7 Common conveyor belt issues
- Mistracking of Conveyor Belts
This problem occurs when there is a problem with the conveyor belt tracking. Tracking is the process of managing and aligning the belt onto the correct path, and it is critical to ensuring your system’s smooth operation and output. When something goes wrong along this track, this is referred to as “mistracking.” In most cases, this indicates that the belt has slipped to one side or the other, causing the entire system to become out of alignment.
Mistracking has a wide range of negative consequences. It has the potential to divert the entire system from its intended path. However, the consequences may be less severe. Mistracking may simply result in uneven belt wear, which can cause a slew of other issues in and of itself.
If the belt completely slips off the track, the entire system may begin to malfunction and shut down. It’s best to keep an eye out for minor signs of mistracking, even if they don’t appear to be causing significant harm. By detecting this issue early on, you can prevent it from worsening and becoming a larger problem.
Troubleshooting Conveyor Belt Tracking
When your belt begins to track from side to side and has frayed edges, you should conduct some conveyor belt alignment troubleshooting. Conveyor tracking issues can arise from a variety of sources within your system. If your belt begins to mistrack, consider the following potential issues:
Conveyor frame: A crooked or slanted conveyor frame may be misguiding your belt. Check your framework from every angle to ensure it’s level and square.
Snub rollers: These rollers increase belt tension by making contact with every pulley in the system. Tension is essential for tracking, so make sure your snub rollers are aligned with your frame and apply enough tension to the belt.
Cutting the belt:
Conveyor belts can be crooked if they are cut incorrectly during manufacturing. A crooked belt will cause tracking errors regardless of how well the rest of your system operates.
Cleanliness: Debris on the belt and pulleys can cause the belt to sway in one direction or the other. To ensure a smooth run and to avoid failure, keep all parts of your conveyor clean.
False crowns: Conveyor belts move a variety of items, and the material can snag or become stuck on a pulley at times. Crowns can be found in the center of your end pulleys, which distribute force to each side of the belt and keep it on track. If a piece of debris becomes lodged in another pulley, it can form a false crown and redistribute weight where it is not required. To avoid this, make sure your pulleys are clear of debris.
- Belt Slipping
Conveyor belts rely on a precise tension balance to function properly. Things start to go wrong when there is too much or too little tension, and the belt can slip. If the head pulley breaks down or becomes overly worn, there will be insufficient tension to keep the belt from slipping around.
This loss of tension can cause unnecessary stretching and strain on the belt, as well as loud, grating, and squealing noises and slipping. Such a problem will necessitate time-consuming maintenance. To avoid this situation, ensure that all parts and pieces of the conveyor belt are not experiencing excessive wear and tear.
The Most Common Causes of Conveyor Belt Slippage
There are a few common causes of belt slippage because tension and balance play such important roles in belt operation and traction. Once you’ve identified the potential causes, you can keep an eye on problem areas to avoid future slippage. Typical causes include:
The load is excessively heavy.
Because of the pulleys and overall size of your conveyor belt, it can only support a certain amount of weight. If you’ve ever tried to carry something extremely heavy, your belt will usually slip off the pulleys instead of working normally. Check that the objects you’re wearing on your belt are within the weight range of the belt.
Temperatures are low.
Working in colder weather than usual may affect the traction of your conveyor belt. Colder temperatures can cause the belt to slip by reducing the grip between the belt and the pulley. If you frequently work in cold environments, choose a belt designed to withstand low temperatures.
lagging that was improperly installed. While incorrect belt tension causes a variety of issues, lagging typically resolves those issues. Lagging is applied to the pulleys to improve belt grip, but if this lagging is not properly installed, slippage may occur. Consult a professional if you are unsure how to install pulley lagging yourself.
Problems with the pulleys Pulleys are a common cause of tension problems. Worn heads or buildup on pulleys, as well as a pulley that is too smooth, can reduce the belt’s grip. The best way to avoid pulley problems is to regularly inspect them for signs of wear.
When your conveyor belt slips frequently, it interferes with your daily operations and productivity. If you are aware of the potential causes, you can prevent them from occurring. It is beneficial to inspect your machine on a regular basis, particularly the pulleys, as they frequently contribute to belt slippage.
- Rollers that have seized
Conveyor belts are typically made of metallic materials such as steel. This construction is advantageous because it implies that the parts are typically highly durable and long-lasting. However, when the conveyor belt rollers seize up, they have an unfortunate tendency to develop sharp edges.
These sharp edges, in turn, can have far-reaching consequences throughout the conveyor system. They can cause the belt to track unevenly down the conveyor belt’s center line. This situation is problematic for several reasons. For starters, it can pose a significant safety risk to any workers near the conveyor belt. Second, it has the potential to permanently damage goods and materials being transported along the conveyor belt.
