TC-327^™ Conveyor Belt

Conveyor Retrofit Considerations

Most conveyors can be refitted to TC-327™ belting without major modifications. Simple sprocket changes and/or shaft adaptations will, in many cases, suffice. Some conveyors however, such as those with a friction drive system, may require a bit more extensive work. Our Technical Sales Engineers can advise you on what changes would be required for your particular system in order to take advantage of the TC-327's benefits. 

In order to assist you in preparing for a retrofit of an existing conveyor, our Technical Sales Engineers have outlined some points that you’ll need to consider before making a change from either a plastic modular belt or a metal balanced weave belt.

• What type of application are you running (e.g. flour tortillas, tostados, corn tortillas)?
• What is the size and weight of the product being run in the process?
• What is the initial operating temperature of your process? 
• What type of belt are you currently using in this process? 
• What is your current belt width? 
• What type of material is the belt made of (e.g. stainless steel, plastic)
• What is the length of the conveyor?
• Is your conveyor driven at one end or in the centre? 
• Is the conveyor a sprocket drive or a friction drive? 
• What is the speed of the conveyor system (in metres per minute)? 
• Is your conveyor on an incline or a decline? 
• If your belt is currently running on a sprocket drive system, what size are the sprockets and shafts, and do they have a keyway?

 
For a comprehensive outline of the information you’ll need to provide in order to successfully complete a retrofit of an existing conveyor, please call +44 (0)1795 421771 and ask to be connected with our Technical Sales Engineers.

Typical Conveyor Layout

(Fig. 1)

(Fig. 2)

Tortilla coolers typically use the Simple Conveyor Layout (Fig 1). Although a tortilla cooler is a multi-tiered conveyor, each tier is considered a straight conveyor with an in-feed and a discharge. Each tier also contains a series of drive sprockets and support blanks (Fig 2).
 

Sprocket Placement

(Fig. 3)

(Fig. 4)

On the drive shaft, TC-327™ uses one drive sprocket in each of the small spaces across the entire width of the belt. On the idler shaft, TC-327™ uses a total of two drive sprockets, which are each positioned on the second small space inward from the belt edges. The remaining small spaces on the idler shaft are fitted with support blanks (Fig 3). By positioning the drive sprockets on the second space inward on the idler shaft, you reduce unnecessary stress on the outside edge enhancing tracking, and extending belt life.

Sprockets and blanks should always be evenly spaced between the z-bends. The correct clearance must be present between every sprocket and its adjacent z-bends. With TC-327™ belting it is important to align the sprockets and blanks so that they are precisely centered in the small spaces. This will help them track properly through the pre-shaped wire form of the splicing strand (Fig 4) once the belt is joined to complete the conveyor circuit. Belt life may be dramatically reduced if the z-bends come in contact with any drive component on the conveyor.

Best Practice: Wire Belt recommends that only genuine Wire Belt TC-327™ sprockets and blanks be used with TC-327™ belts. Alternative sprockets can cause the belt to surge, jump teeth, and may cause premature failure.*
 

Tensioning the Belt

(Fig. 5)

(Fig. 6)

TC-327™ is a low-tension belt but every conveyor will require some means to provide tension correction. The simplest method of take-up is a catenary, where the weight of the belt in the return path provides tension on the drive sprockets.

When a catenary take-up is not practical (for example, due to size constraints), other choices are available. Some systems use manual, spring, or screw take-ups that can provide easy adjustment in short conveyors (Fig 5 & 6).

New belts may experience some elongation or minor stretching during their initial use. This is due to “seating” of the wires. Any increase in belt length must be “absorbed” into the catenary loop of the belt return path so that the sprocket teeth remain properly engaged. If too much stretch develops the drive teeth may begin to slip, so the elongation must be removed by some other means. If a mechanical adjustment method is not part of the conveyor design, the user’s maintenance personnel must remove a section of belt and re-splice. This is typically a one-time exercise, because once the belt is broken-in or “seated” it should run without any further adjustment. When designing your conveyor system, be sure to provide a simple take-up to accommodate this minor belt stretch.

Joining TC-327™ with EZ-Splice®

TC-327™ conveyor belt comes with EZ-Splice^® belt joining strands, this is the method you will use to join your belt. EZ-Splice^® is a single pre-formed, pre-shaped strand designed to fit TC-327™ conveyor belt. EZ-Splice^® offers longer belt life and strong belt joints.

For details of tools available visit our Tools page

(Fig 1)

(Fig 2)

Place the EZ-Splice^® strand between the two ends of the belt to be joined matching and aligning the spaces of the strand with the spaces of the belt (Fig 1). Make sure that the cut end of the EZ-Splice^® strand is on the bottom (Fig 2).

(Fig 3)

(Fig 4)

Once both ends of the belt are aligned with the spaces in the EZ-Splice strand, rotate the EZ-Splice strand over and hook both edge loops in as shown (Fig 3 + 4).

(Fig 5)

Now that you have the edge-loops hooked (Fig 5), rotate the EZ-Splice^® strand again 180º or 1/2 turn. The cut ends of the EZ-Splice^® strand should stay attached to the belt edge-loops on both edges of the belt.

(Fig 6)

(Fig 7)

Turn and insert the second space of the EZ-Splice^® strand through the second space of the belt to be spliced (Fig 6). Next, push on the EZ-Splice^® z-bend with your index finger until the splice strand hook pops into place (Fig 7).

(Fig 8)
 

(Fig 9)
 

(Fig 10)

Hold the space in place while pushing down on the next EZ-Splice^® z-bend (Fig 8). Continue this technique across the width of the strand using your index finger. Then pull the final z-bend and pop into place (Fig 9 & 10).

(Fig 11)

Now the bottom half of the joint is complete (Fig 11).

(Fig 12)

Take the top half of the belt and hook the first small space of the belt over and through the first small space of the EZ-Splice^® strand (Fig 12).

(Fig 13)

Then repeat every small space across the width of the belt (Fig 13).

Now that the splice is all in place, lock your EZ-Splice^® strand in place with the EZ-Splice^® profiling pliers.

To lock the EZ-Splice^® into place insert the beveled edge of the 12.7 x 1.83 (24 X .072) bit into the jaw slot of your profiling pliers pushing in with your index finger until you hear a click indicating that the bit is locked in place. Make sure to use the correct bit.

(Fig 14)

Insert the lower jaw of the profiling pliers into the first large space and crimp down on the EZ-Splice^® z-bend matching the splice z-bend up with the corresponding groove on the lower jaw of the profiling pliers (Fig 14). Move across the strand and insert the lower jaw into the next splicing z-bend again matching the splice Z-bend up with the corresponding groove on the lower jaw of the profiling pliers and crimp down. Repeat across the width of the belt and then in the opposite direction.

Crimp the outside edge loop of the EZ-Splice^® strand with the profiling pliers facing in toward the center to control the edge loop during crimp.