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Flat-Flex® belts, also known in the industry as a Rod Network belt, have over 85 years of trusted performance in the industry. With up to 86% open surface area, Flat-Flex® belts promote maximum flow through and are the proven solution for major processors. Flat-Flex® USDA approved design and clean in place capability make it even easier to keep your line hygienic, and with many wire diameters and pitches to choose from, you’ll be able to find the right belt for your product.
The unique features of Flat-Flex® conveyor belts offer numerous benefits that increase productivity, help contain costs and improve your overall product quality, including:
Whatever your needs, Wire Belt Company’s Technical Sales Engineers will work with you to determine the best Flat-Flex® belt configuration to accommodate your product, process, application and maintenance requirements.
If you require a unique belt or conveyor to deliver the best conveyor performance, we will not hesitate to design and deliver a totally customised solution for your application. Our aim is your complete satisfaction with the performance of our products. We are confident we can provide the right belt, sprockets and other components you need.
Flat-Flex® is available in a wide range of wire diameters & pitches. The following table gives a broad indication of availability:
Note: Due to pitch to wire dia. combination ratios not all pitches are available in the corresponding wire diameters stated.
The below data is an extract from our full range of Flat-Flex® belting.
Wire Belt Company produces in excess of 100 pitch & wire diameter specifications. If you do not locate your specification in the table above then please consult with Customer Services.
Available in widths ranging from 28mm to 4,500mm
*Check with our Technical Sales Engineers if the belt requires a smaller reverse bend diameter.
Flat-Flex® belts are available in a wide variety of materials; the standard is 1.4310 (302) stainless steel. Other materials available include: 1.4401 (316) stainless steel, various carbon steels, and specialist materials suitable for high temperature applications. Flat-Flex® can be supplied with a PTFE-coating for applications requiring a non-stick surface. High friction finishes are also available.
C-CureEdge™ Single Loop Edge technology eliminates the possibility of the belt edge catching and tangling. They are an available option for a selected range of Flat-Flex® belts. See above for availability listing. Click here to view further details.
Double Loop Edges (also referred to as “Gear Wheel Edge”) can also be supplied to suit existing enrober belts.
Single Loop Edges are the most common belt edge finish and are a default standard for 1.27mm wire diameters and above.
When choosing the most appropriate drive component material for your application, it is important to look at the conditions under which the belt will operate. Conditions such as abrasion, corrosion, high/low temperature variations, surrounding temperature, type of process performed, etc. all have an impact on selection.
Wire Belt Company offer a comprehensive range of standard sprockets, blanks & transfer rollers and can also manufacture to order drive components for new or replacement applications to suit any specified Flat-Flex® belt.
View our list of standard metric sprockets
View our list of standard imperial sprockets
Please contact Wire Belt Technical Sales Engineers for information of non standard sprockets.
Available material types include:
Type 1.4305 (303) stainless steel – which is highly recommended for all applications, especially in food processing industries as it is FDA approved for direct contact with food.
POM (PolyOxyMethylene) plastic, otherwise known as Acetal – usually preferred for light loads, where the operating temperature range is limited to between -20°C to +80°C, and is also FDA approved for food processing applications.
PEEK (PolyEtherEther-Ketone) a high performance engineering thermoplastic that can operate at high temperatures and is less abrasive on your stainless steel belts than metal drive components. PEEK can be used continuously to 250°C and in hot water or steam without permanent loss in physical properties.
A global leader in food processing solutions, specialising in advanced equipment, systems, and services for the poultry, meat, and fish industries, approached Wire Belt Company to address a critical challenge: extending the operational lifespan of conveyor belts in one of their flagship machines. Responding to industry demands for increased efficiency and reduced downtime, this collaboration aimed to deliver a transformative solution.
Wire Belt, renowned as a leader in hygienic conveyors and metal conveyor belts, has built a strong and trusted partnership with the customer through years of successful collaboration. This established relationship has allowed Wire Belt to gain a deep understanding of the customer’s technical requirements, industry-specific challenges, and expectations for both performance and cost-effectiveness.
The project centred on enhancing a heavy-duty coating conveyor used in the poultry, fish, and meat industries. These industries face the dual demands of delivering high-quality finished products while maximising throughput and minimising downtime.
The specific objectives were:
The solution needed to strike a balance between durability and maintaining the conveyor’s original functionality.
Wire Belt adopted a highly collaborative approach, working closely with the customer’s design team. Multiple virtual meetings fostered an open exchange of technical drawings, data, and ideas to develop a robust and practical solution.
Key elements of the solution included:
The proposed enhancements were rigorously tested, first on a customer test rig and subsequently on the actual coating conveyor. The results exceeded expectations:
Wire Belt’s century-long expertise in the food processing industry continues to drive innovation that addresses the sector’s unique challenges. By leveraging advanced technical support and added-value solutions such as the EZ-Splice Joining Strand, Wire Belt delivers tangible benefits to OEMs and end-users alike.
This collaborative project is a testament to Wire Belt’s commitment to keeping production lines running efficiently, balancing durability, quality, and cost-effectiveness to meet the evolving needs of the food processing industry.
