When your operations are working at full speed, trying to move products or fulfill orders, the last thing you need to worry about is your belt error. Unfortunately, sometimes even the slightest movement or change in the conveyor belt can throw your belt out of the track. Incorrect rollers or pulleys, incorrect splicing, and material accumulation are just a few things that can make your belt off track. Sometimes slight bumps from heavy machinery, or even bad weather—high winds, frost, or even sunlight—may break your belt.
1. Potential danger of mis-operation
If found and repaired early, the wrong belt will not cause any damage to the conveyor belt. However, if it is missed or not fixed, other types of damage may occur. If the conveyor belt keeps hitting the building, it will not only damage the building, but also scrape the layers on the conveyor belt to nothing. The width of the conveyor belt will also be affected, thereby reducing the throughput.
If the safety is taken the wrong way enough, it will spill material from the upper layer into the area around it, which may cause a safety violation. In rare cases, friction heating begins and the belt becomes a source of ignition, causing more safety issues.
2. Safety regulations are also a factor
Many regions of the world have implemented safety regulations to solve these problems. For example, in the United States, MSHA developed the code 30CFR 75.1731, which specifically mentions that “conveyor belts must be properly aligned to prevent moving conveyor belts from rubbing against structures or components.” Failure to comply with these regulations may result in fines and/or shutdowns.
3. Temporary tape repair
A complete overhaul of the conveyor belt is usually not within the budget of most operations. Instead, some people turn to temporary measures—such as installing side rollers on conveyor belts—which may actually make the problem worse. Because the belt likes to pull rather than push, the rollers on the edge aren’t always effective, so you are actually working with the belt.
Another way to adjust the belt is to use friction-to compare the direction of the roller to the belt. The third way is to influence the tension profile. The belt naturally wants to “go away” from the higher tension. If the tension on one side increases, it will move toward the other side.
4. Combination of friction and tension, effective tracking
Field tests have proved that when the structure cannot be properly aligned, the combination of friction and tension is the best way to pull the belt back to the track. Many equipment manufacturers provide a steel return roller next to the edge roller, allowing the roller to pivot or tilt relative to the belt travel. The friction of the rollers on the conveyor belt makes it tilt backwards. The problem with this method is that the edge of the tape hits the roller with a lot of force without having a big impact, and a lot of pressure is applied to the edge of the tape. This situation can generate a lot of force in the roller, which can damage the belt.
Products provided by other manufacturers are often referred to as “wobblers” and use a single central bearing inner lagging roller/tube to guide the belt. The problem with this design is that in order to create steering force, the roller must be tilted downward on the crooked side. This is counterproductive, because reducing tension will quickly invite belt errors even further. Only in the lightest tension applications, where the steering force has more influence than the tension, will this method have a chance to work well.
You should choose a belt tensioner that has a “pivot and tilt” design so as to avoid applying heavy pressure and making the tracking problem worse. When the rotating and tilting mechanisms work together, they are more than three times more efficient at restoring the belt to the center of the conveyor belt.
Next time when you are entangled with one or both sides of the belt, consider a “spin and tilt” tracker. You have an effective solution in your sleeve, and you can start working before it causes too much damage or downtime.
