What Is an Endless Belt?
An endless belt is a belt that is attached to an abrasive machine, such as a belt sander, and used mainly to polish an object. The ring-shaped endless belt is rotated at high speed and applied to the object to be ground. It can be used for deburring stainless steel, aluminum, titanium alloy, wood, leather, rubber, and a wide range of other materials.
Normally, belts without joints are called endless belts, while belts with joints are called abrasive belts, but since their uses are almost identical, the distinction is sometimes not made.
Uses of Endless Belts
Endless belts are attached to polishing machines, such as belt sanders, belt disc sanders, belt grinders, and vaders.
The abrasive material of the endless belt is selected according to the object to be ground. The surface finish can also be changed by changing the abrasive grain size of the belt.
The non-abrasive type is used for automatic turnstiles, conveyor systems, machine tool feeders, etc. Since there are no seams, it is the belt of choice for the smooth conveyance of thin products, etc.
Principle of Endless Belts
Endless belts are often equipped with abrasive materials and are mainly used with belt sanders. The principle of a belt sander is simple: a belt with abrasive material is rotated and applied to the object to be sanded.
A wheel and pulley are installed inside the belt and wrap around the belt. The wheel and pulley rotate at high speed, rotating the belt itself. The speed of rotation is adjusted to grind the belt so that it does not sag.
The base material of the endless belt is a non-woven polyester or cotton fabric or cloth. Abrasive is applied to its surface along with an adhesive. Fused alumina is often used as the abrasive, but zirconia and silicon carbide are also used in some products. Zirconia and silicon carbide are tougher and sharper than alumina.
Similar to the principle of a file, a coarser abrasive particle size on the surface allows for rougher grinding, and an endless belt with a finer particle size is used for a cleaner surface finish.
Endless belts should be replaced when necessary, as they will wear out with use.