Full definition
Woven textile material wrapping the entire outer cross-section of a wrapped V-belt, serving as a protective jacket against abrasion, oil, heat, and environmental damage. Typical materials: cotton, polyester, or cotton-polyester blend, bias-cut (diagonal weave) and impregnated with rubber compound for adhesion and flexibility. The fabric protects the underlying rubber body but also creates a barrier between the rubber and the pulley groove, resulting in 5-15% lower friction coefficient compared to raw-edge (uncovered) belts. This reduced grip means lower power capacity per belt. For antistatic belts (required in explosive atmospheres per ATEX/IEC 60079-0), conductive carbon fibers are woven into the fabric to limit surface resistivity to <10^6 ohms. In raw-edge belts, the sidewalls are ground smooth without fabric, maximizing grip.