Everything You Need To Know About Conveyor Belts

If you are in the manufacturing or production business, there is one piece of equipment that matters the most and that’s a conveyor. Learn more about conveyor belts by this contributed article by Jeremy Axel.

Conveyor belts are the lifeline of any kind of conveying system. If you are not using belts that are working correctly, your system will cease to function. There are endless varieties of commercial conveyor belts on the market. One pivotal thing to remember is that conveyor belts are not designed to run indefinitely without maintenance or Conveyor belt replacement. They malfunction more often than one might think, and this might end up costing your company thousands of dollars in lost materials.

How Conveyor Belts work

The conveyor belt works through an alternating tiered mechanism. The upper pulley motor rotates as the belt is continuously driven forward. This system is connected to a lever that pushes the upper and lower motor into motion as the upper one pulls the lower one forward. The conveyor belt does not have to be moving very fast, but it does have to be going at a constant speed or it will stop being a continuous loop system and break down.

Conveyor belts are used in manufacturing, warehousing, and transportation. They are designed to move materials automatically from one point to another. However, issues can arise with different belt types. If left untreated, deterioration of your conveyor systems is inevitable and will result in the need for replacement belts.

Even the best conveyor belts eventually need replacement because of wear and tear or even need to be repaired. To avoid costly mistakes that could affect your business’ productivity, it is important to look into the right replacement belts for your system. If you are not aware of what are the most common issues with your conveyor belt, here are the four of the most important factors to check upon.

Common Conveyor Belt Issue #1: Material Spillage

Material spillage is an extremely common issue with conveyor belts. It can happen with any belt, but it most commonly occurs with the heaviest duty materials, like construction materials like stone and lumber, or with substances like liquid cement. Conveyors are made to transport these things, but they aren’t made perfectly. So when things go wrong, they end up spilling onto the floor, and that can be very dangerous.

Occasionally, bulk materials can spill out of the hopper, which can cause further damage to the conveyor system and decrease the efficiency of the entire plant. If you are using conveyor belts that are not made to prevent this kind of spillage, it may be time for your business to upgrade your systems.

Common Conveyor Belt Issue #2: Belt Slipping

Belt slipping refers to the belt moving out of place on the idlers. This is caused by either excess material on the belt causing the idlers to be overloaded, or the idler bearings being worn out. Excess material can cause a number of different issues with a conveyor system. The additional weight of the material must be supported by the motor and drive rollers, which can quickly overload these components and damage them beyond repair. Conveyor belts are not designed to deal with the excess load, and when additional weight is put on them, they can buckle or even snap.

A conveyor belt must run smoothly and steadily for as long as possible. Slipping problems can often be avoided with an understanding of the causes and frequency of this problem.

Common Conveyor Belt Issue #3: Loading Issues

Belt loading in a manufacturing setting is an issue that many people in this field have encountered. Common problems that come in because of inattention to belt loading include conveyor belt damage, material damage due to insufficient spacing, and assembly issues due to improper conveyance. Untrained employees are often the ones who either allow damage to occur or are the ones who are doing the majority of the damage themselves. The one-size-fits-all mentality is why so many accidents occur in the workplace when it comes to loading an industrial conveyor belt.

Common Conveyor Belt Issue #4: Loading Off-Center

In the industrial sector, materials are often transported from one location to the next along with a conveyor system. This conveyor system runs across a number of kilometres of distance and is used to transport goods between different workshops or factories. Oftentimes, bulk materials will be transported along these conveyors. After some time, the surface of the conveyor will begin to degrade and eventually fail. It is not uncommon for the issue to occur because of consistent wear and tear caused by improper loading techniques. Bulk materials such as coal, metal castings, grain, cement, and more can all cause wear and tear when they are improperly loaded onto a belt conveyor system.

Making sure equipment is operating at its optimal level is important for any industry. If your belts are not operating correctly, then you could be causing serious damage to your machinery. Bulk materials are being transported across long distances which means it’s very important that your operators are loading off-centre regularly. This will ensure that the conveyor belt is kept at peak efficiency.

Takeaway

Conveyor belts can be a part of a number of different applications. Everything from material handling, waste management, food processing and more – all rely on belts to be operating effectively. If your current conveyor belt becomes damaged for any reason then you will need to replace it. There are many factors that need to be considered when choosing a new replacement belt. If not, there is a risk of the belt being damaged further down the line. Conveyors need to be durable and robust because they feature moving parts. The conveyor belt replacement will often fulfil the same role but with an increased lifespan.

The Author

Jeremy Axel is the founder of Fluent Conveyors, they design and manufacture conveyors for Waste and recycling industries, Manufacturing, and Distribution centres across the United States. He is also known for building trusted relationships with conveyor dealers and reseller networks and developing advanced technological processes and tools that help them do their jobs more efficiently.