High Temperature Belting

Most fabric and rubber belts tend to disintegrate if used at temperatures much above 80-90 degrees centigrade. Obviously, metal belts can work at far higher temperatures, but not all applications are suited to a metal belt. Two 'fabric' type belts stand out above the crowd: Silicon, and PTFE. Silicon is gerally preffered in food industries due to its combination of high-grip, easy-release and easy-cleaning. Its hygeine properties are comparable to PU, though it is not as good at going around narrow end-rollers or pulleys. It has a maximum temperature of 180 degrees. PTFE is used where low-stiction is a priority, and also where the belt must go around knife-edges. It is not very strong, however. Kevlar composite belts are an attempt to rectify this shortcming. They are similar to PTFE, but are physically stronger. Both can operate at up to 220 degrees centigrade.