Plastics for Material Handling & Conveyor Systems
Precision in motion. We manufacture durable plastic components—from chute liners to star wheels—engineered for the speed and alignment your facility requires.
Our high-performance materials reduce friction and extend system life, providing the reliability you need for high-wear applications and rapid changeovers. Keep your lines moving faster, longer.
Why Choose Engineered Plastics for Material Handling & Conveyor Systems
Self-Lubrication
Many engineered plastics (like UHMW-PE or Moly-filled Nylon) are naturally slick. This eliminates the need for messy grease or oils, which is critical in food processing or cleanroom environments where contamination is a risk.
Low Coefficient of Friction
Lower friction means conveyor motors don’t have to work as hard to move the belt or chain. This leads to reduced energy consumption and less strain on the drive system.
Noise Reduction
Plastic components absorb vibration rather than amplifying it. In large distribution centers, replacing metal rollers or guides with plastic can drop ambient noise levels by several decibels, creating a safer and more comfortable work environment.
Corrosion & Chemical Resistance
Unlike steel, which can rust or pit when exposed to washdown chemicals, salts, or acids, plastics are chemically inert. They won’t oxidize, making them ideal for “wet” industries like beverage bottling or chemical processing.
Common Plastics Used in Material Handling &Conveyor Systems
UHMW is a highly durable and valuable material for material handling and conveying systems. It features a low coefficient of friction, excellent impact strength, and built-in lubrication. Virgin UHMW offers superior resistance to moisture and abrasion. This makes it ideal for components like conveyor systems, chute liners, valves, and wear parts, proving its worth across limitless applications in the field.
Common Applications:
- Wear Strips & Guide Rails: These are the long, often green or white strips that the conveyor belt or chain sits on. They protect the expensive metal frame from wearing out.
- Chute & Hopper Liners: Used where bulk materials (like grain, gravel, or coal) slide down.
- Chain Guides: Precision-cut tracks that keep metal or plastic chains aligned during high-speed movement.
- Star Wheels: Rotating gears that grab bottles or cans and move them into a filling station. UHMW is used here because it won't scratch the labels or the glass.
HDPE is a versatile and durable material ideal for material handling and conveying systems. It offers low moisture absorption, high tensile strength, excellent impact and chemical resistance, and won’t splinter, rot, or support mold growth. These features reduce maintenance needs and extend service life, even under harsh cleaning conditions. HDPE is commonly used in conveyor systems, bottling lines, and wear strips to ensure smooth, reliable movement of materials.
Common Applications:
- Large-Scale Storage and Transport: Due to its durability, HDPE is the standard material for manufacturing heavy-duty industrial pallets, stacking totes, and bulk containers.
- Fluid Handling Components: Its resistance to acids and solvents makes it ideal for drip trays, drainage systems, and protective covers in chemically active environments.
- Food Processing Guards: Because it is easy to sanitize and FDA-compliant, HDPE is often used for spacers and splash guards in food and beverage sorting lines.
Nylon is a key material in conveyor and material handling systems, used for components like gears, bearings, sheaves, and bushings. It is highly valued for its high load-bearing capacity, excellent wear resistance, and impact strength, making it ideal for the demanding, moving parts of heavy machinery.
Common Applications:
- Drive Gears and Sprockets: Its toughness allows it to absorb the shock of sudden starts and stops in motor-driven systems, reducing mechanical vibration.
- Bearings and Bushings: Many industrial grades are oil-filled, providing permanent internal lubrication that eliminates the need for manual maintenance and prevents metal-on-metal wear.
- Wear Pads: Large-scale pads are used in forklifts and telescopic booms to provide a smooth sliding surface that protects structural metal frames from abrasion.
Acetal (POM) is the premier choice for precision components requiring high mechanical strength and dimensional stability. Its natural lubricity and wear resistance make it ideal for gears, sprockets, and modular conveyor links that must operate smoothly without grease. Because it resists moisture and fatigue, Acetal ensures that star wheels, rollers, and timing screws maintain tight tolerances during high-speed bottling and packaging operations, even after frequent chemical wash-downs.
Common Applications:
- Precision Gears & Sprockets: Because of its high surface hardness and dimensional stability, Acetal is used for small, intricate gears that drive conveyor belts.
- Modular Plastic Belting: Many of the individual links in a plastic conveyor belt are made of Acetal because it can withstand constant pulling and bending without stretching or breaking.
- Star Wheels & Timing Screws: In high-speed bottling and packaging lines, Acetal is the preferred material for manufacturing star wheels and timing screws that pocket and transport containers. Its low-friction surface ensures smooth movement, preventing bottles from scuffing or falling over during rapid operations.
Precision Plastic Components for Material Handling/Conveyor System
Our engineers can recommend the optimal material for your specific application.