Engineering · 9 min read
No Old Belt to Copy: How Do You Get an Eye Link Belt Made From Your Requirements?
Written bySpringSales Director, JBL Mesh Belt · 16 years in metal conveyor beltsProjects in United Kingdom · USA · Australia · Brazil · South Korea · Spain · MalaysiaPublished 
Your line is new, or the old belt is gone. There is nothing to measure. Yet the belt must carry your product and run on your drive.
Short answer
Turn your requirements into a dimensioned drawing, approve it, then check a physical sample on your own line before bulk. That is how a shrimp processor in Spain got eye link belts for an IQF tunnel line with no old belt to copy.
At a Glance
| Step | You give | You get |
|---|---|---|
| 1 · Requirements | Product, line sections, drive, conditions | A list of anything missing |
| 2 · Drawing | Answers, then your approval | Dimensioned drawing: links, rod, wire, edge |
| 3 · Sample | A check on your own line | A sample made and measured to the drawing |
| 4 · Bulk | Approval of the sample | Belt measured against the drawing before packing |
| 5 · Shipment | — | Readings and photos before the crate is closed |
In Spain the line had glazing, hardening and freezing sections. Below is how each step worked, with the real readings, and how the same drawing route worked for a spiral belt in Malaysia.
01What do you need to tell your supplier when there is no old belt?
Without a belt to measure, your answers are the specification.
Short answer
Tell your supplier the product, each line section, the drive type and the conditions. In Spain that meant shrimp; glazing, hardening and IQF freezing; small product on an open eye link mesh; and a chain-type edge drive.
| Requirement | Why it matters | Spain example |
|---|---|---|
| Product | Sets mesh opening and support | Shrimp |
| Line sections | Each section can need a different belt | Glazing, hardening and freezing in an IQF tunnel |
| Drive | Sets the edge design | Chain-type edge drive |
| Material and finish | Food contact and cleaning | SUS304, pickled |
| Conditions | Wet and frozen zones | Glazing and IQF freezing |
The customer explained the line after our first meeting. Nothing existed to measure, so the belt had to be designed first.
Before drawing anything, I send back a list of what is still missing. One missing answer at this stage saves a remade sample later.
02What should the approval drawing show?
The drawing is the agreement for the belt. If it is not on the drawing, it is not agreed.
Short answer
The drawing should show belt width, link pitch, rod and wire diameters, each flat link with its width and thickness, the edge and drive detail, material and finish. You approve it before anything is made.
| Belt | Drawn values |
|---|---|
| Glazing belt | Rod 6 mm · wire 2 mm · roller-chain edge, 50 mm pitch · 2 mm plates · 10 mm rollers · joggled flat links |
| Hardening belt | 50 mm pitch · rod Ø5 mm · wire Ø2.5 mm · reinforcing bars |
| Both | SUS304 · washer-welded · pickled |
The joggled flat link lets the edge run like a chain. It is a small detail on paper and a large one on the line, so it was drawn and dimensioned like every other link.
| Drawing item | Question it answers |
|---|---|
| Link pitch | Does it match the sprockets and the product size? |
| Rod and wire diameters | Is the mesh strong enough for the load? |
| Flat link width and thickness | Does the edge carry the drive load? |
| Edge type | Roller chain or reinforced plate — which drive? |
| Material and finish | Is it right for food contact and cleaning? |
For spiral belts I use a separate list: what a spiral belt approval drawing should include.
03Why check a sample on your own line?
A drawing can be right and still miss something about your line.
Short answer
A physical sample, measured to the drawing and sent to you, lets you check fit, edge drive and product support on your own line. In Spain, bulk production started only after the customer confirmed the sample.
| Dimension | Drawing | Sample reading |
|---|---|---|
| Link pitch | 50 mm | 50.01 mm |
| Flat link width | 12 mm | 12.02 / 12.07 mm |
| Flat link thickness | 2.5 mm | 2.50 / 2.52 mm |
| Wire | Ø2.5 mm | 2.50 / 2.51 mm |
Two readings: two links for width and thickness, two points for wire. Spain, 2026.
Details that are easy to forget were measured on the sample too: eye spacing at 10.50 mm and a link detail at 8.04 mm.
04How is the bulk belt checked against the drawing?
The bulk belt gets the same checks as the sample, plus the drive parts.
