Which Is the Best Material for Convyor Belt, PVC, TPU or TPO

I was frequently asked by many people that, what should I choose when it comes to a conveyor belt? PVC, TPU and TPO. Which is the best material?

Well, based on my experience, I would say that usually PVC coated conveyor belt is better because it can be simply used without much special requirements.

In general, the PVC conveyor belt would be an ideal choice in terms of cost.

Apart from the basic requirements such as high resistance against oils and greases and good release properties, it is also important to evaluate the material, so that you can choose the best one for your production needs.

Refer to the guidelines as below:

TPU (Thermoplastic Polyurethane)

+ High flexibility even at low temperatures (-30°C)
+ Best thermoplastic material in terms of abrasion resistance
+ Good resistance to vegetable/animal greases and oils
+ TPU based on Polyether is hydrolysis-resistant
+ No plasticizers

– TPU based on Polyester is not resistant to hot water (steam)
– Not resistant to most organic solvents

Main applications:

· Food industry

· Nosebar

· Process belt

· Abrasive environment

PVC (Polyvinyl chloride)

+ Resistant to chlorine and hot water (steam)
+ Models with fire-retardant properties
+ Favorable price

– Low flexibility at low temperatures (applicable down to –10°C)
– Limited resistance to solvents, oils and greases
– Migration of plasticizers (with the exception of food-approved PVC)

Main applications:

· Materials handling

· Fruit and vegetables (food-approved PVC)

TPO (Thermoplastic Polyolefin)

+ Excellent release and anti-sticking properties
+ Excellent chemical resistance
+ Excellent low temperature properties

– Standard TPO is not abrasion resistant

Main applications:

· Tobacco industry

· Food industry