CONVEYOR PRODUCT

TRAINING
Introduction
 The purpose of this document is to
give you an overview and familiarize
you with the products that A.V.E.
market.
 It will help you identify and
correctly specify the customers
requirements from our product
range.
 Here is the Ave range of conveyor
chains and components.
Topics of Discussion

 BASIC CONVEYOR CONSTRUCTION.

 CHAINS.
 SPROCKETS & IDLERS.
 BEARINGS.
 DRIVE MOTOR (not supplied by AVE).
 WEAR STRIPS & PLASTIC PROFILES.
 GUIDE RAILS,CLAMPS & BRACKETS.
 CHAIN RETURN ROLLERS & SUPPORTS.
 CONVEYOR SUPPORT ELEMENTS.
 ACCESSORIES.
Basic Conveyor Construction

 A conveyor is made up of the following

elements:
 BODY (Section F at AVE Catalogue)
 Constructed of steel used to mount and hawse

the working elements of a conveyor.

 CARRYING CHAIN (Section C ‘orange’)
 Used to transport the product from one process

to another.
Basic Conveyor Construction
 SPROCKETS & IDLERS (Section C ‘red’)
 Used to engage with the carrying chain to

drive and guide it.

 BEARINGS (Section E)
 These are used to support and allow the

shafts that the sprockets and idlers are

connected to to run freely at high speeds.
 DRIVE MOTOR (Not supplied by AVE)
 A unit consisting of a electric motor and

gearbox which provides the power to drive the

sprockets which intern drives the carrying
chain.
Basic Conveyor Construction
 WEAR STRIPS & PROFILES (Section D)
 These are used to guide and protect the

carrying chain, reducing wear and

stretch.
 GUIDE RAILS,CLAMPS & BRACKETS (B)
 Used to guide and protect the product

being transported by the carrying chain

and fix the rails in position.
Basic Conveyor Construction
 CHAIN RETURN ROLLERS & SUPPORTS
 These are used to support and guide the

chain on it’s return path.

 CONVEYOR SUPPORT ELEMENTS (A)
 Used to support,stabilize and provide

adjustment to level the conveyor.

 ACCESSORIES
 Various components added to the

conveyor to improve it’s functionality.

Conveyor Lines
 Conveyor Lines are made up of the
following elements.
 DRIVE ENDS
 INTERMEDIATES
 BENDS
 TURNS
 TRANSFERS
 COMBINERS
 DIVIDERS
 IDLE ENDS
Types of conveyors

 SLAT CHAIN.
 MODULAR BELTS.
 MULTI-FLEX CHAINS.
 ROLLER CHAINS.
 BELT.
 ROLLER.
Conveyor uses
 SLAT CHAIN
 Mainly used to transport bottles and cans.

 MODULAR BELTS (AVE 2007-02 catalogue)

 Mainly used to transport empty cans and raw
products in the food and processing
industry.
 MULTI-FLEX CHAIN
 Mainly used to transport plastic & carton
crates. (Tetra-packs)
 ROLLER CHAINS
 Mainly used to transport crates cartons and
pallets.
Conveyor uses
 BELT CONVEYORS
 Mainly used to transport cartons,crates

shrink wrapped packs and in food

processing but is also used in a wide range
of industries.
 ROLLER CONVEYORS
 Mainly used to transport cartons,crates,

pallets but is also used widely in almost

every industry.
Chains
 MATERIAL
 Stainless steel various grades, used mainly for glass
containers.
 Plastic, Low friction acetal or polypropylene for
different applications used mainly for plastic
containers.
 Kevlar, used mainly for PET & Glass applications

 Others, other special raw materials such as

antistatic, are available under request
 PITCHES
 1½” (38.1mm) (popular) and 1” (25.4mm).

 WIDTH
 Ranges from 1¼” (32mm) to 7½” (190.5mm) for steel
and 3¼” (82.5mm) to 12” (304.8mm) for plastic.
 CONSTRUCTION
 Separate links hinged and joined together with a
round pin,either single hinge or double depending on
the strength required.
Chains
 THICKNESS
 3.15mm for steel and 4mm, 4,8mm and 5mm
for plastic. (Our new model is 8,7 mm)
 PIN
 Stainless steel hardened round bar 6,35mm
(AVE is +6,35mm up to 8 mm)
 TYPES
 Straight running in single and double hinge.

