V-Conform Reinforced O-ring Belts

This belt is designed to compete with Fenner-Drives Eagle XLD O-ring. We believe our belt is much better, but it may have some of the same disadvantages. Will 4.07 peak amps be a problem? See XLD O-ring Review.

New V-Conform Reinforced O-ring belts

 are reinforced with elastic "stretchy" nylon, so they provide greater tension than most solid polyurethane belts, possibly letting you move heavier boxes, faster and with longer zones.

Conforms to grooves:

 V-Conform belts have soft tiny ribs that conform to standard 3/16" roller grooves so they can replace round elastic belts, while providing almost as much grip and tension as two rib (2PJ) poly-v belts.

Ultra High Tension = Finger Guards:

 Like poly-v belts, XLD O-rings and chains, V-Conform belt's tension is so ultra high that they create pinch points that require finger guards (safety guards) where personnel work within reach of boxes on conveyors. Regardless of what Fenner claims, they are NOT "drop in replacements" in most applications. Moreover, Finger Guards are expensive and need to be a much longer, 4.5" (114mm), than poly-v endcap finger guards. They require drilling two holes in the frame for each guard.

No-Stretch belts stress MDRs:

 Idler (slave) rollers are not precision rollers because they can be slightly bowed, elliptical (un-round) and/or have shafts slightly off center, so they act like small cams that wobble slightly with every revolution. No-stretch belts, like Eagle XLD O-rings, transmit that wobble directly to MDR motors, creating current spikes that hammer, overheat and stress MDRs, as shown by the orange high current spikes on the adjacent graph. This causes XLD O-rings to waste energy and reduce MDR lifespan*.

V-Conform belts protect MDRs:

 Like solid polyurethane belts, V-Conform belts stretch and relax to absorb cam shocks, so they minimize current surges and help protect MDRs, as shown by the green milder, lower current spikes on the adjacent graph.

V-Conform belts save Energy and MDRs:

 Compared to XLD O-rings, V-conform belts cut energy consumption nearly in half and help prevent MDRs from overheating. When an MDR overheats for more than a few minutes, thermistors shut it down until it cools. Unfortunately, thermistors only work for a limited number of times, e.g. 30 incidents. When that limit is reached, they burn out. If the one inside the MDR burns out, the MDR is usually not repairable.

Prevent bearing and shaft hole wear:

 V-conform stretchy belts help prevent bearing and shaft hole wear caused by no-stretch belts and wobbly rollers that hammer bearings and shaft holes.

Wipe away dust, prevent slipping:

 V-Conform belt's tiny ribs open and close with each rotation, wiping dust out of roller grooves. Helps prevent slipping.

Easier to Install:

 Center distances between rollers have tolerances on the plus-side that make no-stretch belts extremely difficult to install. Stretchy V-Conform belts overcome that problem, regardless of tolerance range.

Powers longer zones:

 Since V-Conform belts use less energy, they can power up to 30 rollers without exceeding the high speed current rating. See green line in adjacent graph.

Anti-static:

 Unlike XLD belts, V-Conform belts are anti-static.

Free Samples to Test:

 V-Conform belts are new so they have not been tested for long durations. They work very well in straight conveyor sections on standard idler rollers that have wide grooves, but grooves on MDRs are usually narrower so V-Conform edges can bend slightly upward. The same thing happens with edges on XLD O-rings, although V-Conform edges do not appear to protrude above the roller surface like XLD belts. We do not know if this anomaly will eventually compromise belt performance, so customers should test small numbers before buying large quantities. This is not a problem for drive motors under rollers like pancake motors.

Currently, we only have one length available. It replaces O-rings on 1.9" rollers on 3" centers or 50mm rollers on 75mm centers. Expensive molds are required to make other lengths so we need customers to have a positive experience testing these belts for at least 3 months before building molds for other lengths.

Curve Test:

 We have not tested V-conform belts on conveyor curves, so we suspect they will turn on their side and possibly abrade, so they may not work on curves. Again, customers should test small numbers before buying large quantities.

*MDR lifespan and cost:

 Unfortunately, there are no free lunches. Most MDRs and pancake motors are warranted for "normal and proper use". No-stretch belts hammer and overheat motors so they should not be categorized as "normal use". This means such belts are likely to reduce motor lifespan and require replacement more often. Since motors cost more than expensive no-stretch XLD O-ring belts, such belts will most likely not save money in the long run and cost considerably more than V-Conform belts or polyurethane round belts.

V-Conform Advantages:

1. Potential to move heavier boxes, faster and on longer roller zones than polyurethane o-ring belts (PU belts).


2. Potential to replace 2 rib poly-v belts without needing poly-v endcaps by installing them in standard round grooves on inexpensive, non-precision idler rollers - thereby significantly reducing total costs.


3. "Drop in replacements" for PU belts in areas where employees are restricted from proximity to conveyors that use V-Conform belts, or where these belts are located out of reach, like deep inside diverters.


4. Potential longer life that PU belts, thereby reducing maintenance costs.


5. If allowed to rest (not run continuously), like 2 seconds on and 1 second off, they can help protect against MDRs overheating and shut downs. This helps moderate electricity costs and protect MDR lifespan.


6. Potential to greatly increase drive force in critical applications like merges and squaring boxes for robot pallet stacking.


7. Due to minimal belt creep, there is virtually no noticeable reduction in box speed at zone end.


8. Works over wider temperature range than XLD O-rings and PU belts, -22°F (-30°) to 176°F (80°C).


9. Resists slipping better than PU belts.

V-Conform Disadvantages:

1. Costs considerably more than PU belts.


2. Increases electricity costs by 50% or more than PU belts.


3. Likely require larger watt power supplies.


4. Makes MDRs run hotter, so it may reduce MDRs lifespan, increasing overall costs.


5. Moving heavy loads on longer zones continuously at high speed will likely overheat MDRs and cause shut downs. MDR's thermistors have limited life so after multiple overheating, they short out, and ruin MDRs.


6. Requires expensive, extra long 4.5" (114mm) finger guards where employees have unrestrained access to conveyors.


7. Increases labor costs to install and remove finger guards. Finger guards must be installed after installation of V-Conform belt and removed before replacing V-conform belts.


8. Requires additional holes in conveyor frames to mount finger guards, plus additional fasteners (screws).


9. May roll on edge, abrade and not work long on curves and skewed rollers.


10. Narrow grooves on MDRs may force V-Conform belts to tip so they protrude above roller grooves and cause boxes to rotate.


11. Requires that roller grooves be well aligned to prevent belts from rolling on their sides. May need spacers on hex shafts to force groove alignment.


12. Slips easier than poly-v belts on poly-v endcaps.


13. More difficult to scale up production than PU belts, so potential for longer delivery times.


14. Continuously wound, reinforced V-Conform belts of different lengths can't be made as quickly as our PU O-rings. Instead, they require molds, so to make custom lengths, there will be a cost for each custom mold size and delivery will take about 6 weeks. If tests results are positive, we will make molds at our expense for common lengths and stock all common length belts.


15. Not green, neither biodegradable nor recyclable like PU belts.

Special thanks for excellent technical help, priceless knowledge and conveyor parts furnished by QCON-24

For the best in V-Conform Reinforced O-ring belts and Reinforced belts, insist on Dura-Belt.