Belt and braces

Hot vulcanising is a well-established process, but can be very time consuming and often highly expensive. Metallic clips on the other hand provide a good emergency system, but if damaged by corrosion or impact, the clips can cause extensive damage to the conveyor belts and rollers. Cold cure flexible rubber repair resins offer a rapid and reliable alternative to metallic clips and vulcanisation techniques for ripped, worn and holed conveyor belts. 

These flexible materials can be used in-situ where high build, durability and elasticity, as well as good abrasion and tear resistance are required. They are easy to apply without the need of specialist tools and they cure at room temperature, eliminating the need for hot work. They will not corrode and will resist a wide range of chemicals. 

The surface or cover of conveyor belts can often become worn and frayed due to abrasion. This exposes the reinforcement layer within the belts, which, if left exposed, can absorb moisture and lead to the complete delamination of the top cover. 

Cold bond resin materials have the ability to resurface these worn areas on-site and in-situ, in a fraction of the time that it would take to perform a conventional repair.

For rips and tears longer than 6 inches (15 cm), or where the ultimate strength of the belt is questionable, it may be advisable to incorporate mechanical fasteners at approximately 3 inches (7.5 cm) centers. These ultimately become an integral part of the repair. Holes in the belt may be filled with a flexible resin incorporating layers of reinforcement sheet. If these holes are large or the belt strength questionable, it is best to square off the damaged area with a razor knife and peel back the surface rubber over the plies. Another piece of similar conveyor belt is then cut, stepped and bonded in place, essentially creating a four-sided lapped joint. 

In any conveyor system, the joint portion is the weakest area in the belt. Failure of joints or splices can lead to an increase in plant downtime as well as maintenance costs. Flexible repair resins can offer a good tensile strength and therefore can be used to join and splice conveyor belts or rebond filler strips in vulcanised joints. The following application procedure highlights the main steps to perform a splicing repair with Belzona 2000 Series of Elastomers.