Helpful Tips To Get The Most Out Of Your Conveyor Belt
To ensure a long life for your conveyor belting, proper care is necessary. One of the best things you can do for your conveyor belt is take proper care of it. This will ensure a long life for your belt, lessening down time and saving you money. Here are some simple tips for maintaining your conveyor belting.
Choose the correct belt for the application: There are many factors that go into choosing the correct conveyor belt for an application. Some of these factors include: The types of product being conveyed, temperature, load size, speed and pulley.
Apply the correct tension to the belt: The main reason for belt failure in the field is over-tensioning of conveyor belts. Over-tensioning of belts leads to laps coming apart or lace pulling out prematurely. It is also a way to ruin bearings, shafts and other parts of the conveyor. If slippage is occurring on the belt, increase the wrap on your pulley or check that your pulley is lagged. Do not keep putting more tension on the belt to make it turn, as this will cause more issues for your belt.
Make sure the conveyor belt is tracked correctly: When you put a new belt on a conveyor, chances are that the belt you are replacing was on that same conveyor for a long time. The old belt may have caused changes to that conveyor over time. Make adjustments to the conveyor to get it back to the original specifications before you put the new belt on. Then, after placing a new belt at the correct tension, slowly run the belt and make any adjustments for tracking in small steps.
Make sure the conveyor itself is in good condition: Before replacing a belt, the conveyor should be inspected carefully to make sure it is square and level. All pulleys should be brought back to square. If the conveyor has idler rollers, make sure they are all turning properly and are square to the frame.
Clean belts and the conveyor often and properly: The number one cause of belt failure is pollution. As product builds up on belts, pulleys and underneath belts, it starts to wear away at the life of a belt. Conveyors and pulleys should be washed down completely and the belt should be loosened and cleaned on both the bottom and top sides. It is important to note that if a belt is loosened for cleaning, it must be re-tensioned and tracked properly every time so that the belt runs correctly. Make sure the cleaning solution is approved for your conveyor belt.
These simple tips will, if followed, extend the life of your conveyor belt, leading to lower costs and less down time on your production line. If you need additional information about maintaining your conveyors, contact our team of experts today!