If the problem is severe enough that the entire system fails and shuts down, you will almost certainly face a lengthy downtime while the system is repaired. To avoid this scenario, inspect the rollers on a regular basis.
- Blockages
The primary goal of any conveyor belt system is to efficiently transport items from one location to another, often via a complex conveyor system. It stands to reason, then, that when this efficient travel is disrupted, the entire system fails.
It is all too easy for a package to be intercepted. When this happens, the item following the first one is caught, and the pileup continues from there. It has the potential to clog and jam the entire system.
While random occurrences are difficult to predict and frequently impossible to prevent, you can do a lot to prevent preventable blockages. Examine your conveyor belts for any sharp edges, surfaces, corners, or other spaces that could snag items as they pass. Remember that even if something appears to be minor right now, it is always preferable to deal with it while it is still minor. Otherwise, it could quickly escalate into a much larger problem.
- Material Return
While blockages are caused by packages becoming entangled on sharp edges and obstructing other products, material carryback is caused by a buildup of material on the belt itself. When working with materials such as clays or mineral ores, small amounts of residue may be left behind. While it may not appear to be much, this material will accumulate beneath your belt, causing problems with your rollers and pulleys.
This carryback can also lead to future safety issues because excessive material buildup can be a fire hazard, and certain materials can be dangerous if inhaled frequently. Carryback also results in a loss of profit. If you work with high-profile materials and lose a small portion of them each time they pass through the belt, you could lose a significant amount of money.
Install a cleaning system that will scrape your belt to ensure no material is left behind to reduce material carryback.
- Spillage of Materials
It’s fairly common for material spillage to occur at some point along a conveyor system. This term refers to any material that slips or spills off the belt by accident, and it is most common along transfer and load points. This isn’t necessarily due to mechanical failures or belt problems, but it can still be a problem because the spilled material can cause blockages or buildups, which can have a domino effect and cause other problems later on.
If material spillage is a problem on your conveyor belt, consider installing impact beds, skirt clamps, or a belt plough. These solutions will help to reduce waste and time spent cleaning up, as well as the possibility of breakdowns caused by belt blockages.
- Belt Rips and Tears
Perforations or tears in your belt may occur depending on the product you’re moving. Moving products like sharp rocks or coal increase the likelihood of this happening. Excessive friction from moving heavy packages can also cause thin spots, which can eventually lead to tears. Seam rips can also occur as a result of belt stress and tension. With the nature of your operation, tears and rips can be difficult to prevent, so a good repair process is required.
A ripped seam or a torn belt can impair the function of your belt and reduce productivity. To reduce downtime, it’s critical to either hire a professional or have a trained member of your team perform these repairs.
Conveyor Training
Tru Trac In-House Training
Tru-Trac offers Conveyor System Training programs to familiarize clients with the optimal and safe use of conveyors and related products.
The training includes training on best practices for personnel when using the conveyor systems, as well as step-by-step instructions using everyday scenarios that one might face when using conveyors.
Courses offered include:
- Conveyor 101
- Conveyor Maintenance and Safety
- Conveyor Belt Alignment
- Conveyor Cleaning That Works
- Super Screw Splicing Training
- Tru-Trac Product Installation and Maintenance Training courses.
Where Is This Training Held?
Training can be conducted at the Tru-Trac Training Centre, which includes a Tru-Trac factory tour and a certificate on the successful completion of courses offered. Alternatively, we offer virtual training over Zoom or onsite training at the client’s facility or mine.
Where possible, the training includes specific observations of the client’s operation from a survey conducted on site.
Training Duration
The duration of the training can be from 1 hour to 3 days of training.
What Does the Training Entail?
The training includes valuable information on topics such as:
- Safety around conveyors
- The proper application of the various conveyor components that comprise the conveyor system
- Solving common conveyor problems ( including belt misalignment, carryback, and spillage )
Onsite Training by Tru-Trac
Tru-Trac provides onsite training for its customers in remote areas, ensuring that they receive the same degree of experience and technical competence as those who attend training at the Tru-Trac training facility in Centurion. This hands-on training is provided by certified trainers who are sent to a specific area to assist customers in running their plants efficiently and effectively.
Tru-Trac is a world-leading manufacturer and supplier of conveyor belt solutions to the mining and bulk material handling industries worldwide. Conveyor belts are the lifeline of efficient operations, and for over 25 years, Tru-Trac has helped the world’s biggest mining houses process minerals more efficiently, reliably, and safely.
For all your conveyor belting, conveyor belt splicing, conveyor belt rollers, idler rollers, and more, contact and visit https://tru-trac.com