MANAGING CONVEYOR LIFE

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MANAGING CONVEYOR LIFE
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• WHAT IS A CONVEYOR
• TYPES OF CONVEYOR
• MAINTENANCE OF CONVEYOR
• OPTIMISATION TECHNIQUES

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•  Benefits of Conveyor systems
• safely transport materials from one level to
  another, which when done by human labour would be
  strenuous and expensive.
• can be installed almost anywhere, and are much
  safer than using a forklift or other machine to
  move materials.
• can move loads of all shapes, sizes and weights
• variety of options available for running
  conveying systems, including the hydraulic,
  mechanical and fully automated systems, which are
  equipped to fit individual needs.

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What is a conveyor?
 A conveyor moves material. A conveyor moves
cardboard boxes, wood boxes, metal boxes
and plastic boxes.

Conveyors Can move materials by gravity or power.
A conveyor can do more. It can move boxes UP
against gravity . . . DOWN . . . or HORIZONTAL on
a moving belt. The belt is moved by electric
power. This is called a BELT CONVEYOR.
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What is a belt conveyor? It is a machine with a
moving BELT. The machine is made with these
parts

A Bed This is a conveyor bed. It comes in many
sizes-many lengths-many widths.
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A Pulley

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What is a bearing?

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Pulley "A" is the drive pulley. Pulley "B" is the
tail pulley. The drive pulley is usually larger
because it does the work.
The drive pulley is turned (driven) by a motor. A
sprocket is put on the drive pulley shaft. A
sprocket is put on the motor.
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What is a Sprocket? A sprocket is a metal
"wheel" with "teeth" on the outside.

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How the drive pulley is "driven" A chain is put
around the Drive Pulley Sprocket and the motor
sprocket. The chain moves when the motor is
started. The chain turns the drive pulley.

But....
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Because a motor turns very fast (1500 times per
minute). . . A SPEED REDUCER must also be used.
The SPEED REDUCER is put between the motor and
the drive pulley.

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. . . The motor is connected to the reducer with
a V-Belt (like the fan belt in your car) or a "C"
Face Coupling. The reducer is connected to the
drive pulley with a chain . . . Now the Drive
Pulley turns slower. All those parts (the
motor, the speed reducer, and the drive pulley)
are called
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The Conveyor Drive

They must be put together to take up as little
space as possible - so The motor and reducer are
put under and within the conveyor BED.
They must be put together to take up as little
space as possible - so The motor and reducer are
put under and within the conveyor BED.
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But what about the tail pulley? The tail
pulley is located at the tail end of the conveyor
and it turns freely.
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Now a "belt" can be put around the pulleys. The
Drive Pulley turns and moves the belt around . .
. and around . . . and around. BUT . . .

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. . . it is dangerous to have the belt hang down
under the conveyor bed - So small rollers are put
into the Conveyor Bed to hold up the belt. These
turn freely -- and just idle. They are called
"Return Idlers".
Some types of belts stretch more than others What
to do?
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1. Move the tail pulley! It can be moved to
"take-up" the belt stretch. There are "take-up"
screws on both sides of the conveyor.Move these
screws out slowly.Move them the same amount on
both sides!This keeps the belt tight.

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2.What do you do when the take-up screws are
still all the way out - and the belt still
stretches?
Longer conveyors are provided with one or more
short pieces of belt added, called a "dutchman"
         Remove the short pieces of belt. Now
you can start the "take-up" procedure all over
again. NOTE If a "Dutchman" was not provided,
you may need to add an UNDERSIDE TAKE-UP to your
conveyor.
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How to get more belt take-up There is more belt
stretch on a long, long conveyor than the regular
take-up and dutchman will give. So an "Underside
Take-Up" should also be used. When should I use
underside take-up?

   On conveyors 60' long, or more.  NOTE AN
UNDERSIDE TAKE-UP is often used when the overall
length of conveyor cannot be changed and the TAIL
PULLEY "take-up" cannot be used.
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BELT MOVES AT SPEED OF 20 MTR PER MINUTE This
is best speed to move objects from one place to
another. A person can walk about 4 miles per
hour. If they were carrying a box they would walk
much slower. Conveyors move boxes at about the
same speed as a person carrying them. This is
about 20 mtr per minute (or about 3/4 of a mile
per hour).
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PULLEY IS CROWNED AND LAGGED.