 Side flexing using bevels,tabs and magnets to

contain and guide the chain around the bend.
 CODES
 As there are many different types of chains
and application, an international standard
coding system has been developed to identify
the various chains.
Chain Codes
 Codes are made up of four parts in alpha numeric order
namely:
 ALPHA 1 (page T/12)
 Letter identifying the material used,i.e. SSC =
Magnetic stainless steel alloy. LF = Low
friction acetal thermoplastic.
 NUMERIC 1
 Numbers identifying the pitch, type,application and
hinge type,i.e. 515 = 1”
pitch Straight running single hinge.
805 = 1½” pitch Straight
running double hinge. 815 = 1½” pitch
Straight running single hinge. 881 = 1½”
pitch Side flexing.
Chain codes
 ALPHA 2
 Letters identifying special application,i.e.
G = Rubber top bonded to chain.
M = Magnetic side flexing.
O = Optimal design.
R = Tight radius side flexing chain.
Tab = Tab side flexing.
 NUMERIC 2
 Numbers identifying the width,i.e.
325 = 3¼” wide.
750 = 7½” wide.
Sprockets & Idlers
 Sprockets and idlers have a few characteristics
that make them unique namely:
 DIFFERENCES BETWEEN SPROCKETS AND
IDLERS.
 MATERIAL AND METHOD OF
MANUFACTURE.
 CHAIN TYPE.
 NUMBER OF TEETH OR DIAMETER.
 PITCH OF THE TEETH.
 BORE SIZE.
 KEY SIZE.
 INSTALLATION METHOD.
Sprockets & Idlers
 DIFFERENCES
 A sprocket has teeth and is generally used to

drive the chain.

 An idler wheel has no teeth but is the same

diameter as a sprocket of say 25 teeth,it is

also not keyed and run freely on the carrying
shaft due to it’s clearance bore.
 Sprockets can also be used as idlers and

either run on the shaft via the clearance

bore or are keyed to the shaft and the shaft
runs freely on bearings.
Sprockets & Idlers
 MATERIAL AND METHODS OF MANUFACTURE
 Machined out of solid plastic nylon/
polyethylene or steel.
 Molded out of reinforced polyamide or Acetal.

 CHAIN TYPE
 Dimensioned in width and shape to accommodate
the various chain types,i.e. 815 = 43mm wide.
 NUMBER OF TEETH / DIAMETER
 Determines the speed of the chain, T for
sprocket Z for idler.
 PITCH
 Matches the pitch of the chain so it can engage
smoothly to drive.
Sprockets & Idlers
 BORE SIZE
 Diameter that the sprocket or idler is
machined out in the center to accommodate the
carrying shaft,i.e. 30, 35 etc.
 KEY SIZE
 These are international standards determined
for each bore size,i.e. 35 bore = 10 x 8mm key.
 INSTALLATION METHOD
 Sprockets & idlers can be split for easy
installation without having to remove the shaft
or solid where the shaft must be removed.
 IDENTIFICATION
 Sprockets can be identified as follows,i.e. 815
split molded 25 tooth 35 bore & key.
Wear strips & plastic
profiles
 Plastic wear strips & profiles have a number of unique
characteristics namely:
 MATERIAL
 Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene
(UHMWPE),because of the following properties:
- High abrasion
resistance. - Low co-
efficient of friction.
- No absorption of humidity.
- High resistance to impact and flexibility.
- Approved for food applications.
- Homogeneity of
material.
 METHOD OF MANUFACTURE
 Ram extruded to specific shapes and sizes.

 Machined from solid sheets or strips to requirements.

Wear strips & plastic
profiles
 FUNCTION
- Reduce wear on chains.
- Reduce Noise.
- Reduce power requirements.
- Self lubricates.
- Hold and contain chain in bends.
 IDENTIFICATION
 By size, shape and application,i.e. clip-on Z

section 20x3.
 Codes are assigned to the different standard

items to assist in identifying them

Wear strips & plastic
profiles
 BENDS
 Manufactured from UHMW PE to guide chain
around a corner and provide a wearing surface for
the chain.
 Important elements in a bend are:

- The type of chain being used. I.e.

