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T - SU552 Conveyor Maintenance

Technical Paper T - SU552

BASIC CONVEYOR DESIGN & MAINTENANCE


By Neil Schmidgall
CONTENTS

ABSTRACT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
DESIGNING FOR MAINTENANCE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
MATERIAL CHARACTERISTICS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2
BELT WIDTH, SPEED, AND CAPACITIES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3
SELECTING THE BELT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4
IDLER SELECTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
PULLEY AND SHAFT SELECTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
BELT CLEANERS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9
TAKE-UPS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11
TRANSFER POINTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12
SKIRTBOARDS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
IMPACT ABSORBING SYSTEMS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .13
EMERGENCY STOP SWITCHES AND CONVEYOR GUARDING . . . . . . . . .14
CONVEYOR MAINTENANCE SAFETY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14
GENERAL SAFETY GUIDELINES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .15
GENERAL CONVEYOR MAINTENANCE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17
IDLER MAINTENANCE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .18
INSTALLING A CONVEYOR BELT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19
CONVEYOR BELT TRAINING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .20
LOADING THE BELT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22
BELT TIGHTENING AND REPAIR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22
TROUBLESHOOTING . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22
CONCLUSION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24

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ABSTRACT
Maintenance is an important part of the life span of any piece of equipment.
The harsh operating conditions experienced by aggregate conveyor systems
not only increase the need for proper maintenance but also create a need for
design considerations that facilitate proper maintenance. In many cases,
proper design considerations may reduce the cost and time involved with con-
veyor maintenance. Design considerations are not able to eradicate mainte-
nance altogether however, in order to achieve longevity of the equipment
maintenance must be performed correctly and according to the recommend-
ed maintenance schedule.

DESIGNING FOR MAINTENANCE


Producers and bulk material handlers
spend millions of dollars every year
maintaining conveyor systems.
Oftentimes conveyor design does not
provide the means for ease of mainte-
nance, and as a result, maintenance
may not be performed correctly, on
time, or at all. This eventually leads to a
greater risk of component failure and a
resulting loss of production.
Designing a conveyor to be mainte-
nance friendly means providing ade-
quate provisions for necessary service
from the onset. This means eliminating
problems such as inadequate spacing,
inaccessible positions, and other non-
repairable configurations. The following
sections will illustrate some of the
design considerations that may deter or
aid in conveyor maintenance.

MATERIAL CHARACTERISTICS
When designing a conveyor, the type
of material to be conveyed is the first
item to be taken into consideration. The
flowability of a material affects the size
of the cross-section of material load
that can be carried on a given belt
width. Flowability is affected by materi-
al characteristics such as: size and
shape of the fine particles and lumps,
roughness or smoothness of the mate-
rial particle surface, the proportion of
fines and lumps present, and material
moisture content. Considerations
should also be given to the weight per
cubic foot of material, abrasiveness,

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and temperature. (Table 1)
gives the weight per cubic foot,
surcharge angle (Figure 1),
and maximum conveying angle
(Figure 2) of some commonly
conveyed materials.

BELT WIDTH, SPEED, AND


CAPACITY
For a given speed and materi-
al density, the wider the con-
veyor belt the higher the capac-
ity of the conveyor. A belt must
be wide enough so that the
combination of fines and lumps
do not push the lumps too close
to the edge of the belt. (Table 2)
shows the belt width necessary
for a specific lump size, various
proportions of lumps and fines,
and various surcharge angles.
Conveyor belt speeds depend
upon the material characteris-
tics, the capacity desired, and
belt tensions. Heavy material
with sharp edges should be
conveyed at moderate speeds.
The sharp edges will cause
wear to the belt, particularly if
the loading velocity of the
material in the direction of belt
travel is lower than the belt
speed. Light, powdery materi-
als must also be conveyed at
lower speeds to reduce dust
particles, especially at loading
and discharge points on the
conveyor. Fragile materials may
degrade at loading and dis-
charge points, as well as when
moved over idlers. Therefore,
these types of materials should
also be conveyed at lower
speeds. (Table 3) recommends
maximum belt speeds for com-
monly conveyed materials.
As stated previously, belt
capacity increases with the
increase of belt width. It is
important to know the tons per
hour of material an end user

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expects to move with a convey-
or. If there is uniform feed to the
conveyor, a cross section of the
material loaded on the belt is
used in calculating the capacity
of a conveyor. The cross section
of material must meet the follow-
ing two conditions.
First that the material does not
extend beyond to the belt edge
or the distance recommended
by CEMA, and secondly that the
top of the load does not exceed
the surcharge angle of loading
(Figure 1).

