other drums, until the
required working elongation at
fitting is attained.
– Adjust belt tracking using roller C or
The greatest tracking effect is always D, as appropriate. It may be
provided by the snub roller contacted by necessary to install a belt guidance
the belt immediately prior to the end system using roller C or D as the
drum, i.e. by snub roller D when the belt is tracking roller.
running in direction 1, and by roller C in
direction 2.
The snub rollers should be adjustable
along the XY axis (see right - linking the
points of contact and release).
In this way, there is scarcely any effect on
the belt edges, and major distortion of the
fabric can be avoided.
 Conveyor and processing belts

Tension take-up on return side

Initial tracking
– Locate all drums/rollers in their
initial positions such that their axes
are parallel.
– Fit the belt and adjust the tensioning
drum E, ensuring that it remains
parallel to the other drums, until the
required working elongation at
fitting is attained.
– Adjust belt tracking using snub roller
C, and correct if necessary using The snub roller G and F and the tensioning Please refer to the previous and following
deflection rollers G and F or plate H. drum E are adjustable in the direction of pages for details of the configuration,
It may be necessary to install a belt the arrow. The tensioning drum can also finish and tracking properties of drums A,
guidance system here too. operate as the drive drum. B, C and D.
One simple design solution is for drums G,
F and E to be mounted on a plate H as a
single unit which is then adjustable in the
direction of the arrow.

Reversible conveyors

Initial tracking
– Locate all drums/rollers in their 2
initial positions such that their axes 1
are parallel.
– Fit the belt and adjust the tensioning
drum B, ensuring that it remains
parallel to the other drums, until the
required working elongation at
fitting is attained.
– With reversible conveyors belt
tracking should be adjusted at the The important factor with conveyors It takes some time until the snub rollers are
tapered/cylindrical terminals, not at which can reverse their direction of travel correctly adjusted. A belt guidance system
the snub rollers. is the precision with which the conveyor is recommended for very short and wide
and the belt have been manufactured. conveyors.
Initial tracking of belts for reversible
conveyors is not entirely straightforward.
Once belt tracking has been achieved in
one direction, it is often found that the belt
mistracks when the direction is reversed.

14

Relatively short knife edge belts can be
tracked as shown above. The drive drum A
should be tapered/cylindrical, while
deflection drums B, D and E and the
tensioning drum C should be cylindrical
and adjustable in the direction of the arrow
for tracking purposes.
Automatic belt guidance systems are
generally used with lengthy knife edge
conveyors (e.g. cooling tunnels).
Pneumatic device Photoelectric cell
There are different kinds of belt edge
sensor, e.g. mechanical, hydraulic,
electrical, optical and pneumatic. They are
activated by deviations in the position of
the belt’s edges.
15
Conveyor and processing belts
Knifeedge conveyors
Initial tracking
– Locate all drums/rollers and the
knife edge in their initial positions
such that their axes are parallel.
– Fit the belt and adjust the tensioning
drum C, until the required working
elongation at fitting is attained.
Ensure that the operating tension is
as low as possible in order to avoid
unnecessarily high mechanical and
thermal (as a result of friction)
Belt tracking ist registered by belt edge loading on the knife edge.
sensors.
– Adjust belt tracking using rollers B,
Drums C, D and E can be mounted on an C, D and E and/or plate H. A belt
adjustable plate H, as also described on tracking system may be
page 14. advantageous.
Belt edge sensors
Mechanical sensor Electric eye
 Conveyor and processing belts

Use of belts with longitudinal profiles

Transverse forces can be counteracted by

longitudinal profiles welded to the belt.
However, these transverse forces can only
be absorbed in the area of the skid plate or
support rollers.
The belt must not be subjected to trans-
verse forces as it runs around the end
drums. The grooves for the longitudinal
profiles must be at least 8 – 10 mm wider Chamfer groove edges
than the profile. in support rollers

This large clearance enables the belt to be

tracked without it immediately running off
laterally.
Please refer to Product Preparation and
Finishing brochure for details of minimum
belt lengths and information on profile
dimensions, designs and minimum drum
diameters.
All means of forced guidance, such as
check strips, rollers etc., which can damage
belt edges should be avoided.
An automatic guidance system should be End drum groove with 1 central longitudinal profile for skid
used in the event of large transverse forces. 1 central wedge-shaped profile plate or support roller grooves

The two halves of the skid plate should

only be fixed in position or the guide strips
attached once the belt is running satis-
factorily. A minimum clearance must be
retained to allow for tolerances.
Increase the groove depth h if the system is
exposed to a high degree of soiling.
If 2 longitudinal profiles are used, a suffi-
ciently large value must be allowed for the
dimension z.

