CARE OF CONVEYOR BELTING
Your conveyor belting plays a critical role in the smooth and efficient operation of your material handling systems. To ensure its optimal performance and longevity, it requires proper care and maintenance. At Monster Belting, we understand the importance of conveyor belting care, and we are here to provide you with essential tips and solutions. Conveyor Belt Failures and Service Difficulties, Causes, Diagnoses and Remedies
| Type of Wear Damage or Failure | Cause | Diagnosis | Remedy |
| WORN COVERS (a) Top Cover | 1. Cover under-specified. | Cover wears out uniformly while carcass is still in undamaged and reliable condition. | Specify thicker top cover to protect carcass for full belt life. |
| 2. Unsuitable loading. | (A) Material accumulates at loading point and increases abrasion -usually with inclined belts. (B) Wear confined to narrow central section of the belt suggests load being concentrated on the centre of the belt by means of too narrow a chute or loading guide boards too close together. | Improve loading conditions. Redesign chute so that material is led on to the belt. Load should be led on to the belt uniformly across its effective width. | |
| 3. Speed too high | (A) Cover worn in centre only a “thin” load carried. (B) On inclined belts, it speed is too high for loading arrangement, material will slide or roll back. | Redesign drive at a reduced speed. Reduce belt speed. Reduce angle of inclination. Avoid loading large lumps without smaller material accompanying them. | |
| 4. Skirtboards badly set. | Wear and scoring at the sides of the top cover. | Adjust skirtboards. | |
| 5. Handling wet sharp material through a tripper in absence of belt cleaning facilities. | Material sticks to belt and abrades or punctures the top cover when doubling back through the tripper pulleys. | Equipment should be installed to clean belt surface before it wraps the second tripper pulleys. | |
| 6. Discharge chute choking. | Scoring of top cover and cover rubber torn off belt. | Design discharge chute with minimum possibility of choking. Also check that choking is not caused by stoppages to subsequent processes of conveying, screening, sorting, etc. | |
| 7. Sufficient clearance between tail and pulley and floor, or excess spillage at this point. | Spilled material accumulates under tail-pulley and sets up abrasion. | Increase clearance between tail-pulley 2nd floor, fit decking to avoid spillage reaching such a vulnerable point, or prevent spillage. | |
| 8. Material trapped between skirt -boards and belt. | Wear and cutting at sides. | Adjust loading and/or skirtboards. | |
| 9. Belt speed too low. | Jamming at loading point. | Reduce rate of loading or increase belt speed. | |
| (b) Bottom Cover. | 1. Idlers affected by dirt in bearings or neglected lubrication | Idlers do not rotate freely and when seized cause abrasive wear on bottom cover. | Lubricate regularly and keep clean. |
| 2. Spillage on to bottom cover on return run. | Material falls from carrying side on to return pulley side, and causes abrasion of belt in contact with pulley. | Provide decking to protect return run from spillage. | |
| 3. Sand thrown between drive pulley and belt. | Sometimes carried Out on conveyors in wet weather to prevent slip. | Design and layout of conveyor should enable it to operate efficiently under all reasonable and foreseeable conditions. | |
| (c) Edges | 1. Joint not square. | Belt runs to one side and fouls support, etc. | Remove and rejoin after cutting ends square. |
| 2. Belt too stiff for adequate troughing. | Back cover at sides will be worn, or belt edges damaged. The belt does not bed down properly and make full contact with the centre of the idlers, and runs to one side or the other. | Equip the installation with a belt more flexible laterally. | |
| CUT COVER | 1. Damage in fitting. | In a new or a comparatively new belt, cutting or damage will probably be jagged, caused by a falling tool, etc. If uniform may be caused by knife slipping on cutting belt for joining. | Obvious. |
| 2. Skirtboards too long or badly set. | Cutting or scoring at the sides of the belt. | Adjust skirtboard setting, or if practicable, increase belt speed so that load will be more central and not jammed between belt and skirtboards. | |
| 3. Loading directly over an idler roller. | Large lumps of material falling on to the belt over an idler roller which is rigid will cause cover cuts, and carcass fractures. | Avoid idlers at loading point. | |
| 4. Speed too high for proper pickup of lumps | Large lumps tend to run back and it having sharp edges will cause scoring or cutting. | Redesign drive at reduced speed. | |
| 5. Broken or seized idler rollers. | Abrasion or cutting of the bottom cover following a longitudinal pattern. | Repair or replace unserviceable idlers. | |
| 6. Damage may result from causes given under cover wear 1, 5,6, 7,1, etc. | As for Cover Wear (a) 1, (a) 5, (a) 6, (a) 7, and (b) 1. | As for Cover Wear (a) 1, (a) 3, (a) 6, (a) 7 and (b) 1. | |
| 7. Cuts and indentations on pulley side. | Bolt head in pulley protruding above lagging which may be worn. | Remove or tighten bolt. Replace lagging. | |
| COVER BREAK UP Surface cracking or decomposition. | 1. Exposure to sunlight. | Surface cracking-small cracks in all directions which extend when belt is flexed. | Protect belt from direct sunlight. |