Tab,Bevel,Magnetic
- The number of chains.
- The angle of the bend,i.e. 90 deg.
- The radius to the center line of the first chain.
- The pitch between the chains,i.e. 85mm or 90mm.
- The distance from the edge of the bend to the
first chain center line.
- Whether the bend has lead in/lead out section.
Guide rails,clamps &
brackets
 GUIDE RAILS
 Made mostly of UHMW PE because of its
properties, with a steel backing for strength and
stability.
 Produced in many shapes and sizes depending on
the product requirements,i.e. label protection.
 ROLLER GUIDE RAILS
 This is a series of small rollers assembled
together to form a rail.
 It is used to reduce the friction between the
product and the rail thus allowing it to move
more freely.
 They are commonly used to combine bottles,cans
and shrink wrapped packs.
Guide rails,clamps &
brackets
 CLAMPS
 Made generally from molded reinforced polyamide
plastic they are used to clamp onto the guide rail
in order to fix it to a bracket or allow adjustment
to the rail. Their shapes and sizes are generally
specific to the type of guide rail being used.
 BRACKETS
 Made of molded reinforced polyamide plastic they
are used to fix the guide rail to the conveyor
body and to allow adjustment and alignment to the
rail.
 There are many different sizes and shapes of
brackets and there use is dependent on the
specific requirement in guide rail configuration
that needs to be achieved.
Chain return roller &
support
 There are basically three methods of supporting
the chain as it returns namely:
 ROLLERS
 Designed in different diameters it is most
commonly used as it has the least amount of
friction between the chain and roller,it also
allows multiple chains to be separated.
 Care must be taken to space roller as close
together as possible to avoid back flexing the
chain.
 They run on shafts of different diameters.

 They are generally molded from self

lubricating polyamide.
Chain return roller &
support
 SHOE
 Molded from self lubricating polyamide with a large
radius of approx 150mm.
 Used mainly after the drive end to accommodate
the chains tensioning catenary to avoid back flexing.
 Also used at the chain return in feed to a bend.

 These can be used to support the chain return in

place of rollers.
 SERPENTINE
 This is a series of flat wear strip lying edge-on that
snakes across the bottom of a conveyor,the chain
then rests on these wear strips. These are held
together by clamps.This method is out dated but is
still found on older installations.
Conveyor support
elements
 BRACKETS
 Molded in reinforced polyamide.

 These are either mounted to the side of the

conveyor or underneath and accommodate

different diameter pipes which are used as the
legs.
 BIPODS & TRIPODS
 Molded in reinforced polyamide.

 These are connected to the leg pipes in

different diameters and are used to stabilize

the conveyor and provide course adjustment.
Conveyor support
elements
 ARTICULATED FOOT
 Made up of a spindle with different thread
diameters and lengths which is connected to a
molded polyamide pad of varying diameters.
 These screw into the bipod/tripods to
accommodate fine adjustment when leveling the
conveyor.
 TUBE INSERTS
 Molded in reinforced polyamide with a brass
threaded insert for the articulated foot to
screw into.
 These are made in different sizes to
accommodate various size pipes and square
tubing with different wall thick nesses.
 The tubes and pipes are used as leg supports.
Conveyor support
elements
 CONNECTING JOINTS
 Molded from reinforced polyamide .

 They are used to clamp onto the leg support

pipes and connect two supports together via

additional pipes to brace the structure and
create stability.
 These accommodate various pipe diameters.
 Accessories
 DRIP TRAY SUPPORTS
 These are made up of plastic molded and formed
steel parts which attach to the conveyor to support
a tray that runs underneath the conveyor to catch
and divert any water or lubrication.
 PHOTOCELL CLAMPS & BRACKETS
 These are plastic molded parts that assist in
mounting electrical photocells and equipment to the
conveyor.
 FRAME SYSTEMS
 These consist of a number of different components
used to make up machine enclosure as follows:
 Connecting blocks
 Spring locks
 Magnetic door stops
 Panel locking attachments
 Panel clamps
 Handles and
 Hinges.