Rubber Versus Metal Conveyer Belt

A conveyer belt can be made of many different materials. One of the most popular choice is rubber. The second most popular type is metal. Both have their own benefits and drawbacks. A rubber conveyer belt is often more light in weight. It is also waterproof. This makes it excellent for use in places where a lot of water is spilled such as forests and open factories. This also makes it more useful in the food industry where the conveyer belt might be subjected to moisture. A rubber conveyor belt comes in many colours. Rubber is naturally white to yellow in colour, though brown rubber also exists naturally. Rubber can be coloured by adding pigments to it. The most common pigment added is blue or green because of the refreshing look it provides. The most common colour for rubber is black. This is because of the carbon added to it. Carbon is often added to rubber to give it more strength. Rubber that has carbon added to it is tougher, heavier and can withstand more weight. This is why carbon added rubber conveyer belts are often used for industrial purposes.

Rubber conveyer belts also last longer than metallic ones. They have an average life of nine to ten years as compared to metal belts. They are also more durable and don not break down as often. Metallic conveyer belts require regular maintenance. Rubber conveyer belts require minimal maintenance and this makes the maintenance costs very low. Another alternative kind of conveyer belt is that made of leather. The leather can either be real of synthetic. Synthetic leather is more cost efficient and also cheaper. Real leather is hard to come by but it is longer lasting and tougher.

Different kinds of materials can be used to make conveyer belts. For awesome conveyer belts, both complex and simple plastics can be used. Natural plastics occur in nature and can easily be harvested. Pvc is an example of synthetic artificial plastic and is one of the most popular types. But like all plastic conveyer belts, pvc belts are very expensive and rubber conveyer belts serve as a cheap alternative. Rubber conveyer belts have the added advantage of being flexible.

In about five to ten years, all metal conveyer belts will be replaced by rubber ones. This is because rubber insulates heat. Metals conduct heat. This property makes rubber conveyer belts ideal for use in places where the temperatures are very high. This includes mines and metal factories. Rubber conveyer belts can also be installed and replaced more easily. Metallic conveyer belts require a lot of effort when it comes to installation. The installation charges for a metallic conveyer belt can be very discouraging.