Structural Analysis and Mechanical Performance of Industrial Conveyor Flight Bars Manufactured with Epoxy Matrix Composites Reinforced by Glass, Carbon, and Kevlar Fibers

Industrial conveyor systems commonly use steel flight bars, which can account for nearly 50% of the total system mass and significantly affect energy consumption. This study investigates epoxy matrix composites reinforced with glass, carbon, and Kevlar fibers as lightweight alternatives to steel flight bars. A multiscale analytical approach combining micromechanics, Classical Laminate Theory (CLT), and ply-level failure criteria is applied to evaluate the structural response under an industrial bending moment of 342.02 N·m. Tensile tests on vacuum-infused woven glass/epoxy laminates are used to validate micromechanical assumptions and calibrate elastic properties. Ply-wise analysis shows that carbon/epoxy laminates exhibit the lowest longitudinal stresses (≈43 MPa), followed by Kevlar/epoxy (≈53 MPa) and glass/epoxy (≈95 MPa), all well below their respective strength limits. Replacing steel flight bars (4.64 t) with composite alternatives reduces the moving mass to 0.68-0.82 t, corresponding to an 82-85% reduction. This mass reduction significantly lowers the required mechanical power, resulting in an estimated annual energy saving of R$ 8812.80 under continuous operation. Overall, the results demonstrate that polymer-matrix composite flight bars are structurally safe and energetically advantageous, with carbon/epoxy providing the highest mechanical efficiency.