Many manufacturing, processing, and packaging applications require lace belts that can be disconnected and disassembled for maintenance, repair, and replacement. The lace conveyor belt is different from endless splicing because the hooks on the fasteners form a continuous loop. In order to correctly choose a new belt tie or repair an existing belt, the material and application of the belt should be considered. Manufacture specific types of belts to accept specific types of fasteners. Choosing the right fasteners, square belts, and correct installation of ties are the keys to smoothness, safety performance and maximum productivity. Precision Industries carries several conveyor belt fastener options, such as stainless steel, high-strength steel, plastic, and Magley.
1. How to choose conveyor belt fasteners
The characteristics of your belt will determine which buckle you should use. If you need to replace fasteners, please check your conveyor system and pass the following information to Accurate Industrial:
Thickness
Measure the thickness of the belt at the connection location. Don’t simply assume that the belt is still at the same thickness, it is when you buy it. The friction with the pulley and the conveying material causes the top and bottom surfaces of the belt to be squeezed and worn, thereby reducing the thickness of the belt. If you want to scrape the belt-remove part of the cover so that the fastener can better grasp the carcass of the belt-remember to deduct the depth of the scraping from the thickness decision. Conveyor belt fasteners suitable for this final thickness are still the final choice of competitors.
Tension and belt ratings
Further limit the area by paying attention to the tension ratings specified by the belt manufacturer. Belts used to carry heavy loads generally require higher tension to overcome friction and resistance to prevent the belt from sagging into the parts of the conveyor. The belt has a tension rating of 160 pounds per inch and can be tied with metal hooks, iron bars, nail plates or plastic hinges. Belts used in heavy-duty applications require stronger hardware connected with bolts or rivets.
Pulley Diameter
Find the pulley 90 degrees or more around it on your conveyor belt and measure its diameter. Wing (self-cleaning) pulley increased by 25%. This number will indicate which lace options are available for you to choose from. Larger pulleys are needed to push larger and heavier solid plate fasteners. Smaller pulleys can only drive lighter fasteners. Hinge fasteners allow the strap to pivot or bend around the pulley. This creates a larger surface area for grip and gives smaller pulleys more traction. But solid plate fasteners are more robust and durable. When the pulleys are large enough to drive them, they are usually the preferred style. Plastic ties can be used in applications where metal fasteners cannot be used, such as metal detection tapes.
In order to determine which conveyor belt lace type is most suitable for your application, please refer to the Fastener Selection Table featured on the Accurate Industry website. Choose wisely and give yourself the best opportunity to maximize production time.
2. How to level the conveyor belt
The square belt ensures that the ends are straight and even the lace that makes them more acceptable. The proper flat angle ensures that the transmission stress is distributed throughout the bandwidth, keeps the belt tracked correctly, and reduces noise and wear. Here is how to do it:
- Turn off the power to the conveyor belt and take all safety measures recommended by other manufacturers.
- Starting from both ends of the belt, mark the center of the belt two feet apart.
- Find the average center line of these measurements. Make a mark with chalk line.
- Align a square on the center line and draw a line perpendicular to it across the width of the waistband at the point where you want to cut the square.
- Use a very sharp razor or a specially designed belt knife to make a real, smooth, square cut
The wide belt used for baking and other operations is best measured with a laser square ruler. Precision Industries provides high-quality Beltcare laser belt squares that use magnetic guides and edge pins to locate the true center of the belt. Then the laser marks the cutting position.
3. How to fasten the conveyor belt
Each type of fastener has its own installation procedure:
Bolt Solid Plate
This kind of conveyor belt fasteners are easy to install on-site using templates, punches and boring tools: first place the template in place. Then, spray lubricant through the template holes and drill or drill holes at both ends of the belt. Insert the bolt into one end of the belt. Fold one end of the belt back and insert the bolt into the other end.
Align the bolt with the template teeth and place the other end of the belt on the bolt. After removing the template, insert the top plate and threaded nuts into the bolts. The woven tape passes through the board and is tightened as you tighten the board (tighten the two outer boards, first keep the tape in place). Tighten the nut; hit the plate with a hammer. Break the ends of the bolts and grind them flat.
Bolt Hinge
Align the template with the end of the belt and nail it into the center arrow away from the belt. Spray holes with silicone lubricant and punch holes in the belt. Place the fastener on the belt with the hinge facing up. Insert the bolt and tighten the nut by hand to engage the lug on the fastener. From the outside to the inside, use a wrench to fully tighten the nut to ensure that the fastening teeth penetrate the bottom surface of the belt. Insert the gauge pin into the fastening ring; unscrew the bolt and grind it flat. Insert the filling tube with the gauge pin as the guide. Once in place, remove the gauge pin. Repeat the above steps on the other end and connect the two ends together. Insert the gauge pins into the two sets of fixing rings. Insert the hinge pin from the opposite end and pour out the gauge pin as you go. Place a washer on the hinge pin and secure it in place.
Rivet Articulation
Use MSRT multi-rivet drive tool to firmly fix the belt, fasteners and guide block in place. Insert up to 8 rivets at a time. The tool aligns belts, hinges and guides to ensure perfect lace.
Alligator Stapler
Align the conveyor belt fastener to the belt, use the alligator preparation tool to lock it in place. Open the staples. The tool inserts two nails at the same time and can then easily move along the belt to drive the next pair.
Scissors wire hook
Once the belt and Lacer® Gold Class™ are ready for use, guide the belt through the clamp and over the belt support frame, and then lock the belt clamp. Rotate the adjustment head counterclockwise until the roller touches the hook after placing the roller on the hook. Return the lace head to the end of the lace and turn the knob one and a half rotations (counterclockwise). Then, using a drill bit or manual override, drive the broach head across the width of the belt at a low to medium speed. Turn the adjusting knob counterclockwise half a turn, and repeat this operation until the hook is embedded in the belt that is 1/3 to 1/2 of the diameter of the wire. Finally, remove the lace needle, loosen the belt clamp, and remove the belt from the lace.
Alligator Strap
Only one hammer is used to install this integral fastener strip. The lace is tightly fixed in place by the teeth of a clamp and a gauge rod biting into the belt to complete the splicing.
Plastic Rivet and Plastic Spiral Lace
In the case of plastic rivets and plastic spiral laces, trained and experienced professionals are recommended to handle the installation process. The belt technicians of the precision industry will install these fasteners to ensure the highest quality and lace life.
Precision Industry has all your fastener needs covered
Accurate Industries can manufacture belts to match any lace option, be it lightweight and heavyweight lace. Manufacturing allows the lace to be integrated with the belt itself, and the surface of the belt that often lies underneath provides smooth performance.
A variety of conveyor belt lacing options are available to meet every industry’s needs, no matter what the aapplication. Each lacing type is designed to provide the most durable and effective splicing solution. Using incorrect fasteners on conveyor belts can hinder productivity and can cause major failures, severe downtime, and even serious injuries.
For conveyor belt squares, lace, and installation, Precision Industries has the proper equipment and technical expertise. For consultation and ordering, contact the experts of Precision Industry today.