| Cover softening, etc. | 2. Oil or grease on belt. Wood Sap | If contamination is patchy, source will probably be from lubrication system. If general, suspect material being carried, e.g., green bricks or tiles in a brick-making factory. Evidence of oil contamination will be obvious signs of swelling of the cover rubber, which will also be soft and even sticky if contamination has been extensive. Belt will also probably run crooked especially if contaminated on one side. Belt will be distorted and may not lie flat on idlers. | Avoid contact with oil and grease, which are solvents of rubber. |
| 3. Short in magnetic pulley. | A short in a magnetic pulley will cause heating up of pulley and hence the belt, especially if indoors and away from draughts, etc. | Correct the electrical fault (abnormal moisture in atmosphere may be cause of short, etc.). | |
| 4. Carrying hot materials on a standard conveyor. | Burns in cover or a general cover break-down, etc. Often carcass is exposed and even burned through in places. | Avoid conveying materials at high temperatures unless the belt has been specially designed to suit them. | |
| 5. Idler spacing unsuitable, giving rise to belt distortion. | Longitudinal Splits or cracks are probably due to idlers spaced too far apart, giving rise to excessive lateral flexing. | Adjust idler spacing according to recommended practice. | |
| BELT CARCASS DAMAGE OR DETERIORATION | 1. Impact of large lumps due to unsuitable loading arrangements. | Fractures on pulley side-short and usually parallel to belt edge. | Improve loading arrangements. Install “Grizzly” to reduce impact. |
| 2. Top rubber cover of inadequate thickness. | Numerous cover and carcass fractures. Belt may eventually tear across. | Reduce maximum lump size or fit heavier belt, or increase cover thickness. | |
| 3. Material trapped between tail pulley and belt. | Fractures on carrying side-this may cause belt to tear across. | Install scraper on return run to clean belt just before tail-pulley. | |
| 4. Mildew-a result of water penetration into carcass. | Carcass duck dark in colour, and exhibiting no strength in patches. | Avoid source of moisture or fit belt with thicker cover rubber. | |
| 5. Tension too great. | Lateral breaks in carcass at right angles to direction of travel, Joint troubles with fasteners pulling out or belt breaking at fasteners. | Reduce tension or install belt with higher permissible operating tension. Move pulleys further apart. Tangent points not closer than one second of belt travel. | |
| 6. High tension bend pulleys too close together causing sudden reverse bend. | Splicing deterioration, or fabric deterioration. | belt speed m/s/1 sec. = distance in metres. | |
| PLY OR COVER SEPARATION | 1. Mildew-a result of moisture penetration into carcass. | Evidence of rot in duck. Carcass exposed in vicinity of separation. | Avoid source of moisture or fit bell with thicker cover rubber. Avoid cause of rubber wear or cutting. etc. |
| 2. Pulley diameter too small- either head, tail, snubber or tripper pulleys. | Separation or “blisters” where there is no evidence of carcass rot or signs of abuse other than pulley sizes. | Increase pulley size, or if conditions permit, install lighter belt. | |
| 3. Oil contamination. | Rubber in vicinity of separation soft and swollen. | Remove source of contamination. | |
| 4. Too many reverse bends, e.g., in tripper. | General separation across full width of belt. Belt too heavy for pulley diameters. | Redesign drive and belt. | |
| 5. Idler spacing too great. | Separation near centre of belt longitudinally. | Reduce idler spacing. | |
| 6. Edge rub. | Separation at edge and evidence of edge wear as a result of rubbing on some obstruction, a guide idler, etc. | Correct any misalignment present, or remove obstruction. | |
| 7. Under-belting. | Carcass not sufficiently rigid-excess flexing causing separation-often starts at joint. | Install heavier belt. | |
| 8. Cover cuts and penetration of fines. | Blisters at point of cover cuts. Examination of separation will reveal penetration of fines and small stones working their way between the top cover and the carcass. | Repair cuts which penetrate to carcass. | |
| 9. Small radius convex curve or convex bend at tripper lead-up idlers. | Blisters and ply separation along bend line. | ||
- Regular Inspection: Conduct routine inspections of your conveyor belting to identify any signs of wear, damage, or misalignment. Early detection allows for timely repairs or replacements, minimizing costly downtime.
- Cleaning: Keep your conveyor belting clean to prevent the buildup of debris, dust, or spilled materials. Regular cleaning helps maintain belt traction and reduces the risk of slippage or jamming.
- Proper Tensioning: Ensure the correct tension of your conveyor belting. Over-tensioning can strain the belt and lead to premature wear, while under-tensioning can cause slippage and reduce efficiency. Follow manufacturer guidelines or consult our experts for optimal tensioning practices.
- Lubrication: Apply appropriate lubrication to conveyor belt components, such as pulleys and bearings, to minimize friction and wear. Select lubricants that are compatible with the belt material and follow recommended application intervals.
- Preventive Maintenance: Implement a preventive maintenance plan that includes regular inspections, belt tracking adjustments, and component lubrication. This proactive approach helps identify and address potential issues before they escalate into costly breakdowns.
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Training and Education: Invest in training your staff on proper conveyor belting care and safe operation. Well-trained employees can detect early signs of problems, ensure correct usage, and contribute to the overall efficiency of your operations.