Elevator belts: how they are manufactured and for what applications
As you should all know, SIG S.p.A is the one and only italian leading manufacturer of rubber conveyor, but inside its wide range of products, you can find an extremely important item that can be transversally used in many different industrial fields.
As a matter of fact, during the years, SIG technical department has been able to develop upgraded technologies to provide its customers with textile or steel bucket elevators which can match with any application where vertical bulk material handling is required.
So, what are rubber elevator belts and which type can be manufactured?
As previously claimed, these items are specifically designed to allow vertical bulk material handling, therefore, their inner structure (carcass) has to match with strict technical requirements such as excellent resistance to heavy working conditions and low elongation.
A remarkable aspect to know is that rubber belts are not all the same: as a matter of fact, depending on the elevator system characteristics and application, SIG technical department can provide customers with ELEMET ® (steel cord elevator belt) or ELETEX ® (textile carcass elevator belt).
How are steel cord elevator belts manufactured?
The structure of ELEMET® is a steel carcass composed by a strong warp of steel cord with suitable elastic modulus to reach the best compromise between low elongation and good flexibility. This characteristic (specific for SIG steel cord belts) makes the belt easier to be aligned than traditional steel cord elevator.
Furthermore, the cable elasticity allows the use of pulleys with lower diameters, depending on the requirements of clamps and buckets. Two regular steel wefts placed on top and bottom cover give the belt high transversal stiffness, necessary to assure the best stability during the running. Meanwhile, this last-mentioned aspect helps the belt for buckets holding up and highly increases cutting and tear resistance.
Notwithstanding, during these years, SIG technical department has been developing new steel cord elevator bel carcass construction: known as ELEMET LE, it stands for a strong innovative element if compared to the past.
Thanks to this revolutionary introduction, SIG steel web elevator belts can face very long conveying distances having no problems connected to elongation nor flexibility. Its carcass is manufactured with a double steel cord weft and with a warp made of strong resistance as well as reduced elongation cables equipped with a specific class and selected diameter so to minimize any joint area breaking risks.
Here below, you can appreciate a brief summary of ELEMET ® different carcass constructions possibilities:
| BELT STYLE N/MM | 800 | 1000 | 1250 | 1600 | LE2000 | LE2250 | LE2500 | LE2750 | LE3000 | LE3250 | LE3500 |
| DRIVE PULLEY MM | 500 | 500 | 630 | 630 | 800 | 800 | 800 | 800 | 800 | 800 | 800 |
| LOWER PULLEY MM | 400 | 400 | 500 | 500 | 630 | 630 | 630 | 630 | 630 | 630 | 630 |
What are the available rubber compounds for ELEMET ® and what are/is its main industrial application/s?
When dealing with steel cord belts, the main industrial application these items have been designed for is cement industry. ELEMET ® are installed inside heating towers to guarantee a proper vertical handling during a crucial phase in the whole productive cycle.
Consequently, there are only two available rubber compounds, both guaranteeing an important heat resistance see this item application inside heating towers:
• SX – heat resistance rubber compound for medium temperatures, up to a maximum value of 100°C in continuous, but it is not oil resistant.
• BX – heat resistance rubber compound assuring the maximum heat resistance value as It is designed to work at maximum temperature of 180°C. Also, this rubber compound is not oil resistant.
Here you are all ELEMET ® different technical specifications:
| BELT STYLE | 800 | 1000 | 1250 | 1600 | LE2000 | LE2250 | LE2500 | LE2750 | LE3000 | LE3250 | LE3500 |
| SX | SX | SX | SX | ||||||||
| COVER TH. MM | 3+3 | 3+3 | 3+3 | 3+3 | N.A. | N.A. | N.A. | N.A. | N.A. | N.A. | N.A. |
| BX | BX | BX | BX | BX | BX | BX | BX | BX | BX | BX | |
| COVER TH. MM | 4+4 | 4+4 | 4+4 | 4+4 | 4+4 | 4+4 | 4+4 | 4+4 | 4+4 | 4+4 | 4+4 |
During its history, SIG has been supplying an incredible number of steel cord belts to many cement plants all around the world, always managing to match with customer’s technical requirements.
