Overview
ISO 284:2012 - "Conveyor belts - Electrical conductivity - Specification and test method" defines a standardized test and maximum electrical resistance for conveyor belts to ensure they are sufficiently conductive to prevent accumulation of static charge during service. The standard sets the acceptance limit (300 MΩ / 3 × 10^8 Ω) and prescribes specimen preparation, conditioning, test equipment and procedure to measure electrical resistance of belt covers.
Key Topics
- Scope and purpose
- Limits electrical resistance to avoid hazardous or disruptive electrostatic charge build-up on conveyor belts.
- Not applicable to light conveyor belts (see ISO 21183-1 and ISO 21178).
- Specification
- Maximum electrical resistance: 3 × 10^8 Ω (300 MΩ) unless a lower value is specified for special applications.
- Test specimen and conditioning
- Test piece cut from full belt thickness; minimum side length 300 mm.
- Condition specimens for at least 2 hours in a standard laboratory atmosphere per ISO 18573 (preferred: 23 °C ±2 °C, 50 % ±5 % RH).
- Apparatus and materials
- Two coaxial brass electrodes (one circular, one annular), polished and weighted as specified.
- Contact agent to ensure good electrode contact; example formulation includes anhydrous polyethylene glycol, water, potassium chloride and a small amount of soft soap (composition provided in the standard).
- DC source adjustable up to 1 000 V, with current limited to ≤ 10 mA and test-piece energy dissipation ≤ 1 W.
- Ohmmeter (resistance-measuring instrument) with appropriate range and ±5 % accuracy.
- Procedure and reporting
- Apply contact agent pattern, place electrodes, apply voltage for at least 1 minute, measure resistance on both belt surfaces.
- Test report must record belt designation, conditioning, atmosphere, contact agent, applied voltage, test results and any deviations.
Applications
ISO 284:2012 is used by:
- Conveyor belt manufacturers for product specification and quality control.
- Independent testing laboratories and material test engineers for compliance verification.
- Purchasing/specification engineers in bulk-handling industries (mining, ports, aggregate and material handling) where static charge could affect safety, product handling or process continuity.
- Maintenance and safety teams assessing antistatic performance during replacement or retrofit.
The standard supports safe, reliable conveyor operation by ensuring belt electrical conductivity is controlled and verifiable.
Related Standards
- ISO 18573 - Conveyor belts: test atmospheres and conditioning periods (referenced for conditioning).
- ISO 21183-1 / ISO 21178 - Light conveyor belts and their static electrical property test methods (ISO 284 is not applicable to light belts).
- ISO 282 - Conveyor belts - Sampling
- IEC 60250 - Permittivity/dielectric dissipation (background on electrostatic behavior)
Keywords: ISO 284:2012, conveyor belts, electrical conductivity, electrical resistance, antistatic conveyor belts, conveyor belt testing, static charge test method.