Cleated Conveyor Belts: Types, Applications and Customization Guide
What Is a Cleated Conveyor Belt?
A cleated conveyor belt is a conveyor belt equipped with raised profiles, also known as cleats, on its conveying surface. These profiles help prevent products from sliding backward, particularly when materials are transported on inclined conveyors.
Cleated belts are widely used in packaging, food processing, agriculture, recycling, manufacturing and material handling applications.
Unlike conventional flat conveyor belts, cleated conveyor belts can be customized with different cleat heights, shapes and spacing to accommodate specific products and conveyor configurations.
1. Why Use a Cleated Conveyor Belt?
When products are transported upward on an inclined conveyor, gravity can cause them to slip or roll backward.
Cleats provide mechanical support to help keep the conveyed materials in position.
The main advantages include:
Improved inclined conveying: Helps prevent materials from sliding backward.
Controlled product spacing: Cleats can separate products into individual conveying sections.
Better material handling: Suitable for loose materials, small components and packaged products.
Customizable design: Cleat dimensions and spacing can be adapted to the conveyor system.
However, the maximum usable incline depends on the conveyed material, cleat design, belt speed and operating conditions. Cleats alone do not guarantee a particular incline angle.
2. PVC vs PU Cleated Conveyor Belts
PVC and PU are two common materials used for cleated conveyor belts.
PVC Cleated Conveyor Belts
PVC conveyor belts are frequently used in general industrial conveying applications.
Typical applications include packaging lines, warehouses, agricultural processing and material handling equipment.
PVC belts can be manufactured with different surface textures and thicknesses depending on the required grip, flexibility and mechanical strength.
PU Cleated Conveyor Belts
PU conveyor belts are commonly selected for applications requiring good wear resistance, flexibility and suitable food-contact properties.
They are frequently used in food processing, packaging and precision conveying systems.
For food applications, the actual belt and cleat materials should be verified against the applicable food-contact requirements rather than assuming every PU belt is food-grade.
Material Comparison
The final material selection should consider the product being conveyed, operating temperature, cleaning requirements and conveyor design.
3. Common Cleat Heights and Profiles
Cleats can be manufactured in different dimensions depending on the size and behavior of the conveyed material.
Commonly requested cleat heights include:
10 mm, 20 mm, 30 mm, 40 mm, 50 mm and taller profiles up to approximately 120 mm, depending on material and fabrication feasibility.
Typical designs include:
Straight cleats: Used for separating products and supporting materials during inclined conveying.
Angled cleats: Used where material flow or discharge behavior requires a different profile orientation.
Custom profiles: Designed around the equipment's available clearance and product dimensions.
The distance between adjacent cleats, often called the cleat pitch, is another important parameter.
For example, a belt carrying individual packaged products may require a different cleat pitch from one transporting loose agricultural materials.
4. Sidewalls and Tracking Guides
Cleated conveyor belts can also be combined with other fabricated features.
Sidewalls
Sidewalls are raised profiles installed along the belt edges. They help reduce material spillage during conveying.
They are particularly useful when handling loose products or materials that may move sideways.
Tracking Guides
Tracking guides, often called V-guides, are fitted to the underside of the belt to work with corresponding grooves in the conveyor pulleys or bed.
They can assist with belt tracking when the conveyor system is designed to accommodate them.
Tracking guides must be selected according to the equipment geometry. Adding a guide without a matching conveyor design can cause operational problems.
5. Important Specifications for Custom Cleated Belts
Before ordering a replacement or custom-made cleated conveyor belt, confirm the following details:
For replacement belts, photographs and dimensional drawings of the existing conveyor can help reduce measurement errors.
6. How to Choose the Right Cleated Conveyor Belt
Choosing a suitable cleated belt involves more than selecting the belt material.
First, identify the product being transported. Its size, weight, shape and surface characteristics will affect the required cleat design.
Second, confirm the conveyor's inclination angle, operating speed and pulley dimensions.
Third, determine whether sidewalls or tracking guides are necessary.
Finally, verify the required belt length, width, thickness and endless joint configuration.
For complex applications, testing the proposed design under actual operating conditions is recommended.
7. Custom Cleated Conveyor Belts from Machine Belts Direct
At Machine Belts Direct, we provide customized PVC and PU conveyor belt solutions for different industrial conveying applications.
Available fabrication options include:
Custom belt widths and lengths
Different cleat heights and spacing
PVC and PU cleat profiles
Sidewall fabrication
Tracking guide installation
Endless belt joining
Application-specific belt construction
Whether you need a replacement cleated conveyor belt or a new belt for an inclined conveyor system, providing detailed dimensions and application information will help us recommend a suitable configuration.
Looking for a custom cleated conveyor belt?
Visit Machine Belts Direct to explore our conveyor belt solutions and request a quotation.
You can also send us your existing belt photographs, drawings or technical specifications for evaluation.