How are textile carcass elevator belts manufactured?
Known as ELETEX ®, these items carcass construction is manufactured relying on a special reinforced polyester & nylon fabrics that lets these belts being used also for severe loading requirements.
Talking in detail, polyester warp assures high resistance to heavy working conditions whereas nylon weft guarantees transverse tearing strength and strong bolt holding.
A key aspect to be always considered is that ELETEX ® can only be supplied with cut edges because synthetic fabrics used for their production do not need protection against humidity as they cannot absorb any liquid.
As far as bottom and top cover thickness is concerned, SIG manufacturing standard is to rely only on 2 mm for each side. In this case, it could guarantee a good inner carcass protection meanwhile assuring the best bucket support without bolt loosening.
To give you evidence of what claimed, here below you can appreciate a table concerning ELETEX ® different carcass construction possibilities:
| BELT STYLE N/MM | 400/3 | 500/4 | 630/4 | 800/5 | 1000/5 | 1250/5 | 1600/5 |
| DRIVE PULLEY MM | 400 | 500 | 500 | 630 | 800 | 1000 | 1000 |
| LOWER PULLEY MM | 315 | 400 | 400 | 500 | 630 | 800 | 800 |
What are the available rubber compounds for ELETEX ® and what are/is its main industrial application/s?
Differently from ELEMET®, textile carcass rubber elevator belts can be transversally used in many different industrial fields: as a matter of fact, these items can be manufactured using heat resistance, oil resistance as well as self-extinguish rubber compounds matching with different technical requirements.
According to what just claimed, ELETEX® can be considered a suitable solution for fertilizers/grain handling in the agroindustry, but also for clinker or stone conveying in mining & quarrying industries or in concrete batching plants silos.
To summarize these mentioned aspects concerning all the different rubber compound possible choices, please consider the following pattern:
OIL RESISTAT RUBBER COMPOUND
OX - standard oil resistant rubber compound (matching with G degree DIN 22102) designed for elevator belts working at ambient temperature. This compound is antistatic and oil resistant too.
AG - self extinguish and oil resistant compound (matching both with K and G grade DIN 22102) is a nitrile compound typically designed for bucket elevator systems used in cereal silos, providing superior resistances to vegetable oils and animal fats. It is also self-extinguishing according to ISO 284. The maximum allowed temperature of the conveyed material is 100°C.
HEAT RESISTANT RUBBER COMPOUND
AX – standard abrasion and heat resistance rubber compound, especially designed for textile elevator belts to guarantee good performances with abrasive and hot materials up to 150°C. This compound is not oil resistant.
BX - superior temperature resistance rubber compound assuring a maximum heat resistance up to a maximum temperature of 180°C, but it is not oil resistant.
Here below, you are given some general and useful information about all ELETEX ® different constructive options:
| BELT STYLE | 400/3 | 500/4 | 630/4 | 800/5 | 1000/5 | 1250/5 | 1600/5 |
| AX | AX | AX | AX | AX | AX | AX | |
| COVER TH. MM | 2+2 | 2+2 | 2+2 | 2+2 | 2+2 | 2+2 | 3+3 |
| BX | BX | BX | BX | BX | BX | BX | |
| COVER TH. MM | N.A. | N.A. | N.A. | 3+3 | 3+3 | 3+3 | 3+3 |
| OX | OX | OX | OX | OX | OX | OX | |
| COVER TH. MM | 2+2 | 2+2 | 2+2 | 2+2 | 2+2 | 2+2 | 3+3 |
| AG | AG | AG | AG | AG | AG | AG | |
| COVER TH. MM | 2+2 | 2+2 | 2+2 | 2+2 | 2+2 | 2+2 | 3+3 |
For any further information, you can send an email to sig@sig.it or visit our website and fill in the information request form.
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