2 wedge-shaped rofiles along 2 flat profiles along belt edges

belt edges z = approx. 5 – 10 mm z = approx. 5 – 10 mm

Plastic idler roller Plastic idler roller

16
 Conveyor and processing belts

Excessive drum deflection is a frequent

cause of problems in tracking wide belts. Deflection of drums and rollers

Reasons for deflection:

– belt pull increasing in direct proportion
to belt width
– drum diameters are small due to
technical requirements
Please ensure that the following values are
not exceeded:
– Tapered/cylindrical drums Deflection
yTr ≤ 0,5 h
– With cylindrical drums
this value can be doubled FR Active force [N]
(line load), resulting
– See Drive drum section
from belt pull and
for h values
dead weight of drums.
FR = √(2.ε . SD . bo)2 + (9.81 . mTr)2
I Bearing centre distance [mm]
d, da, di Drum diameters [mm]
yTr Drum deflection [mm]
mTr Drum weight [kg]

E 12/2 approx. 0.2 bis 0.3 % tensioned I = 2600 mm

Drum weight = 27 kg da = 150 mm Example
E = Modulus of elasticity N/mm2 di = 130 mm
E for steel = 2.1 · 105 N/mm2 SD value = 12 A 2500 mm wide Transilon belt, type E 12/2
U0/UH, runs around a steel drum of 108 mm
Ø and 4 mm wall thickness with an arc of
contact of 180°. The belt runs horizontally.

FR = √(2 . 0.3 . 12 . 2500)2 + (9.81 . 27)2 Solid drum

= 18002 N 80 · FR . I3
yTr = ____________ [mm]
E . d4 . π . 96
80 . 18002 . 26003
yTr = _________________________
96 . 2.1 . 105 . (1504 - 1304) . π
Tubular drum
yTr 1,81 > 0,35 mm = fzul d
80 . FR . I3
Reinforced by central brace yTr = _________________ [mm]
E (da4 – di4) . π . 96
80 . 9001 . 13003
yTr = _________________________
96 . 2.1 . 105 . (1504 - 1304) . π
di
yTr = 0.23 mm < 0.35 mm da

17
 Conveyor and processing belts
Product discharge
Unit goods are frequently removed or
diverted laterally from the belt. In this case,
too, care should be taken to ensure that the
lateral forces acting on the belt are kept to
a minimum. Hinged ploughs which do not
touch the belt are commonly used. Their
design is usually determined by the goods
conveyed.
Product feed
During loading operations, the conveyor
belt is subjected to both vertical (i.e. form
the impact) and tangential mechanical
stresses because of the relative speed
between the belt and the goods carried.
Sideskirts
The following are recommended to
prevent impairment of the belt tracking
when goods are loaded onto or discharged
from the belt:
– lag the support rollers in the feed zone
with a friction lagging which will
increase the coefficient of friction
between the support rollers and the belt
(see above)
– increase the areas of belt wrap in the
feed zone by design measures as shown Support rollers with abrasion-resistant
below. adhesive lagging
With belt wrap configurations a higher
power input arises due to counter bending
and at low temperatures. Belt tracking can
be stabilized further by installing a
tapered/cylindrical drum a.
It is the designer’s responsibility to provide
systems which enable the product to be fed
onto the belt in its direction of travel with
negligible impact and at a similar (or,
ideally, the same) speed. Feed should occur
centrally to prevent the belt from
mistracking. (Such systems can comprise
chutes, guide plates, feed hoppers, funnels
etc.).
Hopper walls or guide strips should open
in the direction of belt travel to prevent the
conveyed goods clogging between the
sideskirt (strip) and belt. They should only
be as flush with the belt as is necessary for
the particular material conveyed. Sideskirts
resting on the belt lead to an increase in
effective pull. This increase should be
taken into account when the belt type is
selected.
Fit sideskirts at right angles to the belt
18
 Conveyor and processing belts

Cleaning devices

Scrapers

b c a b c

There are a number of methods of Steel scrapers (c) can be used to keep
removing material which has stuck to a unlagged drums clean. These scrapers can
conveyor belt. The effectiveness of such be mounted flush with the drum surface,
methods, however, depends very largely on matching the shape of the drum (e.g.
the particular circumstances. trapezoidal).
In many instances, one or more scrapers When cleaning devices are used, allowances
with plastic or rubber blades mounted in a must be made in drive power calculations:
frame made of flat or profile-section steel
set at right angles to the direction of belt
FA = contact force
travel will suffice. The right blade material
(not from an old conveyor belt, since this
FUR = peripheral force
unnecessarily increases belt wear) should
of cleaning device
be carefully selected.
The belt scraper (a) should be placed as PR = Power requirements
close as possible to the belt or touch it for cleaning device
lightly. Since the blade is subject to wear,
an adjustment method (e.g. by means of FUR = FA . µ
slots) must be provided.
Plough-type scrapers (b) are frequently FUR . V
PR = ________
installed close to the end drum on the 1000
return side to prevent any material which
has dropped off the belt getting between
the drum and the belt. There should only
be light contact with the belt.

Rotating brushes or belt cleaning systems

Brushes
may also be used for cleaning belts. If the
conveyed goods are very sticky, a water
spray or a water immersion system must
be provided to ensure that the brushes do
not clog up.
Please note:
Lateral tracking forces are invoked if
cleaning devices are incorrectly fitted.

19
Conveyor and processing belts

Ausgabe 06.05/2– UD
Printed in Germany.
Ref. No.
305
This paper was made from
non-chlorine-bleached
cellulose.
thereof only with our approval.
Reproduction of text or parts

Modifications reserved.
Registered trademarks

Extremultus
Transilon
Siegling

ProLink
Because our products are used in so many
applications and because of the individual factors
involved, our operating instructions, details and
information on the suitability and use of the products
are only general guidelines and do not absolve the
ordering party from carrying out checks and tests
themselves. When we provide technical support on
the application, the ordering party bears the risk of
the machinery functioning properly.

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