Aug. 18, 2025
Chemicals
Conveyor belting components are some of the most important in all the industrial, manufacturing, and processing industries. The belts are tasked with transporting products and items and require several key characteristics including durability, strength, flexibility, and abrasion resistance. However, when it comes to choosing your own model, the question always remains—which ones are the best of the best? Read on to learn what the best general-purpose conveyor belt material is for your applications.
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One of the first noteworthy material contenders for ideal conveyor belt performance is rubber. This solid compound works great for general material handling purposes including assembly lines, luggage transport, and packing. Many decline and incline conveyor belts even make use of this substance because of its ability to grip items to carry them at sharp angles. However, it’s important to note that rubber belts can sustain significant abrasive damage when working with heavy processing materials like rock or metal.
Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) is a popular thermoplastic polymer that makes a great choice for your general-use conveyor belts. This material is particularly effective when working with food products as it has high physical resistance to oils and chemicals. It also holds up well in heated or moist environments and has high amounts of tensile strength to help prevent breakage.
Urethane is useful because of its flexibility and sanitary properties. This polymer has a superior elastic memory, allowing it to continually stretch and return to form despite the stressors of the working environment. It also requires less cleaning to maintain, which is useful if it’s used in a sanitary environment where food is handled. All these characteristics give urethane belts the longest overall lifespans of any conveyor material.
So, ultimately, the best general-purpose conveyor belt material for you will depend on your circumstances. These components are at the focal point of a multitude of different industries, from food processing to metal handling. As such, all materials will have their own set of benefits and drawbacks based on the environment you expose them to. Taking your industry into account will be essential to picking between these resources and making an informed decision.
For more information about these materials, or others, reach out to Texas Belting and Supply. We carry conveyor belts from a variety of reputable vendors and cater to a diverse range of industries. As such, we’re confident that we can help you find the best all-around conveyor belt to meet your specific requirements.
This one is high among those critical choices that can make or break your plant’s productivity.
Seriously. No food manufacturer can effectively optimize a plant’s conveyors without taking a hard look at which belt material should be used in a given area.
And be honest. Don’t you just want your belts to run properly and not have to worry about them?
The consequences of making a poor selection can include belt breakages, unscheduled downtime, lower yield, higher costs, material degradation, and foreign material contamination.
To avoid some or all the above, food processors and equipment manufacturers must choose belt materials wisely. How? To find out, we asked the experts who develop, test, and recommend belt materials for our food business customers.
Does the belt need to withstand heavy impacts? What about temperatures, which can range from frying to freezing? Will the belt be submerged in a dip tank?
Examine your specific application and determine what the belt will be put through at that point in the processing line. Doing so can help answer a lot of critical questions about which material is best.
“Potato processing plants, for example, are a unique environment where it’s crucial to focus on the specifics of the application,” says Drew Downer, Intralox ThermoDrive Mechanical Engineer.
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Featured content:Raw product could come into the plant with sand or dirt on it from outside. Coming from the peeler, potatoes give off starch that’s put into the application. The product may go through a bath of boiling oil, and eventually get covered with seasonings and spices. Each application brings different temperature, physical, and chemical considerations.
“The belt material you choose must be tailored to withstand the impacts associated with each application,” says Downer. Ask yourself, what’s unique about this specific application that’s different from other areas of the plant?
Sometimes, the answer is obvious. (Don’t put belts that are known to be flammable near hot stuff!) Besides ovens, there are numerous environmental factors inside a food plant to consider.
“The actual environment the belt will be in is going to determine what materials are even possible to be used,” says Stephen O’Connor, Intralox Material Specialist. “I start with asking, what is this belt going to see temperature-wise? What about chemistry? What are the other needs and specifications such as mechanical strength? Could there be expansion of the belt material due to moisture?”
Think about how cleaning solutions can affect your belting, too. Imagine a meat, poultry, or seafood processing plant that must sanitize its belts nightly. Its sanitation crew has used the same sanitizer for a while, which hasn’t been a problem for the plastics in their belts. Suddenly, they’re given a different sanitizer to use. The new product calls for lower concentration, but the team is unaware and continues to use it at the higher concentration level.
“Even small adjustments in the actual chemistry of your cleaner could completely change how your belt performs after a cleaning,” says O’Connor.
For guidance, lean on the expertise of your belting partner. They have the knowledge and insight to recommend what material will work seamlessly and run reliably in your environment.
Is there something unique about the product being conveyed? For example, let’s say your facility processes foods that can be sticky. Some polymers are better suited to release product at a transfer. In this case, choosing the right belt material can help increase yield and reduce carryover.
Similarly, abrasive ingredients such as sugar or cornmeal can wear and degrade belts that aren’t made to hold up against rough or grainy foods. But there are materials created specifically to withstand these types of challenging products.
Your product is always top of mind for you, so keep it top of mind when selecting your conveyor belt material. Since the belt has direct contact with food, its physical and chemical properties should weigh into your decision on which material to use.
Before your next belting purchase, think of its application, the area’s environmental conditions, the specifics of the product being conveyed, and even how the belts will be stored prior to operation. It’ll be time well spent. Why?
Better performance, longer belt life, higher product yield, less maintenance, lower costs, and reduced chances of breakdowns are some of the benefits you can expect from choosing the right conveyor belt material.
Of all the potential issues that can arise in a food processing facility, your choice of belt material doesn’t have to be the cause of one. Consult your belting partner and equipment manufacturer early in the process. They can work together and with you to make the right selection.
Then, in the words of legendary inventor Ron Popeil, you’ll be able to “Set it and forget it.”
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