 
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THE CONVEYOR DRIVE IS NORMALLY LOCATED AT THE END
TO WHICH THE BELT MOVES.
SO A DRIVE PULLEY "PULLS" THE BELT. NOTE If
the belt movement were reversed, the pulley would
be pushing the belt. When the conveyor was fully
loaded or when the belt stretched, the pulley
could turn and not move the belt.
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THE SNUB IDLER   The Snub Idler is closer to
the drive pulley.It makes the belt hug more of
the drive pulley surface.The Snub Idler is
ADJUSTABLE.It is ADJUSTABLE ON BOTH SIDES of the
conveyor. (Each side of snub idler can be
adjusted independently).Reason - The Snub Idler
is used to steer the belt.

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HHOW TO "STEER" THE BELT     When belt runs
forward and if it moves toward side "A" - move
return idler nearest tail pulley on side "Y"
toward "B". If belt moves toward side "B" - move
return idler on side "X" toward "A". When belt
runs in reverse and if it moves toward side "A" -
move snub idler on side "X" toward "A". If belt
moves toward side "B" - move snub idler on side
"Y" toward "B".

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CENTER DRIVE (Used with Horizontal Belt
Conveyors) A. When belt movement is REVERSIBLE
(on conveyors 40 ft. long or more) B. When
overall length of conveyor cannot change (belt
take up by tail pulley increases conveyor length)


A center drive should be used because
         Drive pulley now "pulls" belt in
either direction Take-up pulley can now be used
to take-up belt.
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Different Types of Conveyors
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• Skatewheel conveyors
• Consist of rows of small metal or aluminum wheels
• Does not use motorsgravity does all the work
• Best suited for bringing cartons, sacks and bags
  down a slope
• Helpful in shipping areas, moving items down
  certain lanes for loading into outbound trucks
• Hard to control the movement of products on these
  non-powered systems
• usually confined to short runs and accessible
  areas
• Cheap, low maintenance and often portable.

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Skatewheel Conveyors

 
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• Belt conveyors
• A motor-powered belt atop a constructed bed
• Widely used in facilities because of their
  ability to cost-effectively move a wide array of
  products
• No problem conveying odd-shaped things and moving
  items up or down inclines because of the friction
  produced by the large surface contact area
  between belt and product
• Can carry light- and medium-weight goods
• Low-maintenance systems can transport products to
  almost any part of the warehouse.

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• Sliding bed conveyors
• Should be considered if you have to move unstable
  loads slowly
• Usually consist of an unpainted metal surface
  that slides along a bed
• Excel in transporting odd-shaped products and
  small items that are not put into totes, because
  of the generous surface contact area between the
  solid bed and the product, these systems
• Are commonly placed at load and assembly
  stations.

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• Live roller conveyors
• Consist of elongated rollers placed across a
  conveying bed
• Size of the rollers can be adjusted to
  accommodate the product being conveyed
• Rollers are powered by belts, chains or line
  shafts. Often selected by facilities with many
  assorted products
• Welcome heavy loads and thrive in dirty or harsh
  environments
• However, they can only transport items with solid
  bottoms and of adequate weight. Loose,
  lightweight products can fall between the rollers
  and should thus be placed into boxes or totes.

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ROLLER BED CONVEYORS When heavy total loads must
be moved, it is best to use a conveyor bed with
rollers (instead of regular conveyor bed). This
is a Roller Bed belt conveyor Heavy total loads
can be moved without using large motors when a
ROLLER BED belt conveyor is used.

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• Pneumatic Conveyor Systems
• Use of pipes or ducts called transportation lines
  that carry mixture of materials and a stream of
  high velocity air.
• Materials are such as dry pulverised or free
  flowing or light powdery materials like cement,
  fly ash
• Carrier systems simply push items from one entry
  point to one exit point, such as the money
  exchanging tubes used at a bank drive-thru
  window.
• Dillute-phase systems use push/pull pressure to
  guide materials through various entry and/or exit
  points.
• Suction or Vacuum systems, Pressure Type systems
  or a Combination systems

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• Accumulation systems
• Useful for work-in-process operations or ones
  that need a buffer
• Use rollers or belts that start and stop
  automatically to space cartons as directed by
  sensors
• Can back up and set specific items aside without
  holding up workflow
• Widely utilized at workstations and for preparing
  items before they get sorted
• More costly and need extra controls and motors.
  The added costs, however, can be recouped by the
  flexibility that these systems provide

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What is a Gravity Conveyor?
A gravity conveyor moves objects without motor
power.

