Conveyor Belt Construction: EP vs Steel Cord
Carcass choice, cover grade selection and the specification items that determine belt life in bulk handling.
Conveyor belt selection is a structural decision first and a compound decision second. The carcass carries the load; the cover protects the carcass.
Carcass types
- •EP (polyester/nylon) fabric — good troughability and impact resistance, easier to splice, lower cost. Typical for medium tension and shorter centres.
- •NN (nylon/nylon) — high elongation and excellent impact resistance, used where shock loading is significant.
- •Steel cord — very high tensile strength with low elongation and long splice life. Required for high tension, long centres and steep incline applications.
Cover grades
Covers are selected against the material handled and the duty. Common classification systems rate covers by tensile strength, elongation and abrasion loss. Select the cover for the material's abrasiveness, lump size, drop height, and whether oil, heat or fire resistance is required.
What to specify
- •Belt width, number of plies or cord rating, and full tensile rating.
- •Cover thickness top and bottom.
- •Cover grade, stated against a recognised abrasion or duty classification.
- •Working tension and the safety factor your design uses.
- •Material handled, lump size, drop height and temperature.
- •Whether the environment needs oil-resistant, heat-resistant or flame-retardant covers.
Belt failure from cover wear is expected and planned; failure from carcass delamination or splice failure usually traces back to an under-specified carcass. ## Need the documents or today's price? Send us the grade, quantity and destination port — we return a quotation with COA and MSDS attached. Email manager@fipolymer.com or use the inquiry form on this site.