Selecting the Right Polyurethane Belt for Your Applications

Polyurethane belts can be used for light, medium and heavy duty conveying especially in industrial applications such as transporting products from one machine or location to another. They can either be non-reinforced or reinforced depending on application. Polyurethane belts are either round or V-shaped in profile. Other profiles available in the market today include the co-extruded types.

Polyurethane belts are generally categorized as conveyor belts, rings belts, roller to roller o-ring belts, and divert o-ring belts.

Polyurethane belts are manufactured using polycord, also referred to as the urethane cord or polyurethane cord. This is done by first cutting the polycord into the right size depending on whether you are making a conveyor, o-ring, roller to roller or other types of belts. The second step is joining the parts using a welding tool.

Many people choose to have a belt made for them by an experienced company because the process can be involving. In this case, you can request the company to ensure it has custom design capabilities when placing an order. For instance, you can ask that they be UV-stabilized, contain tracking features, have ridged or other special profiles, or have dual durometer. The company will have the polycord designed and manufactured from scratch if a poly cord with these features is not available.

Welding is done to join two or more parts of belts. However, you can also use a connector on a polyurethane belting system and avoid the welding process altogether.

You need to first assess your needs before buying the cord or belt. For instance, if your applications require extra grip, high or low surface coefficient of friction, you have to go for belts with co-extruded special features.

One of the most important features to consider when buying a polycord is the durometer, a rating that defines the stiffness of the cord. Polycords durometer ranges from 60A to 100A. Sellers of polycord can provide samples or the customer can present their sample at the store for matching before purchasing the cord. The rating depends on your application. For instance, use the rough textured green one for light-weight applications. Available in durometer ratings of 88A and 90A, it is suitable for applications where accumulation is a problem, with the rough surface providing less friction.

The high tension poly cord is needed when a longer lifespan is desirable and it is color-coded depending on the amount of maximum weight it can handle. That means it comes in different colors. Colors that are available for polycords include standard clear, a rough textured green, blue, red, high tension, and orange. However, if your applications require a specific color or may be it is your preference to buy a given color that is different from these, you can request that it be dyed.

You can also request a different diameter of polycord other than the usual 1/8", 3/16", ¼", 5/16" and 3/8".

Buying a polycord instead of a ready belt comes with some advantages. First, you will not need to disassemble the machine parts while putting the lineshaft belts, roller to roller belts, or diverter belts onto position. This makes mechanical work lesser and it is easier and quicker to accomplish the practice even when you have no technical skills to do the job. It is also cheaper to buy a polycord than an already made belt.

However, it comes with a number of disadvantages. For instance, you will need to cut the polycord to suit your size requirements. This comes with the risk of cutting it into too short or too long sizes. You will also need a welding tool to join the parts of the cord together. Since the welding knife requires steady hands to operate well, some experience in using it might be necessary. However, it is something you can do alone. Another problem with buying a polycord instead of ready made polyurethane belts is that it takes too much time to weld the parts together.