One of the basic tools in material handling industry, belt conveyors are most commonly used in transportation of bulk materials (grain, salt, coal, ore, sand, etc.).
Belt conveyor systems consist of two or more pulleys (a.k.a. drums). An endless loop of carrying medium "the conveyor belt" rotates about them. To move the belt and the material it carries forward, one or both pulleys are powered. The powered pulley is called drive pulley, the unpowered one is known as idler pulley. Belt conveyors in general material handling such as those moving boxes along inside a facility form a different class of belt conveyors from those that are used to transport large volumes of resources and agricultural materials.
Based on the proposed use, conveyor belts are manufactured using either PVC or rubber.