How Does A Conveyor Belt Work?
Conveyor belts can be found in shopping centres, supermarkets, airports, and factories the world over. They help to transport people and goods from one place to another with ease. But how exactly does a conveyor belt work? Below you will get to see the process of a conveyor belt and the basic ways in which it works.
The Basics
A conveyor belt is simply a very large, wide belt which is fixed into a loop shape. This loop is connected to several rotors, which are powered by motors. The looped part of the machine is what we know as the conveyor belt, and is typically made from several layers of rubber. The first layer gives the belt its structure, while the second layer allows for traction and transportation of goods. It is usual for the belt to be fixed to two or more wheels, which are known as rotors. These rotors rotate and cause the belt to move, which is mainly caused by the belt’s ability to stick to the rotors and be powered round them.
Movement Matters
As the wheels begin to turn, the belt also turns or moves. This is down to friction between the belt and the rotors. The rotors lead to the belt moving in one direction on the top surface, and in the opposite direction on the lower side. This means that for the action to be performed, all wheels need to be spinning in the same direction, be it clockwise or not. If the rotors spun in different directions, the belt would not be able to move and the friction would cause the rotors to stop too.
Transportation Occurs
To convey means to move or transmit, thus the word conveyor belt was born. Typically, you will find them in large warehouses and factories, where they are used to move materials from one location to another. The item moves, but it still stays in the same location on the belt. When a belt needs to turn round corners, the use of conically shaped rotors is used to help with direction. Many conveyor belts are straight, such as those found in supermarkets. However, some are designed in a slotted belt design which allows for them to turn corners and bend. They may be simple in the way in which they function, but their simple design helps make moving heavy loads much easier.