Drum Pulleys Information
Drum pulleys are power transmission components used in conveyor and bulk handling applications.
Features
There are five product categories:
- heavy duty
- mine duty
- quarry duty
- extreme duty
- engineered class
Heavy duty drum pulleys meet or exceed Conveyor Equipment Manufacturers Association (CEMA) standards for use with belts rated up to 750 pounds per inch of width (PIW). Mine duty drum pulleys were designed originally for underground coal mining, but are now used above ground. These power transmission components feature a versatile pulley design. Quarry duty drum pulleys are similar to mine duty products, but have thicker rims and an additional center disk. Extreme duty drum pulleys provide a longer, uninterrupted service life. Engineering class conveyor drum pulleys are also used to prevent downtime in critical applications.
Types
In addition to category, drum pulleys may be divided into four basic types:
- motorized
- idler
- spiral
- wing
Motorized drum pulleys, as their name suggests, are powered products. By contrast, idler drum pulleys are non-powered. Spiral pulleys have a spiral feature that comes in contact with a conveyor belt. They can be added to wing pulleys, devices that are used to drive or support a belt that has segments rather than a continuous surface upon which to ride. Spiral pulleys are designed to reduce the material buildup between the belt and the pulley face.
Specifications
Most drum pulleys are made of aluminum, rubber, steel, stainless steel, or composite materials. Product specifications include belt length or roller width, roller diameter, shaft diameter, and voltage (for powered devices). Features are also important to consider when selecting drum pulleys. Some products are belt-driven, grooved, magnetized, or self-cleaning. Others are tapered, coated, or plated. Drum pulleys with attached sprockets are also available. These devices allow the roller to be driven by a chain.
Applications
Belt-driven drum pulleys are equipped with grooved rollers and driven by round belts. Typically, these rollers are used within line shaft conveyor assemblies. Magnetized pulleys or magnetic pulleys are used to sort or separate ferrous and nonferrous metal as scrap material moves along a conveyor belt. Self-cleaning drum pulleys are designed to remove foreign matter that might damage the belt. Tapered drum pulleys allow pulley tightening with less displacement along the shaft. Coated drum pulleys and plated drum pulleys are also available.
Related Information
CR4 Community—Conveyor Belt Roller and Pulley Failures