A conveyor chain serves a great purpose in the manufacturing business. The main function of this chain is to transport things on from one place to another, normally in a factory setting.
A lot of large factories use these chains to make the production process go by a little faster. Most of these factories are only paid for the amount of goods that they can complete, so you can only guess how important these chains are. A factory worker will simply need to set the item that they need transported to another workstation onto the belt, and it will guide itself to the next workstation.
The chains are primarily made from a source of blocks that many opt to have laminated. The chain is a long piece that has special pins and plates included on it to assist with the manufacturing deeds. The deeper the plates are set on the chain the heavier items the chain will be able to move from one area to another.
Most of the time, the chains are welded together, but it is not odd to run across chains that are not welded in some places. All chains need to contain a part that is referred to as a sprocket. This small part makes a large difference in the way that the chain operates.
The sprockets resemble teeth, and the chain fits in between these teeth. The sprockets is what allows the chain to move at the speed and precision that it does. Without this one crucial part, your belt may not be able to work in the way that you require it to.
There are two materials that your chain can be made from, either a source of plastic or stainless steel. Chains that are made from steel parts must be heated first in order to provide the resistance pull that is necessary for the manufacturing process.
The material that is used to make the conveyor chain is all based off of what the chain is going to be used to manufacture. Obviously, if the main purpose for the conveyor chain is to manufacture large or otherwise heavy items, then steel material would be more appropriate for this particular task.
In most cases the chain is covered with nickel so the chain doesn’t begin to rust or corrode overtime. You can opt to obtain a chain that comes with a source of lubricant or one that does not.
If you want lubrication on your chain or not, this is completely your call. However, many people have found that by including a source of lubrication on the outside of their conveyor chains makes the chains easier to work with and eliminate the chain locking or sticking in one place.
The main things that you should look into before deciding upon a particular conveyor chain is the type of material that you are wishing to transport on the chain as well as the size and the weight of the item that will be transported. You also need to take heed of the distance that the conveyor chain will be traveling and the speed of the chain.
For more information about Conveyor Chain, Used Conveyor Chain, or any other conveyor parts, please visit Wilkie Brother Conveyors.