Quick answer: a flat top chain conveyor is built from about ten part families: the chain plates, drive and idler wheels, wear strips under the chain, guide rails above it, finger transfer plates at each end, side guards, return wheels on the lower run, bearing bushings on the shafts, and the pins that hold the plates together. A rebuild quote is only complete when all of them are on it, and most are quoted from three numbers: chain series, plate width, and length.
Order the chain by three numbers, not by the old label
The plate itself is the part everyone remembers. Quote it by series, plate width, and total length in metres or in number of links. Do not quote it by the code stamped on the frame, because that is usually a machine builder's material number rather than a product code, and it does not decode outside their system.
Which chain type suits which job is a separate question, and the flat top chain guide already works through that comparison. What follows here is the ordering data for a chain you have already chosen.
| Chain | Plate widths | Plate load | Other data on file |
|---|---|---|---|
| 820 straight running | 82.6 / 114.3 / 152.4 mm | 4,300 N | Plate thickness 4.3 mm, overall height 13.8 mm |
| 880 side flexing | 82.6 / 114.3 / 152.4 mm | 4,420 N | Runs through curves as well as straights |
| 880HD heavy duty | 152.4 mm | 4,420 N | Heavy duty version of the side flexing plate |
| Raised deck (step top) | 63.5 / 114.3 mm | Ask | Straight running, stepped carrying surface |
| Miniature 40P / 50P / 60P | Per model | Ask | Small pitch plate for compact machine sections |
| Spiral chain plate | Per model | Ask | For helical and spiral towers |
All of these run in POM or PP. State which one is in the machine now, because POM and PP behave very differently against hot water and against caustic cleaning agents. The full range sits under flat top chains.
The parts around the chain
Below is the working list. The third column is the one that decides whether a quote is usable, so copy those items into the enquiry directly.
| Part | What it does | What to specify when ordering |
|---|---|---|
| Chain plates | Carries the product | Series, plate width, total length, POM or PP |
| Drive and idler wheels | Drive wheel pulls the chain, idler wheel returns it at the tail | Chain series, tooth count, bore type and size, drive or idler |
| Wear strips | Plastic strip the chain slides on, protects the steel frame | Chain plate width, strip profile, whether the section is straight or curved |
| Guide rails | Keeps product on the chain and off the frame edges | Rail height above the chain, bracket pitch, adjustable or fixed |
| Finger transfer plates | Bridges the gap at the end of a run so small items do not tip or fall | Series it must mate with, width, left or right hand if the run is offset |
| Side guards | Raised edge that stops product escaping sideways | Height 50 / 100 / 150 mm, series, one side or both, PP or PE |
| Return wheels | Supports the lower run so the chain does not sag and rub | Centre block or edge block, quantity, shaft size |
| Bearing bushings | Locates the drive wheel axially on the shaft | Round bore 25 / 30 / 40 mm or square bore 40 / 50 / 60 mm |
| Bushing inserts | Adapts a standard bore down to the shaft you actually have | Insert size 30 / 40 / 50 / 60 mm |
| Connecting pins | Joins plate to plate and takes the pull | Chain series and plate width, plus spares, always order extra |
What fails first, and in what order
Wear strips go first on nearly every line. They are meant to. The strip is the sacrificial part that keeps the chain off the steel frame, and it is cheap. When a line starts drawing more motor current for no obvious reason, check strip thickness before you look at the drive.
Pins are second. On a chain that has been running under a high pull, or through curves, the pin holes elongate before the carrying surface looks worn. That shows up as chain pitch creep, and the symptom is a chain that suddenly rides up on the drive wheel teeth. Measure across ten links and compare to a new piece.
Drive wheel teeth are third. Plastic teeth wear into a hooked shape and then they start climbing. A worn wheel will chew a brand new chain in weeks, for the same reason a worn sprocket rarely survives a belt change, so never fit new chain to old wheels. Replace them as a pair.
The carrying surface of the plate is usually last, which is why buyers who order only chain end up doing the job twice.
The two items that get forgotten
Finger transfer plates and return wheels are the parts left off most rebuild orders, and both cause complaints afterwards.
Skip the finger transfer plates and small or unstable products tip at every end transfer. On a line handling cans or small jars this is the difference between a clean handover and a jam every few minutes. They fit 900, 966, 4809 and 5997 style ends, so say which series the mating conveyor is.
Skip the return wheels and the lower run sags, drags on the frame, and puts a load on the drive that has nothing to do with the product. On long centres this is a real fraction of the total pull. Centre block and edge block versions exist for narrow and wide chains.
Wear strips and guide rails, in plain terms
These two are often confused in enquiries. The wear strip sits under the chain and carries it. The guide rail sits above and beside the chain and controls the product. They wear for different reasons and they are not the same part.
Specify the wear strip by chain plate width and by profile, because a straight section and a curved section take different profiles, and a curve a side flexing chain can run in needs strips on the inside and the outside of the arc. Specify the guide rail by height above the carrying surface and by bracket pitch along the frame. On a rebuild, photograph both before you strip the machine, since the shape is far easier to match from a photo than from a description.
What to send with the enquiry
- Chain series and plate width, plus total length per conveyor in metres.
- Photographs: one of the chain top surface, one of the underside, one of the drive wheel, one of the end transfer.
- Drive shaft form and size, square or round, so wheels and bushings can be matched.
- Whether the run is straight only or includes curves, and the radius if it curves.
- Product carried, line speed, working temperature, and the cleaning agent used.
- How many conveyors are in the rebuild, so consumables can be quoted in one batch.
Send the list and the photographs through the contact form or on WhatsApp. We will come back with the chain, the matching wheels, and the accessory items that belong on the same order.
