Steel Slat, Modular Plastic & Wire Mesh Belt Conveyors
The moving belts of each of these categories of conveyor have properties and features which make them suitable for particular applications. Whatever the particular application Amber Automation has a great deal of experience in designing, manufacturing and installing ‘built for purpose’ conveyor systems using these specialist belt types.
Heavy Duty Slat Conveyors
Heavy duty slat conveyors are mostly used to transport unit loads that are too heavy for traditional belt conveyors, usually at slow speeds over relatively long distances, or sometimes where the operational conditions are very arduous, such as in heat treatment plants or for high impact loading applications like scrap metal handling. They are also ideal for in-floor assembly line conveyors for the production of heavy products, for example as found in the in the automotive, construction plant, generator manufacturing industries, because they offer a continuous slow moving surface and require only minimal maintenance.
Each slat is attached to a pair of parallel roller bush transmission chains, one at each end of the slat and driven by sprockets coupled by a head shaft to a geared motor unit. Slats can be formed from different steel sections if required, e.g. flat plate, tubes, angles etc., and sometime alternative materials can be used such as hardwood or moulded polymer. The selection of the width of the conveyor and the type of slat is determined by size, weight and the nature of the product being conveyed.
Slat Chain / Plate Link Conveyors
Slat chain conveyors, sometimes referred to as Plate Link conveyors are formed from a series of castellated plates (slats) rolled to form hinge points, joined together by transverse rods which pass through the hinge points. Thus the series of plates are themselves made into a chain which is also the belt of the conveyor and which broadly resembles the caterpillar tracks of an excavator. The belt is supported from underneath by sprockets which engage directly with the belt to drive it.
The slat chain / plate link belt construction can give the belt the ability to flex if the plates are joined by one hinge at the centre of their span. This provides these conveyors with the advantage of being able to gradually turn corners.
Slat chain / plate link belts can be made in mild steel which can then be surface treated by galvanising, bright zinc plating or even coating in Teflon. Stainless steel belts can also be supplied.
This type of conveyor is typically used for light to medium duty applications up to about 800mm wide and especially where there is a requirement to be able to wash down the belt.
