Performance and dependability are critical during shingle production. Belts need to be built to take constant punishment and hold up to the rigorous demands placed on them every day.
Apache’s Volta general conveying product line offers belts designed to meet some of the most demanding requirements and challenging applications in the field — from puncture resistance to abrasive material — it’s proven to last longer.
Gritty Problem
An East Coast based building materials manufacturer, with revenues over $3 billion, was looking to improve common issues with belts used in their shingle production facility. Roofing plants commonly struggle with losing belts due to failure of the mechanical fasteners. In most cases, the belt carcasses remained intact, and the failure resulted from shingle grit wearing out the bottom of the mechanical fastener plate that ran across the slider bed.
Homogeneous Solution
Apache worked with the manufacturer to install the Volta FEZ Homogeneous Green TPE Smooth x Embossed belt to multiple applications within different production stages throughout their facility. This belt completely eliminates the need for a mechanical fastener, and instead uses a butt weld — where the ends of the belt are fused together.
Seeing is Believing
The belt started at a 4 mm width, and four weeks later, the belt was still 4 mm thick. One belt showed wear, including a large puncture from something getting caught in the machine during the fourth week of use. The customer chose not to change the belt to see how long it would run, and seven months later the belt still had not failed. Throughout the seven month timetable, there was no need to retension or reweld any belts. Previously the manufacturer had tried a 3-ply blue roughtop and 4-ply transmission belt, but each typically lasting about a week. When using the Volta FEZ belt on another application, the customer achieved eight months of use.
Longer Life & More Profit
Having to change belting weekly forced the customer to make large investments in belt replacements for the machine, as well as a requirement of at least four man-hours per week to change out the belt. The customer completed a cost savings analysis on this line and calculated a total annual materials cost savings of $80,000.
Due to the success with this one location, the preseident of the shingle division decided to put these high abrasion resistant Volta belts into additional shingle production facilities.
"I stood with the mechanics as they went through this process and got a feel for how the process worked. I was extremely pleased and excited to see what a win this was." ~ Shingle Division President
Key Points:
- Eliminate lacing by using a tool that fuses belts together with a butt weld
- Applications requiring guides have been found to have a stronger bond, due to welding directly to the urethane
- Can be ordered in specific lengths, or bulk rolls that can be cut to required length
- Available in various styles and thicknesses
- Belts can be welded and ready for use in less than 10 minutes
- Highly recommend cleaning shingle grit from the system to ensure longer life
Contact us today, we'll work with you to create the best solution for your intense application.