In the food processing industry, conveyor belt is not only the core component of material flow, but also the key to ensure food safety and production efficiency. In the face of a wide range of conveyor belt materials on the market, PU (polyurethane) and PVC (polyvinyl chloride) are undoubtedly the two mainstream choices. Although the appearance of the two is similar, the performance difference is significant. In this article, we will analyze the core differences between the two from the material characteristics, application scenarios, cost-effectiveness and other dimensions, to help you make a wise decision.
The Game of Safety and Performance
PU conveyor belts: the “gold standard” for food safety.
Food-grade certification: PU conveyor belts are made of polyurethane material, which meets the international food safety standards such as FDA, non-toxic and odorless, and can be directly contacted with food, especially suitable for bakery, confectionery, meat products and other highly hygienic scenarios.
Oil and Wear Resistant: PU material has excellent oil resistance, which can resist the erosion of grease, animal fat and mechanical oil, and at the same time, it has outstanding wear resistance, which is suitable for conveying bread, dough and other easily adhered materials.
Anti-cutting and anti-adhesion: high hardness (92 Shore hardness) and low coefficient of friction, so that it can withstand knife cutting and not easy to damage, and anti-adhesion performance is excellent, to avoid food residue.
Wide range of temperature resistance: the working temperature can reach -20℃ to 80℃, adapting to extreme environments such as cold storage and baking.
PVC conveyor belt: cost-effective choice, but need to be applied with caution
Economical and practical: PVC conveyor belt is made of polyester fiber cloth and covered with PVC adhesive layer, the cost is only 60%-70% of PU conveyor belt, which is suitable for enterprises with limited budget.
Acid and alkali resistance and light load: It has some resistance to weak acid and alkali environment and is suitable for light load transportation of fruits and vegetables, etc. However, it is poor in oil resistance, and the contact of oil and grease will easily lead to the expansion of the rubber layer and fall off.
Temperature limitation: the working temperature ranges from -10℃ to 80℃, and it is easy to become brittle and shorten service life under high temperature environment.
Food safety risk: some PVC conveyor belts may contain plasticizers, direct contact with food there are safety hazards, you need to choose food-grade PVC material certified by the FDA.