Flat-Flex Conveyor Belt Flat-Flex Wire Conveyor Belts | Rod Network Belt
Drive Components Conveyor Belt Drive Components | Sprockets | Wire Belt UK
EZ Splice Joining Strand EZ Splice™ Joining Strand | Pre-Formed Belt | Wire Belt UK
The company is a manufacturer of foam insulation slabs used for sound dampening near industrial equipment. They were looking to overhaul their production line with Flat-Flex® Conveyor Belting for use with waterjet cutting.
Previous manufacturing methods will have been using a mechanical process, cutting slabs with a more typical sawing process. The company was moving forward with a new, more efficient method of cutting using water jets; however, this process can potentially be damaging to the belt/surface used to transport the product.
Flat-Flex® Conveyor Belting was an ideal way forward, due to its open area and wide specification range. The large number of options available for pitch/wire diameter combination allows for the optimal selection for product support, while also allowing the system to effectively drain away water. This open area also benefits the system as it reduces and possibility of the water jet cutting system damaging the belt.
Flat-Flex® Conveyor Belting is used to conveyor the product during and after the cutting process, due to its superior open area and strength to weight ratio, when comparing to typical fabric, polymer or plastic modular conveyor belts.
Flat-Flex® belting is widely used in the chocolate manufacturing industry for the chocolate coating (or enrobing) of products for either full or half coat operations. When enrobing, the open design of Flat-Flex® enables the surplus chocolate to pass through the belting to be pumped back through a filter system for re-circulation. The shallow profile of the belt also allows for a bottom coat to be applied to product by the use of a “licking” roller underneath the belt.
Pralines, bars and biscuits requiring a topping of chopped nuts, coconut flakes or rice crispies can be sprinkled after a pre-coater or the main chocolate enrober. Flat-Flex® belting allows the surplus nuts, etc. to drop through the belting to be collected in a hopper situated under the belting and, if required, returned to the sprinkler unit.
Wire Belt Company has manufactured Flat-Flex® belting for a number of customers whose equipment carries products over distances in excess of 35 metres. Some bakery plants have 3.5 metre wide Flat-Flex® belting handling specialist roll products and indeed the company supplies one of the foremost chocolate enrober equipment manufacturers with a 1830mm wide enrober band for what is probably the world’s largest chocolate enrober.
Flat-Flex® belting can also be produced as a Specialty Belt. When you have a complex product or process that requires special handling such as moving product up steep inclines or down declines, maintaining product separation or keeping product aligned in rows Wire Belt has the answer.
Specialty Belts are custom-designed and manufactured to your exact specifications by our team of experienced engineers. You will have the confidence that you are working with the leading company that has been engineering and manufacturing these types of belt for over 70 years.
A Flat‑Flex® conveyor belt is a lightweight, open‑mesh stainless steel belt designed for maximum airflow, efficient and smooth product transfer. Known for its flexibility and reliability, it is commonly used in food processing for, baking, cooling, coating, freezing and cleaning applications.
Flat‑Flex® is commonly used in:
Its open design and hygiene performance make it especially suited to food safety‑critical environments.
Flat‑Flex® belts provide:
These benefits make it one of the most cost‑effective stainless steel conveyor belts available.
Wire Belt produces more than 100 pitch and wire diameter specifications and is available in a available in a wide range of wire diameters & pitches combinations.
The following table gives a broad indication of availability:
Yes. Flat‑Flex® belts are designed with hygiene in mind. Their open design reduces debris accumulation, speeds up cleaning cycles, and supports compliance with strict food safety standards, including HACCP programmes.
Flat‑Flex® belts are typically manufactured from:
All materials are high‑quality and selected for strength, durability, and suitability for food environments.
To choose the correct belt, consider:
Our team can help specify a belt tailored to your application.
Flat‑Flex® belts are quick to install using:
Correct alignment, tensioning, and tracking will extend belt life and optimise performance.
Lifespan depends on many factors, including product load, temperature, tensioning, design, cleaning practices or the specific application it is being used for. With correct installation and maintenance, Flat‑Flex® belts are known for exceptional durability and reliability over long production cycles.
Most belts, if they do fail during use in a production environment, fail because of factors not related to strength, belt life or robustness of the belt. They usually fail for one or more of the reasons we have outlined in our 12 potential causes of downtime related to conveyor belting.
If you’re experiencing problems with your metal conveyor belting and are struggling with any of the issues listed our technical sales team will be happy to help you find a solution call on +44 (0) 1795 421771 or email sales@wirebelt.co.uk.
Yes. Stainless steel makes Flat‑Flex® suitable for high‑temperature applications such as:
Temperature limits vary by material grade and wire diameter. Our standard 1.4310 (302) stainless steel can accommodate temperatures up to 370°C.
Very. The open mesh design features of Flat-Flex help to eliminate hard to reach places where biofilms form and allows thorough cleaning from all angles, reducing cleaning times and improving sanitation effectiveness. This contributes to lower water usage and better hygiene control. Flat-Flex is USDA accepted meeting cleanability standards required for use in food processing applications.
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