Transilon Technical Q&A (Design & Stable Tracking)

Basic Design

Q. “Why are carry rollers used on long conveyors?”

A. 　When the conveyor line is long or the total load is high, the effective tension increases with a flat slider bed. By using carry rollers, running resistance can be reduced and effective tension kept to a lower level.

Q. “Under what conditions should carry rollers also be installed on the return side?”

A. 　If the center distance between the end pulleys exceeds 2,000 mm, installing carry rollers on the return side helps prevent belt sag caused by the belt’s own weight.

Q. “Which conveyor drive arrangement is recommended?”

A. 　A head drive configuration, in which the drive pulley is located at the discharge end, is recommended. Compared with a tail drive, this arrangement transmits power more efficiently.

Pulley Design

Q. “What problems occur if the pulley diameter is too small?”

A. 　If the pulley diameter is too small, excessive bending occurs, which can cause belt wrinkling and unstable running. Particular caution is required with wide belts.

Q. “How should the pulley diameter be determined?”

A. The following factors should be considered comprehensively:

・Transmitted effective tension
・Flexibility of the belt used
・Bending conditions of cleats and profiles

Please refer to the product program and calculation documentation (catalog number 304) for the minimum permissible diameter.

Q. “Is there a recommended shape for drive pulleys?”

A. 　For drive pulleys, a design with a cylindrical center section and tapered ends (with crown) is recommended, with the cylindrical section having a length of approximately half the belt width.

Friction Lining

Q. “Is friction lining required on the drive pulley?”

A. 　If the belt bottom surface is U0, A0, E0, or similar, friction lining on the drive pulley is recommended in order to increase the coefficient of friction.

Q. “What are the requirements for recommended lining materials?”

A.　In all cases, sufficient wear resistance is required.

・Plastic materials: Shore hardness 85A or higher (at 20 °C)
・Rubber materials: Shore hardness 65A or higher

Take-up Devices

Q. “For which applications are gravity take-up systems suitable?”

A. 　They are effective for long conveyors, heavy-duty conveyors, and applications subject to large temperature fluctuations. They automatically compensate for belt elongation during start-up.

Q. “What should be noted when using a gravity take-up?”

A. 　They are not suitable for reversible conveyors. In such cases, the use of crowned pulleys or automatic belt tracking devices should be considered.

Belt Support Methods

Q. “What should be considered when designing a slider bed?”

A.　
・Install 2–3 mm lower than the belt
・Chamfer the edge areas
・Remove paint residues and surface contamination

This ensures stable running and low friction.

Q. “How should the pitch of carry rollers be determined?”

A. 　It is determined based on the conveyed product length, belt tension, and the mass of the belt and conveyed goods. In principle, a pitch that ensures the conveyed goods are always supported by at least two rollers is recommended.

Knife Edge

Q. “Why does power consumption increase at knife-edge sections?”

A. 　At knife-edge sections, friction increases, and at high speeds temperature rise is more likely to occur, resulting in increased power consumption.

Q. “What are the key points in knife-edge design?”

A.
・Keep the wrap angle as small as possible
・Initial installation tension should be 0.3% or less
・Consider the use of rotating roller knife edges

Stable Belt Tracking

Q. “What are the main causes of belt mistracking?”

A.
・Misalignment of pulleys or rollers
・Insufficient frame rigidity
・Contamination or wear on pulley surfaces

Q. “What are the basics for ensuring stable running?”

A.
・Install all pulleys and rollers parallel
・Use cylindrical pulleys with crown
・Always feed conveyed goods to the center of the belt

Belts with Longitudinal Profiles

Q. “What should be considered with belts equipped with longitudinal profiles?”

A. Avoid forced guiding and use automatic guiding systems if necessary. It is important to allow sufficient tolerance for groove width.

Cleaning Devices

Q. “Do cleaning devices affect the required drive power?”

A. Yes. The contact pressure and coefficient of friction of cleaning devices increase the required drive power. They must always be taken into account when calculating drive power.

Q. “What should be considered when selecting scrapers?”

A.
・Avoid excessive contact pressure on the belt
・Select contact materials with sufficient wear resistance
・Improper installation can cause unstable running