What are the common problems when TPEE is used in food conveyor belts?
The performance aspect

1. Insufficient wear resistance:
While TPEE has some abrasion resistance, it can wear out quickly in some high-intensity food delivery scenarios. For example, when conveying food with sharp edges or conveying heavy objects at high speeds, the surface of the conveyor belt is prone to scratches and abrasion, which affects the service life.

Cause: This may be due to the fact that the TPEE is not hard enough or has a high coefficient of friction with the conveyed item.

Solution: The TPEE can be surface treated, such as adding a wear-resistant coating or using a special braided structure to enhance the wear resistance. It is also possible to reasonably adjust the conveying speed and the placement of items when designing the conveyor belt to reduce friction.

2. Poor oil resistance:
In the food processing industry, there is sometimes contact with oily substances such as edible oil. When TPEE is exposed to oily substances for a long time, it may swell and soften, reducing the strength and stability of the conveyor belt.

Reason: This is because TPEE has a limited tolerance to certain oily substances.

Solution: To solve this problem, consider adding an oil repellent to the TPEE or choosing a material with better oil resistance for compounding. At the same time, in the process of use, try to avoid the conveyor belt from contacting a large number of oily substances for a long time, and clean up the oil stain in time.

3. Anti-aging performance needs to be improved:
Long-term use in food processing environments, conveyor belts may be affected by factors such as light, temperature changes, oxidation, etc., resulting in the aging of TPEE materials. It is manifested as the conveyor belt becoming hard, brittle, cracked, etc., which affects the safety and life of use.

Reason: This may be due to insufficient anti-aging additives for TPEE or a harsh environment in which it is used.

Solution: The anti-aging performance of TPEE can be improved by adding more anti-aging agents, using ultraviolet absorbers, etc. At the same time, try to avoid exposing the conveyor belt to sunlight and high temperatures, and carry out regular maintenance and replacement.

Processing and installation

1. Difficulty in molding:
TPEE has a relatively narrow processing temperature range, and problems such as poor flowability and difficult molding may occur during the molding process. For example, during extrusion, there may be uneven extrusion and rough surface; During injection molding, problems such as insufficient filling, shrinkage, etc., may occur.

Reason: This may be caused by improper setting of processing process parameters or unreasonable mold design.

Solution: It is to optimize the processing process parameters, such as adjusting the temperature, pressure, speed, etc., to improve the fluidity and formability of TPEE. At the same time, the mold is reasonably designed to ensure that the structure and size of the mold are suitable for the processing requirements of TPEE.

2. Insufficient joint strength:
Food conveyor belts often require splicing to form a continuous annular belt. However, the joint strength of the TPEE conveyor belt may not be high enough, and it is easy to cause problems such as joint cracking and falling off during use.

Cause: This may be due to improper fitting process or improper selection of joint materials.

Solution: More advanced joint technology, such as hot melt joints, mechanical joints, etc., can be used to improve the strength and stability of the joint. At the same time, select the appropriate joint material to ensure that the joint has good compatibility and adhesion to the conveyor belt body.

3. Inaccurate installation:
When installing TPEE conveyor belts, if the installation is not accurate, it may lead to problems such as belt mistracking, runout, and slippage, affecting transmission efficiency and service life.

Reason: This may be due to the unskilled level of the installer or the installation equipment is not suitable.

Solution: Read the installation instructions carefully before installation to ensure that the installation equipment and tools are complete and appropriate. At the same time, hire professional installers to install, and operate in strict accordance with the installation steps to ensure that the conveyor belt is installed accurately and firmly.