SELECTING THE BELT


The three elements of a con-
veyor belt are the carcass, top
cover, and bottom cover. The
carcass of the belt must have
the tensile strength to withstand
the load on the belt, and it must
also have the strength to with-
stand the impact of materials in
loading areas. Most carcasses
consist of multi-ply woven fab-
rics (Figure 3 & 4). Heavier
duty belt carcasses may contain
steel cables for reinforcement.
The yarns of a belt carcass that
run parallel to the conveyor are
called wrap yarns. These bear

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the tension of the belt. The
cross yarns of the belt carcass
are called weft yarns and aid in
impact resistance and fabric
stability.
There are four types of belt car-
casses. They are: multi-ply belt
carcasses, reduced-ply belting,
steel-cable belting, and solid-
woven belts. The multi-ply car-
cass is usually made up of
three or more plies cemented
together by a rubber com-
pound. Strength and load sup-
port depend on the number of
layers, which is usually limited
to eight at the most. Reduced
ply belting may be used in
place of multi-ply belting. It
consists usually of fewer lay-
ers than the multi-ply, but the
layers are made of synthetic
fabrics of higher unit strength.
A steel-cable belting carcass
consists of a single layer of
steel cables imbedded in rub-
ber. The all-gum type has only
cables and cable rubber, while
the fabric-reinforced type has
one or more layers of fabric
above or below the steel
cables (Figure 5). This type of
carcass is best used for appli-
cations where the tensions
required go beyond ply car-
casses, and where take-up
travel is not long enough to
compensate for the high elas-
ticity of ply carcasses. Solid-
woven belts consist of a single
ply of solid woven fabric usual-
ly covered with a top and bot-
tom cover made of PVC material. This type of carcass aids in abrasion resist-
ance.
The main purpose of the top and bottom cover is to protect the carcass from
wear and impact damage. They also provide a friction surface to aid in the
driving of the belt. (Table 4) provides a guide to the required thickness of the
top and bottom belt cover.

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The required length of a belt
can be computed by multiplying
the conveyor length by 2 and
adding the length needed to
wrap around the head and tail
pulleys (Table 5). A gravity
take-up on a channel frame
conveyor will require an addi-
tional 6 feet of belt, while a
gravity take-up on a truss frame
conveyor will require an addi-
tional 10 feet of belt.
The ends of a conveyor belt
must be joined together
(spliced) to create a continuous
belt. The two most common
ways of splicing a belt are vul-
canizing and using mechanical
fasteners. There are two types
of vulcanization: hot and cold.
Using the hot method, the lay-
ers of the belt are stripped in a
stair-step manner and over-
lapped with glue and rubber. A
heated press is then used to
vulcanize the belt, creating an
endless loop (Figure 6). The
cold method laps the belt's lay-
ers with glue that cures at room
temperature.
The advantages to vulcanizing
belt ends are an improvement
in splice strength, longer belt
life, and a lack of interference
with belt cleaners, idler rolls, or
skirting. The vulcanized splice
will eliminate material sifting
through the splice as happens
with mechanical fasteners.
The vulcanized splice also has
some disadvantages, including
initial cost and time required to
create the splice. A vulcanized
splice takes longer than using
mechanical fasteners and
therefore increases the con-
veyor down time.

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Although vulcanized splices are
more expensive and time-con-
suming, for permanent splicing
of a conveyor belt vulcanizing is
the best choice.
The most important step in
using mechanical fasteners to
splice a belt is to recess the top
and bottom splice pieces. The
top and bottom covers are
removed down to the carcass.
This does not endanger the belt
strength or integrity. The recess
is needed to keep the fasteners
from interfering with potential
catch points.
Mechanical fasteners (Figure 7)
are less expensive than vulcan-
ization and more easily applied.
They are also the preferred
method for making repairs to the
belt in the field, such as adding
belt length and patching holes or
tears. Material leakage through
mechanical fasteners is
inevitable. Over time, this may
cause clean up problems and
will create the potential for dam-
age to other conveyor compo-
nents.

