Me and my friend are trying to make a mini-carwash for a project.
We need a small conveyor belt or a belt driven device to place a small die cast car on to use as our example car. We will be incorporating a PLC and sensors to run it. Hopefully we can get it to work so it can be controlled by automation, and by the pressing of buttons on the PLC. Everywhere I look for conveyor belts comes back with factory size or small store conveyors. We need alot smaller. Also we were thinking of using a Vacuum belt to drive something, if it would work. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
Mike

 

Mike what about belts that are used in VCR's and other such equipment.

Geoff.

 

Belts of that kind would work well, we are still in the developing stage. We would need some kind of rollers to hook up to driven by a motor, but we need the rubber mat or something to set the car on. We have fairly good skill, and hopefully not getting over our head. We are trying to make it fairly simple. Thanks alot there Geoff

 

I see no reason why a vacumn cleaner belt should not work, though I am not sure what you are trying to do.

 

How about the track off of a toy bulldozer..

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gerty

 

Perhaps if you mentioned what size belt you were looking for you'd get more specific answers.
I have no idea how big your toy car is - they come in a lot of sizes - but if its not a big one you could try the wide (toothed) belts that are used in cars for timing or the internal ribbed flat belts as used to drive the ancilliary systems of a car engine.
Have a look at the wreckers first to see if they are suitable. I know the toothed belts come quite wide but might be pricey.
Klaus

 

Yeah, a size would be very helpful. Basically just the width of the car. Well, and the length the belt needs to be will help too.

Also, do you know what you're going to do about how water is going to spray on the car? Because I have an idea for that if you want to hear it. :wink:

Rain

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When life gives you lemons... make a battery.

 

Thanks alot guys for the suggestions. It i going to be a small matchbox size car. Some of the belt ideas were great, we are going to try them. There will be no water sprayed on them, just simulated. We are building it out of plexy glass encasing. Have the belt running down the middle, with the car glued in place. It will have 3 stages, first stage will be the brushes that spin, 2nd stage will just be an LED to simulate waxing, and the 3rd stage is a small PC fan is going to be mounted to simulate drying. At each stage sensors are going to be placed to turn on/off different things.
Thanks again

 

I've seen some fairly small, lightweight timing belts available from various suppliers - similar to those you might find on a vacuum cleaner. Also consider a narrow slice of a belt from a belt sander - with fine grit it should appear to be a conveyor belt. Those might be just the right length for your project. A cross section from a large inner tube could be carefully trimmed. I also saw in a woodworking supply catalog, large rubber bands.

Sounds like fun - good luck.

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stevez