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• Long belt conveyors
• Western Sahara100 km long, from the phosphate
  mines of Bu Craa to the coast south of El-Aaiun.
• Meghalaya in India to Sylhet in Bangladesh
• Conveys limestone at 960 tph and shale from
  quarry in India to a cement factory in Bangladesh
  (7 km 10 km long)
• Engineered by AUMUND France and L T
• Actuated by 3 synchronized drive units for a
  total power of about 1.8 MW
• Manufactured in about 300 meter lengths on the
  Indian side and 500 meter lengths on the other
  side

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MAINTENANCE OF CONVEYORS
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To get the most out of your conveyor system, your
maintenance practices should include far more
than just emergency repairs. Maintenance, in
general, affects all aspects of operational
effectiveness and risks, not just system
availability and cost specifically safety,
operational efficiency, energy efficiency,
product quality, and environmental integrity.
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From installation to retirement a comprehensive
and important consideration from the day a system
is conceived until the day it is retired from
service. an essential activity for the
achievement of optimum-return-on-investments a
key to remaining competitive in a
hyper-competitive world.

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maintenance of conveyor systems divides into
three broad categories Predictive Preventive and
corrective
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Matching application to use
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Effective management of conveyor life begins with
the selection of a system that matches the
application for which its being used. Different
applications require relatively different system
components and configurations, especially as it
applies to load requirements, operational
conditions, cycles-of-use, materials conveyed,
operational speeds, and usage period. When a
conveyor system is improperly designed i.e.,
oversized or undersized value is wasted,
regardless of the maintenance procedures
employed.

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• For example,
• drive motors that are undersized relative to
  the loads being conveyed
• Drive motors that are oversized
• idlers with low quality components such as
  frame, seals, and bearings
• Pulleys that are underbuilt for the loads they
  are
• Improperly designed impact areas
• An under-built structure

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Planning to avoid emergency repairs
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Conveyor maintenance can and should be a
straightforward, predictable process not an
emergency event. However, it can easily turn into
one. The proper design of a conveyor system
assures that power and loads are well balanced
and that stress points are within controlled
limits. The forces that occur at start-up and at
stops can be quite surprising Proper system
design is a must for protection of the equipment
investment, system safety, system availability,
ease-of-maintenance, as well as the long-term,
value-producing capability of the entire
operation.

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Maintaining safety
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Maintenance should only be performed with the
conveyor system stopped and electrically locked
out. check the entire conveyor for stray tools,
parts, or other potential obstacles prior to
restarting the system after maintenance
activities have been preformed. Maintenance of
a conveyor system is not a task for untrained or
inexperienced individuals.

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Predictive maintenance to eliminate surprises
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Two basic types of predictive maintenance.
replacing components at regularly scheduled
intervals usually during scheduled shutdowns
so that total failure of a component is
avoided. Another to replace components as
indicators of excessive wear or impending failure
present themselves

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Preventive maintenance extends component and
system life
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• the re-lubrication of components at specified
  intervals
• general housekeeping activities
• alignment of all components and belt splices.
• the removal and replacement of worn or damaged
  belt sections
• tests of electrical components
• replacement of wear items such as motor brushes
  at appropriate intervals.

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Maintenance intervals vary depending on the
application hours-of-use quality of
components system specifics
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Corrective maintenance, which involves the
replacement of a component after it has
demonstrated signs of imminent failure or has,
in-fact, failed, should be seen as a last
resort. An example is a seized idler roll that
must be quickly removed so that the roll shell
does not have a chance to wear through and
possibly cut or damage the conveyors belt.
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• conveyor systems be visually inspected on a
  regular basis for
• all areas of material buildup should be noted and
  subsequently removed at shutdown.
• The causes of material buildup should always be
  explored
• Belt surfaces and edges should be inspected for
  wear or belt delamination.
• Problems with bearings and rolling elements
• Rollers not rotating with belts

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Good housekeeping keeps a conveyor running well
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In areas where contamination is excessive,
protective-end shields should be used on the
idler and return rolls. Also, in particularly wet
areas, special lubricants should be seriously
considered. While the conveyor system is shutdown
and electrically locked out, the adjustment of
skirt boards and belt scrapers should also be
considered, if indicated, to compensate for wear
or to prevent wear. Additionally, the backside of
the belt, return rolls, and pulleys should be
inspected to determine if excessive carryback
is present because this may lead to various forms
of belt and component damage.

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Proper equipment, proper maintenance regular
attention to the maintenance of an important
system, such as conveying, is a vital part of the
job, too. It is just too important to be left
to chance and, when properly organized, it is
efficient, effective, and non-disruptive.
Ultimately, maintenance doesnt cost, it pays
and its all about getting your moneys worth.