Short answer
Before packing, the bulk belt was measured against the drawing: chain pitch, rollers, chain plates, rod and wire. On the roller-chain edge, rollers read 10.02 and 10.03 mm and chain plates 2.05 and 2.06 mm.
| Part | Drawing | Bulk reading |
|---|---|---|
| Roller | 10 mm | 10.02 / 10.03 mm |
| Chain plate thickness | 2 mm | 2.05 / 2.06 mm |
| Chain plate height | — | 12.06 mm |
| Rod | 6 mm | 6.02 mm |
| Wire | 2 mm | 2.01 mm |
| Roller and chain width | — | 15.44 mm |
| Edge detail | — | 12.00 mm |
On a chain-driven edge, the chain parts matter as much as the mesh. Rough or burred rollers wear guides and make noise at speed. Our standard check is each roller by hand, for a smooth surface and free turning.
Watch an eye link belt sprocket fit check on our video page.
05Does the drawing route work for other belt types?
Yes. The steps are the same whenever a drawing, not an old belt, is the reference.
Short answer
Yes. In Malaysia the customer supplied a drawing for a spiral belt. A trial run was measured and photographed for approval, samples were sent, and bulk followed. Trial run readings: pitch 27.40 mm, rod pitch 19.05 mm, link 2.72 mm.
| Step | Spain, eye link belt | Malaysia, spiral belt |
|---|---|---|
| Starting point | Requirements only | Customer's drawing |
| Drawing | Made and approved | Supplied by the customer |
| Before bulk | Sample checked on the line | Trial run photos approved; samples sent |
| Extra work | Chain parts measured as closely as the mesh | Welds ground a second time; full-circle turn test |
| Result | Approved; bulk produced and shipped | Bulk installed in place of the original |
Start with our eye link belt page or the IQF tunnel freezer belt guide.
When This Is Not the Right Choice
- ✕If you need the belt within days, the drawing and sample steps may not fit — tell me, and we agree which checks to keep.
- ✕If you still have an old belt, even a worn one, send a section; copying a real belt is usually faster than designing from requirements.
- ✕An open eye link mesh may not suit very small or soft product; tell me the product first.
From My Engineering Experience
With no old belt, the risk moves from copying to understanding. At the start I spend more time on questions than on the caliper.
In Spain the customer approved the drawings, then still checked a sample on the line. I welcome that. A sample is much cheaper to change than a full belt.
Once the sample is approved, the job is like any replacement: measure the bulk belt against the drawing, and show the readings before packing.
— Spring, Sales Director, JBL Mesh Belt
Evidence From Our Work
Spain, 2026 — eye link belts for a shrimp IQF tunnel line →
| Step | Detail |
|---|---|
| Starting point | Requirements — no sample, no drawing |
| Before bulk | Drawings approved; sample checked on the line |
| Sample | Pitch 50.01 mm; flat link 12.02 × 2.50 mm |
| Bulk | Rod 6.02 mm; rollers 10.02 mm; chain plates 2.06 mm |
Malaysia, 2026 — spiral belt from the customer's drawing →
| Step | Detail |
|---|---|
| Starting point | Customer's drawing |
| Before bulk | Trial run photos approved; samples sent |
| Trial run readings | Pitch 27.40 · rod pitch 19.05 · link 2.72 mm |
| Result | Bulk installed in place of the original |
FAQ
Q1Can you make an eye link belt without a sample?
Yes. We turn your requirements into a dimensioned drawing, you approve it, and a sample is checked before bulk.
Q2Who makes the drawing?
We draw it from your requirements and you approve it. If you already have a drawing, we work to yours.
Q3Which edge options are there for eye link belts?
A roller-chain edge for chain-and-sprocket drive at the sides, or a reinforced plate edge. Your drive decides it.
Q4Which material and finish did the Spain belts use?
SUS304, washer-welded and pickled. Material is confirmed on the drawing for your line.
Q5How do I know the bulk belt matches the drawing?
The bulk belt is measured against the drawing before packing, and you receive the readings and photos.
Conclusion
No old belt is not a dead end. Requirements, an approved drawing and a sample checked on your own line give you a belt you can trust before bulk.
Download the Eye Link Belt Technical Specification (PDF)
Specification ranges and options in mm and inch. Enter your work email and the file downloads right away.
References
Your contact for this belt
Spring · Sales Director, JBL Mesh Belt · 16 years
“Your belt is worn, the OEM price is high, and there is no drawing. That is where I start.”
Send me a worn section, a few photos with a caliper in the picture, or a drawing. I tell you what fits, what is missing, and show you a sample measured against your own belt before you pay for the full length. Buyers in the UK, the USA, Australia, Brazil, South Korea, Spain and Malaysia have replaced belts this way.
- ✓Readings on your original next to readings on our sample
- ✓Nothing in bulk until you approve the sample
- ✓Turning, stacking or sprocket tests before your belt ships
- ✓A reply from me, usually within 8 hours
