Any reputable belt manufacturer is obliged to provide the basic belt data in the form of an embossed stamp at predetermined intervals along the belt length. Stamping is usually found on the clean side where it wears away slower, probably/hopefully, can be read easier and tells the splicing crew what inventory is required from the store.

If you don't have spare belt in your store then you have been running on a wing and a prayer anyway.

This particular belt might be so worn that the stamp has disappeared. In that case you will need to perform a conveyor audit; put the numbers into the calculation section of the manufacturers' literature; calculate and then approach the manufacturer with your selection for his confirmation. Of course you might be able to do a radio-graphic examination to see if the stamp can be traced: but seeing as you don't have any belt stock in store, radiography expense will be a distant dream with your accountants.

There is no mention of your type of take up. Pay particular attention to sag and loading regime.

Ask around though to try and identify the clown who threw away the original documentation. Contractors are always asked to provide about six hard copies, one reproducible and nowadays an electronic copy of documentation covering Commissioning, Operation and Maintenance along with a list of Emergency Spares and spares for 2 years operation. Nobody reads them and they seem destined to be used to light barbeques during whatever festive season occurs in that part of the world where the unfortunate conveyor happens to suffer. ■

Take your basic information and throw it into a conveyor calculation program. Most consultants, and all conveyor suppliers have these programs. We use belt analyst in our office. It is a very functional program. If you supply complete information it is about 1 hours work to input the information. Again, any consultant, conveyor supplier and probably even conveyor belt suppliers (if you buy from them on a regular basis you may even get this service for free) can do this work. After inputing the information the program will give you the minimum belt requirements you will need towards the purchase of a new one

Regards

Liam ■

Originally Posted by eng.farid.ahmed

Dear All,

How are you?

we need to change belt conveyor, but we don't have any information about the belt itself.

We need to calculate; belt tensile strength, no of plies, top and bottom rubber thickness, ... etc

I have some information about the belt conveyor like, belt length, belt width, height, belt speed, motor power, material capacity, ... etc

I am looking forward to knowing your opinions please in this regard, and how can we calculate the required data?

Thanks

Dear sir/Madam,

I am Hobart liu from Beijing Yueji Industry Co.,ltd,which is a leading company in Long distance belt conveyor.

Please send your belt conveyor information to my email.our expert technical team will show you a best solution.

Thanks

Best Regards,

Hobart Liu

Direct: +86 10 57601018

Mobile: +86 13321133660

Fax: +86 57601100

Skype:liuzhen101210

Email: liuzhen2014@yueji.com.cn

Beijing Yueji Industry Co., Ltd.

www.yueji.com.cn ■

Included in the documents I listed previously there are the drawings. These should have been approved by the Client, or someone on his behalf, and are the most reliable source for data. Belt specification should appear on the General Arrangement and be further referred to on the Data Sheet.

In the 1970's, after nearly completing my drawings I was able to finalise my calculations well inside the time allotted to a conveyor program using a slide rule and penciling in the results alongside the belt design manual. Log log to solve Euler's Equation and the rest wasn't even 'O' Level Mathematics.

Re-engineering a belt can be confusing unless you can block out the dynamic analyses that are so popular nowadays. A belt specified with today's technology will not be identical to your yesteryear's worn belt anyway. See if you can get a copy of the conveyor GA and circulate it to the belt suppliers. Drawings are the language of engineering science and without them you are speechless, as you are finding out.

At the end of the day it hardly matters what you specify. Why? Because there is no record for critical reference. Make it easy for yourself and order the fattest, strongest belt that will run over the pulleys and idlers and if the cowboys you work for complain tell them the belt life will be extended...that way they won't need to order spare belt ...again.

"I love it when a plan comes together." ■

Hello,

I appreciate your enthusiasm to learn about the conveyor design, in spite of being inspection engineer.

There is no short-cut to decide belt for practical requirement because it will be risky for your money or someone else’s money, who will not take it kindly.

It seems your requirement is to change belt, and not conveyor. If so, refer to belt manufacturers and give them conveyor data (length, lift, capacity, material, existing conveyor G.A. drawing, etc.). Belt manufacturers often provide such design support freely as a part of belt sale, if belt conveyor is of routine nature. They may not take application liability, but even then it will have bare minimum risk because it is attended by the people concerned with the subject.

Refer belt conveyor design standard of your country which may have some basic design information. Or refer to well known standards such as DIN, ISO, etc. Or refer to conveyor design literature to acquaint yourself about the conveyor design.

If you want to replace complete conveyor, refer to conveyor designers and manufacturers.

Ishwar G. Mulani

Author of Book: Engineering Science And Application Design For Belt Conveyors (new print November, 2012)

Author of Book: Belt Feeder Design And Hopper Bin Silo

Advisor / Consultant for Bulk Material Handling System & Issues.

Pune, India.

Tel.: 0091 (0)20 25871916

Email: conveyor.ishwar.mulani@gmail.com

Website: www.conveyor.ishwarmulani.com ■