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Protecting all the parts To obtain the optimum
return on your conveyor investment, the following
components that typically make up a conveyor
system must be maintained

Drives Take-up systems Control equipment Belting Pulleys Troughing idlers Return idlers Tail sections Impact-loading equipment Chutes Skirting Belt scrapers Equipment guards Covers Walkways Structure Transfer stations Specialized components associated with site-specific activities.
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Conveyor maintenance checklist
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• While the system is in operation
• Check the following issues and refer to all
  relevant safety warnings and information
• Regularly walk around both sides of the system
  and note the condition, as  well as any unusual
  behavior of all the moving components.
• Note points of material buildup.
• Look for any signs of misalignment or improper
  belt tracking.
• Check drive amperage requirements and compare
  amperages to previous levels for similar loads
  and conditions.

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• Check the following while system is at rest and
  electrically locked out
• Confirm that components are in proper alignment
• Closely inspect suspect components and take
  corrective action
• Check all safety systems.
• Test control equipment.
• Check for belt wear especially at edges and
  splices and belt stringing.
• Check for damage or wear at loading and transfer
  points.
• Check clearances at chute and skirting areas.

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• Check the following while system is at rest and
  electrically locked out
• Remove any material buildup on components and
  clean up any spills along the system.
• Relubricate all pillow block bearings
• If relubricatable, relubricate troughing and
  return rolls
• Check the condition and functionality of belt
  scrapers, and adjust or replace
• Confirm that all guards and covers are in place.
• Replace motor brushes

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Item to Check Correct Adjustment
Conveyor Belt Tension Using hands pushing upward, 3 to 12 mm slack under headshaft at discharge
Conveyor Belt Centered Tighten take-up bolt on side which belt is riding nearest or loosen opposite side as required to center belt and achieve proper belt tension
Drive Chain Tension Alignment Tension 1 mm deflection per 100mm of span Alignment 1 mm per 200 mm of span
Grease Bearings (Located on headshaft and tailshaft) Fill until small bead comes from seal
Ratchet Clutch Adjustment, if equipped Compressed length of spring to measure 40 mm Be sure to loosen set screw for adjustment and re tighten upon completion.
Oil in Gear Reducer, if equipped Change Oil after the first 250 hrs. Then every 6 months or 2500 hrs of operation

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COMPONENT ACTION SCHEDULE SCHEDULE SCHEDULE
COMPONENT ACTION WEEKLY MONTHLY QUARTERLY
MOTOR Check noise.   P  
MOTOR Check temperature. P    
MOTOR Check mounting bolts.   P  
REDUCER Check noise.   P  
REDUCER Check temperature.   P  
REDUCER Check oil level.     P
DRIVE CHAIN Check tension.     P
DRIVE CHAIN Lubricate. P    
DRIVE CHAIN Check for wear.      
SPROCKETS Check for wear.     P
SPROCKETS Check set screws and keys.     P
BELT Check tracking.   P  
BELT Check tension.   P  
BELT Check lacing. P    
BEARINGS (Pulleys Rollers) Check noise.   P  
BEARINGS (Pulleys Rollers) Check mounting bolts.     P
V-BELTS Check tension.   P  
V-BELTS Check for wear.   P  
V-BELTS Check sheave alignment.   P  
STRUCTURAL General check  Loose bolts etc. tightened.   P  

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Problem Possible Cause Solution
Clutch Ratcheting or slipping Drive chain assembly misalignment or tensioned incorrectly Refer to tension and alignment in Maintenance Chart
  Excessive or Accumulated Load Avoid load buildup by running conveyor continuously. Do not manually surge load conveyor
  Carry-Back of Material into Conveyor Replace filled receptacle as required
  Improper ratchet clutch tensioning Refer to ratchet clutch adjustment in Maintenance Chart

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Problem Possible Cause Solution
 Clutch Ratcheting or slipping Damaged or missing chain assembly parts Review belt and repair or replace as required
  Accumulation of conveyed material or foreign objects inside of casing Reverse conveyor placing ball of newspaper or a rag on belt to act as wipeout for accumulated material
Excessive Wear on Casing Conveyor not level Level conveyor
  Belt misalignment or tensioned incorrectly Refer to conveyor belt tensioning and alignment in Maintenance Chart

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Problem Possible Cause Solution
Excessive Wear/Damage to Belting Belt misalignment or tensioned incorrectly Refer to conveyor belt tensioning and alignment in Maintenance Chart
  Foreign object dropped on conveyor belt Replaced damaged portion of belting
Motor overloads/overheats Ratchet clutch not set properly Refer to ratchet clutch adjustment in Maintenance Chart

