Tips to Make the Best Use of a Conveyor Belt
Conveyor belts are widely used to transport materials from one place to another quickly. They are even used in the self-regulation of different manufacturing procedures.
A conveyor belt is essential for a company to increase its production efficiently. Proper maintenance is, therefore, a significant need to ensure its high-performance evaluation. It requires regular examination and monitoring of motors, availability of critical parts, and adequate maintenance personnel training.
An accurate selection of a suitable conveyor belt is, therefore, essential.
Good care would increase the life of your conveyor system.
Also, it should be used wisely and accurately to use it most. Following are some tips to make the best use of a conveyor belt.
1) Select the right belt for application: There are many factors to consider while selecting the correct belt.
The choice of the right belt will lead to its precise usage and increase its life.
The following are some factors to be included:
a) Minimum pulley
b) Sort of product being conveyed
c) Temperature
d) Size of the load
e) Speed
The best way to get extended life out of your belt is to use the correct belt for a specific job. A particular belt should be selected, considering the nature of the work.
2) Correct tension to the belt should be applied: The primary reason for the inappropriate working of the belt is the over-tensioning of conveyor belts. It ruins bearings, shafts, and other parts of the conveyor.
The belts should be tensioned between 0.4% and 0.7% elongation. Providing more than that would lead to laps coming apart or lace pulling out precipitately.
If you experience any slippage on the belt, you may increase the wrap on your pulley. Do not keep putting more tension on the belt to make it turn, as this will cause more issues for your belt.
3) Make sure that the belt is tracked correctly: When you use a new conveyor belt, put it at the correct amount of tension, slowly run the belt, and make any adjustments for tracking in small steps.
If you run the belt at full speed or make larger changes, you can damage the belt even before it has carried your product.
4) Clean the conveyor belts properly: The belt should be washed down and cleaned on the bottom and topsides.
It is necessary to check if the belt is loosened for cleaning; it must be re-tensioned and tracked every time to run correctly.
If the cleaning process involves chemicals or cleaning solutions, ensure those chemicals are appropriate for your belt, as some belt compounds react poorly to certain chemicals or cleansers.
5) Store the conveyor belts accurately: It is common for companies to store extra conveyor belts in case of failures.
But storing these new belts properly and in good condition is crucial. The straps should be sealed in plastic bags, away from moisture, light, and contamination.
They should not be placed directly on floors subject to water absorption. Also, keep the spare parts in good condition for future use.
6) Ensure that the conveyor belts are in the right condition: Ensure the conveyor belt is in the correct state before use.
An inappropriate conveyor belt might lead to failures. If any replacement or repair is required, ensure it is done on time, as inapplicable conveyor belts may cause any risks and omissions.
