Measuring a Belt
Finding the correct belt length for your conveyor
Finding the correct belt length for your conveyor
Knowing how to properly measure a belt is critical. Failing to measure a belt properly can lead to loss of production time, material waste, and increase soft costs. Fortunately, measuring a belt is pretty easy and only requires three tools:
- Conveyor Belt
- Tape Measure
- Writing Utensil
Many belts can be measured while they are still on the conveyor. Follow the steps below:
Step 1:
Find a flat section of the conveyor that is accessible.
Step 2:
Mark a starting point on the belt that you can easily recognize later.
Step 3:
Mark at regular intervals along the edge of the belt until you get back to the starting point.
Step 4:
Add each length interval to the total as you go.
Step 5:
The final measurement to the starting point is your belt's Board Length (see tips for additional measurements).
In case you happen to remove your belt before you measure, no worries! There is a simple way to measure your belt. First, lay the belt completely flat and then take a tape measure and measure from end to end. If you have a laced belt, the process is the same except you measure from the end of the lacing on one side to the end of the belt material on the opposite end.
Pro Tips:
- Wrapping a tape measure around the entire belt while on the conveyor will give you the Outside Circumference length.
- Measuring around the head and tail pulleys while the belt is off will give you the Inside Circumference length.
- In the event of a belt that is mistracking, measure both sides of the belt and split the difference.
- You may need to remove side guards to access a large enough section of the conveyor
- A pen with contrasting ink color will usually work and wipe off easily afterward
- If the belt is heavily contaminated you may need to clean the area with a detergent or alcohol prior to marking
- Try to use a measuring interval that is easy to remember (i.e. 10’)
- If possible, measure while running production to reduce downtime until the new belt arrives
- For longer belts you may want to mark your interval length or subtotal on the belt in case you need to double-check your length later
- Take note of the take-up locations, amount and current position. This may impact tolerances, length adjustments or highlight issues related to belt failure
- Please contact your Mol Belting sales representative with any questions