Spiral Systems Metal Belts vs Plastic Belts

This section is intended for those who are considering the use of plastic belts on their spirals, either to replace metal belts on existing units or designing new spirals using plastic modular belts. Many new plastic belts and combination plastic/stainless steel are coming onto the market. Also, new metal belt materials are coming on the market with substantial better fatigue resistant qualities. In all cases, you should make sure the belts you are selecting are specifically designed for the applied use in a spiral.

Author's Qualifications:

First person in the industry of plastic belting. Helped "start the company Intralox in 1972" and assembled the first belt.

First person to apply a plastic belt on a spiral (KVP belting, in 1987), with Maplehurst Bakery in Georgia (replaced a metal belt).

Over 20 years of experience with both metal belts and plastic belts on a wide variety of spiral applications.

With new materials and many new design features, solid application support and extended warranties, you should take a look at the use of plastic belts on your next spiral application. The following chart is a comprehensive review of the use of plastic belts versus metal belts. It does not take into consideration the new combination of plastic and stainless belts which are available, but will do so in future publication updates.

If you have an application coming up for a spiral, let us take a look at it and we will give you a specific analysis of the belts you are considering based on your specific product and environment. We can help you choose the best belt type and style for the application. You can even have the option of chooseing the supplier.

Description	Metal	Plastic
Technology
Experience
Strength
Weight
Fatigue
Collapse
Open Area
Sanitation
Product Release
Belt Width
Spiral Framework
Belt Speeds
Lubrication
Belt Life
Heat
Radius Weight
Air Flow
Thermal Conductivity
Flammability
Particulates
Repair Ability
Cost
Warranty