The main use of troughed roller support is in conveying bulk materials such as sand, grain, etc.
Support in such cases is provided by trough idler assemblies, which can be fitted as add-on items to a basic conveyor frame.
Belts used in troughed conveyors need to have good lateral flexibility.
Conveying goods around corners can be necessary for saving floor space, changing the direction of goods or for sorting purposes.
Curved belts (also known as power turn belts or round belts) are used to change the transportation direction (between 30 and 180 degrees) or to cope with height differences.
In inclined conveying measures must be taken to prevent goods from sliding down or falling.
If a higher friction between the piece goods and the belt is necessary, profiling the belt cover is a solution.
For larger angles of inclination or for bulk products, accessories can be fitted onto the belt such as cleats.
Sometimes it is necessary to interrupt the flow of goods temporarily (for example with a feeding to packing machine).
The simplest solution is to stop the belt, but often this is neither possible nor desirable. In this case, the flow of goods is blocked, while the belt continues to run. This is called accumulation or buffering.
The belt must then have a smooth and wear-free surface, with a low coefficient of friction between belt and product.
