4 Considerations When Choosing a Bakery Grade Conveyor Belt [Updated]

Getting the right belt for the right application is critical to producing high quality breads.

During the last ten years, consumers taste for baked bread has changed significantly. White bread consumption is being replaced by whole wheat, multigrain, and various specialty breads; and consumers want more variety in taste and texture, as well as health benefits. Now it takes a wider variety of bakery belts to handle this production process.

Compatibility with the environment and ingredients

Conveyor belts need to be compatible with both the environment and with the ingredients used when producing specialty breads. Factors such as heat, moisture, and dough consistency need to be considered when selecting the proper belt. Sparks stocks conveyor belts with various fabric construction to endure the environments required to produce quality breads.

Flexibility

When transferring the product between operations—whether it’s a dough dump, roll forming, or tight transfer of finished product—the belts ability to flex over a rolling nose bar or a knife edge transfer is a critical factor in the selection of the proper belt for the application. Our well-trained application specialist can recommend the belt with the right flexibility to perform on your conveyor design.

Release Characteristics and Feed Rates

The ability of a belt to grip the product and to also release the product at the proper time influences the feed rate or output volume when the proper fabric and compound are selected for each operation.