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Grease Bearings as Required (Chart from Service
Manual)
CONDITIONS CONDITIONS CONDITIONS CONDITIONS
SPEED TEMPERATURE OF OPERATING ENVIRONMENT CLEANLINESS OF OPERATING ENVIRONMENT GREASING INTERVAL
100 RPM Up to 50 C Clean 6 to 12 Months
500 RPM Up to 65 C Clean 2 to 6 Months
1000 RPM Up to 100 C Clean 2 Weeks to 2 Months
1500 RPM Up to 100 C Clean Weekly
Any Speed Up to 65 C Dirty 1 Week to 1 Month
Any Speed Up to 65 C Dirty Daily to 2 weeks
Any Speed Any Temp Very Dirty Daily to 2 weeks
Any Speed Any Temp Extreme Conditions Daily to 2 weeks

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• A well-executed scheduled maintenance plan can
  extend the life of your conveyors, make them more
  reliable, and help prevent expensive downtime.
• Check/lubricate all bearings, universal joints,
  and pulleys. 
• Check chain tension, wear and lubricate.
• Check sprocket alignment, wear, and screw set.
• Check flat belt tension, wear and lacing.
• Check V-belt tension, wear and sheave alignment.
• Check electrical connections at conveyor.
• Check gearbox and fill to proper level.
• Check general condition of system.
• Operate entire system after service.
• List any items requiring replacement or repair.

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Belt Tracking

1. First item you check is the bed for square. 
which is done by measuring corner to corner.
(Figure 1) 2. Make sure that the bed is level
from end to end and side to side. If there is
more than one bed, run a string from the center
of  each end to make sure there is no bow in the
bed set up. A banana type bow can cause tracking
problems. (See Figure 2)
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Belt Tracking
3.Make sure the drive and take-up pulleys are
level with the bed. If the pulleys are not level
the belt will track hard to the low side.
Loosen the bearing bolts on the side that the
belt rides toward and adjust the pulley up to
move the belt toward the center of the pulley.
(See figure 3). 4.After you are sure that the
conveyor is level and the pulleys are level with
the conveyor your next check is the belt tension.

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Drive Chain Tensioning

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How to Optimize Conveyor Operations and
Productivity

• Keep your axe sharp - maintain your conveyor
• Know fixes to common problems
• conveyor suddenly shuts down
• accumulation in one area of the conveyor
• drive runs, but the belt doesnt move
• Get to know your load
• Shape or form
• Dimensions
• Orientation
• Utilize energy-saving controls and devices
• PM Right equipment
• Test for performance
• Inspection visually
• Function testing
• Load testing
• Error recovery

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How to Optimize Conveyor Operations and
Productivity

• Correctly select and integrate vertical and
  horizontal conveyors
• system throughput requirements
• product characteristics
• elevation change
• number of infeed/discharge points
• manual or automated infeed/discharge
• interface with horizontal transport devices
• proximity to workers
• safety devices
• Environment
• and future system requirements
• Safety is essential
• 42 of the injuries around conveyors occur while
  performing maintenance,lubrication or other
  mechanical processes

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How to Optimize Conveyor Operations and
Productivity

• Design conveyor workstations with ergonomics in
  mind
• Work surface height
• Reach distance
• Choose the right belting
• kind of load, the need for increased oil
  resistance, and applications where the load
  conveyor may make belt tracking more difficult
• Make conveyor technology upgrades
• Dynamic Zone Allocation, the system automatically
  adjusts the conveyors zone length to accommodate
  the length of the carton being conveyed
• Loading zone functionality diff. between load in
  transport one that is inserted

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• Energy saving tips in conveyor applications
• Select the proper size of conveyor motor for the
  job
• Turn your conveyor off when it's not in use
• Use gravity feeds whenever possible
• Maintain conveyors for maximum efficiency
• Six major causes of drive failure to watch for
  bearing failure, winding failures, rotor
  failures, improper speed-reducer lubrication,
  improper use of reducer, and poor alignment of
  the reducer
• Design the conveyor system with energy in mind
• Upgrade your technology
• Consider replacing worn-out conveyors

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Twelve Fundamental Conveyor Safety Rules
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• Dont perform service on conveyor until motor
  disconnect is Locked Out!
• Service conveyor with only authorized maintenance
  personnel.
• Keep clothing, fingers, hair, and other parts of
  the body away from conveyor!
• Dont climb, step, sit or ride on conveyor at any
  time!
• Dont load conveyor outside of the design limits!
  
• Dont remove or alter conveyor guards or safety
  divides!
• Know location and function of all stop/start
  controls.
• Keep all stopping/starting control devices free
  from obstructions.
• All personnel must be clear of conveyor before
  starting.
• Operate conveyor with trained personnel only!
• Keep area around conveyors clear of obstructions.
  Report all unsafe practices to your supervisor!

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Any Questions?
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Thank You for Attending