Overview
Some materials defeat both conventional belt conveyors and standard vibrating conveyors. Sticky products adhere to belt surfaces and require constant cleaning. Hot materials degrade belt materials and damage pulleys. Fragile products break under aggressive vibratory motion. Tacky, wet, or thermoplastic materials build up in rigid metal troughs until flow stops completely.
The VIBRA-BELT® solves all of these problems with a single design. Instead of a rigid trough or a continuous belt loop, the VIBRA-BELT uses a flexible trough suspended between the sides of a frame and driven by General Kinematics’ proven vibratory eccentric drive. As the system vibrates, the flexible trough bends and flexes — continuously breaking the bond between the material and the conveying surface. Material that would stick to a rigid trough or a flat belt simply cannot adhere to a surface that is constantly changing shape.
How the Flexible Trough Works
The VIBRA-BELT’s conveying surface is not a continuous belt loop that wraps around pulleys. It is a flexible sheet — fabricated from stainless steel, carbon steel, or other materials depending on the application — suspended within a rigid steel frame. A single vibratory eccentric drive generates controlled oscillation that both advances the material and flexes the trough surface. Each vibration cycle changes the trough’s shape slightly, preventing material adhesion and eliminating the buildup that stops material flow in conventional systems.
Because the trough is suspended rather than wrapped, there are no pulleys, no belt tracking problems, and no conveyor idlers to lubricate. The only component requiring periodic lubrication is the single eccentric drive.
Features and Benefits
- Flexible trough surface prevents material buildup on sticky, tacky, wet, or thermoplastic materials
- Trough fabricated from stainless steel or other materials to match the application and product requirements
- Available in lengths up to 300 feet and variable widths
- Low-profile, compact design fits in installations where other conveyors cannot be placed
- No belt tracking problems — the trough is suspended, not looped around pulleys
- No conveyor idlers to lubricate or maintain
- Single vibratory eccentric drive — only one component requires periodic lubrication
- Fixed or variable speed operation for adjustable material conveying rates
- Dust-tight and ventilated construction available
- Handles hot, sticky, fragile, and other difficult-to-convey bulk materials
Applications
The VIBRA-BELT is the right solution when the material itself makes every other conveyor type impractical. Typical applications include conveying hot asphalt, rubber compounds, adhesive-coated products, wet or tacky food ingredients, thermoplastic pellets, sugar, confectionery, dried fruit, and other materials that adhere to rigid surfaces. It also handles fragile products that break under aggressive vibratory motion — the controlled oscillation of the flexible trough provides a gentler material advance than a standard vibrating trough. Industrial applications span food processing, chemical manufacturing, plastics and rubber production, confectionery, recycling, and bulk material processing.
VIBRA-BELT vs. Standard Vibrating Conveyors
A standard vibrating conveyor uses a rigid steel trough. Material that sticks to a rigid trough builds up over time, requiring manual cleaning or scraping. The VIBRA-BELT’s flexible trough eliminates this problem by flexing with each vibration cycle, continuously breaking material adhesion. For non-sticky materials, a standard SYNCRO-COIL trough conveyor is typically more cost-effective. For sticky, tacky, or buildup-prone materials, the VIBRA-BELT is the better investment.