New Products: Next-gen R-Flex patches heavyweight conveyor belts

DANVERS, Mass.—ITW Polymers Adhesives North America recently introduced its Devcon R-Flex belt repair kit, designed to quickly and effectively repair gouges, tears, holes and damaged cold vulcanized splices in styrene-butadiene rubber heavyweight conveyor belts.

According to the firm, the new R-Flex resin is a hybrid polymer that self-levels in three minutes and cures quickly, allowing repaired belts to be returned to service within just 90 minutes of application. It also provides long-term adhesion and abrasion resistance, while offering greater flexibility, greater resistance to crack propagation and a longer open time in hot climates than the original R-Flex.

Each repair kit, available in 1.5- and 4-pound sizes, contains an R-Flex resin and curing agent, two-part surface conditioner, mix bucket, wooden paddle, scrub pad, gloves, paper towels and a plastic spatula. ITW noted that the working time for the application is 7-9 minutes (even at temperatures above 75°F), and the functional cure is 1.5 hours.

The 4-pound R-Flex kit, ITW claims, can cover up to 440 square inches at a thickness of ¼ inch.

ITW Polymers Adhesives North America's engineered compounds are used for wear and tear of surfaces throughout heavy industries such as mining, coal and aggregates preparation, power generation, chemical processing, water/wastewater treatment, and others. Additional information about R-Flex is available at devcon.com or by contacting David Bongiorni at [email protected].

The New Products blog showcases innovations suppliers are introducing to the rubber industry. It focuses on new materials, machinery, molds, testing equipment, software, and other goods and services that are intended to help manufacturers of finished rubber products. The blog will appear on Tuesdays and Thursdays. To have your product considered for the blog, contact Online Content Editor Erin Pustay Beaven at [email protected] or Editor Bruce Meyer at [email protected].