When it comes to material handling, the conveyor on which the materials are transported is almost as important as the materials themselves. These Conveyor belt can indeed make the manufacturing process quick and fast, but there are still some menaces that come with it. If under-maintained, a conveyor may experience rapid belt wear and part breakdown, resulting in stoppages and downtime.
A conveyor must be inspected and kept in good shape if it is to run for its full life expectancy. If it doesn’t function well, it will have untold consequences on the whole system. Entire operations may be thrown off schedule, resulting in a loss of both cash & efficiency.
That is why it is important to raise awareness about some of the most prevalent issues with conveyors and how problems can be overcome and prevented in the future.
->Belt Mistracking: Belt mistracking happens when the belt comes off the track of its intended direction. It is the most common malfunction on a conveyor system. This misalignment is a serious problem that can lead to significant issues, including belt damage, equipment damage, and material spillage. The main causes of mistracking include improper idler spacing, seized or worn rollers, a misaligned frame, material buildup on any part, excessive belt tension, and a worn or damaged belt. Thus, keeping your conveyor clean and conducting regular system audits can prevent it from causing more of an issue.
->Belt Slippage is another common fault. It occurs when the belt and the pulley do not have enough grip to turn the belt around the pulley properly and the belt slips on the conveyor pulleys, it mostly happens on the drive pulleys. If the friction between the roller and the conveyor belt is not adequate, the conveyor belt is vulnerable to slip. Once a slipping fault occurs, it can cause material spillage, feed-pipe blockage, and broken/damaged belts, which may cause the conveyor belt to fail to operate normally.
->Belt-slippage causes
- Overweight load
- Low-temperature
- Poorly installed lagging
- Worn head pulley
- Buildups
There are several ways to prevent slippage. Maintaining adequate belt tension, also by ensuring that the lagging is correctly installed.
->Carry back: Carryback is the fine product that gets stuck to the belt. It can get carried down the line and cause all sorts of issues. This leads to the accumulation of material under the conveyor system causing hang-up issues. Not only does carryback create a mess, but the build-up material allowed to degrade its components, causing excessive wear.
The simple solution is to install belt cleaners that prevent carryback. A clean belt will reduce premature roller failure, increase belt life, and keep the system running optimally.
The only thing you can do to discourage big incidents from happening is to be conscious and cautious. Visually inspect the entire conveyor and follow all maintenance instructions. For more information on our belt conveyors & support service contact us, We are leading Conveyor Belt Manufacturers in India. Continental Belting Pvt. Ltd is here to provide cost-effective solutions to prevent breakdowns.