Automated Paperboard Feeder Belt for the Corrugated Box Industry

The high cost of OEM replacement timing belts for a paperboard handling machine was an issue for a corrugated box manufacturer. This issue prompted the manufacturer’s supplier, a distributor of equipment and replacement parts, to find a suitable aftermarket solution. We were looking for the same quality at a more affordable price, and so the supplier shipped us a sample part to reproduce.

We obtained the original geometry and surface characteristics after receiving the belt, and this information was used to create several prototypes. After a few trial runs, we were able to produce a cost-effective replacement belt with the same quality criteria as the original version.

We developed an efficient fabrication methodology to keep manufacturing costs as low as possible, while working on a relatively complex belt. This belt was constructed with a Neoprene base and a 1/8” thick gray, non-marking Neoprene cover; featured precision-ground teeth with slots machined into the cover. In addition, holes were built into the slots to allow for vacuum suction. Manufacturing this belt involved a series of processes and competencies using several different pieces of equipment such as routers, grinders, and perforators. We closely inspected all features of the finished belt-including tooth geometry and the dimension and spacing of the slots and holes-to ensure we maintained the required tight tolerance of ±.01”.

Currently in use in corrugated box equipment, our aftermarket 1200-8M-85 HTD timing belt performs equally as well, if not better, than the OEM belt. Our efficient production systems allowed Megadyne Belt Corporation of America to manufacture this belt at a significantly reduced cost, while sustaining the quality of the belt it replaced. With nine of these belts on each machine, our version offered measurable savings for the end user’s maintenance expenses.

To learn more about this project or our processes, contact us today.