IDLER SELECTION
All belt conveyor idlers have the
same purpose. They provide
shape and support for the belt
and minimize the power needed
to transport material. Idler spac-
ing affects both the shape and
support of the conveyor belt. Idlers placed too far apart will not properly support
the belt or enable it to maintain the desired profile. Idlers that are placed too
close together will provide the necessary support and profile, but may add a
prodigal expense to the conveyor. The main influences in idler selection are belt
weight, material weight, idler load rating, belt sag, idler life, belt rating, and belt
tension. (Table 6) cites suggested idler spacing recommendations under rela-
tively normal operating conditions when the amount of belt sag is not specifical-
ly limited. This table also shows the recommended spacing for return idlers.
Proper idler roll diameter and size of bearing and shaft selection is based on
load carried, belt speed, and operating conditions. To aid in the selection of
idlers, various designs have been assigned classifications illustrated in (Table 7).

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PULLEY AND SHAFT
SELECTION
The standardization of pulleys
lends itself to the ease of
choosing the correct pulley for
a given application. The most
commonly used pulley is the
standard steel pulley shown in
(Figure 8). Plain steel drum
pulleys are best used in dry
clean environments where trac-
tion is not critical, and when no
foreign material is present on
the return belt.
Conveyor pulleys may also be
covered with rubber, fabric, or
other material. This is referred
to as lagging. Lagging on a
drive pulley provides an
increase in the friction between
the belt and the pulley. Lagging
is also used to reduce abrasive
wear to the face of the pulley
and to create a self-cleaning
action on the surface of the pul-
ley. (Figure 9) illustrates a vul-
canized lagged drum pulley.
Typical grooving patterns
include Herringbone, Chevron,
and Diamond.
Plain rubber lagging on drum
pulleys is typically used in snub
applications where traction is
not critical (Figure 10).
Replaceable lagging is also
available. The lagging strips are
welded to the face of the pulley,
and can easily be replaced in
the field (Figure 11).
Wing pulleys are typically used
in tail pulley applications to
reduce the build up of material
between the belt and pulley
(Figure 12). Trapped materials
fall through the paddle-like for-
mations of the pulley. Lagged
winged pulleys (Figure 13) are
used in applications with abra-
sive material present on the
return side of the belt. It is natu-

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ral under these conditions for
the wing tips to wear premature-
ly. The rubber lagging will add
life to the pulley.
Shafting is commonly consid-
ered to be a part of the pulley
assembly since the strength
and rigidity of the assembly
depends on both of these com-
ponents. When choosing shaft
diameter, it is important to con-
sider both the shaft diameter
required for strength and shaft
diameter required for deflection.
Depending on the pulley
assembly, either strength or
deflection may be the deciding
factor of shaft diameter.

BELT CLEANERS
Carry back is the fugitive
material that sticks to the belt
after the belt passes over the
head pulley and subsequently
creates fugitive material piles
along the underside of the con-
veyor. Fugitive material is a
costly problem, considering
that many man-hours are spent
cleaning fugitive material piles.
In order to correct carry back, a
belt cleaner is used. This is
usually a form of wiper or
scraper device mounted near
the discharge (head) pulley.
A common type of belt cleaner
is the pre-cleaner. This is often
referred to as the primary
cleaner and functions by scrap-
ing off most of the carry back
leaving only a thin layer of fines
on the belt. The pre-cleaner is
mounted on the face of the head
pulley just below the discharge
trajectory. This allows the mate-
rial scraped from the belt to fall
with the discharge materials.
(Figure 14) shows a typical pre-
cleaner.

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Multiple cleaner systems are
the preferred method for elimi-
nating carry back. The multiple
systems consist of a pre-clean-
er and one or more secondary
cleaners. In addition to the
improvement in belt cleaning,
multiple belt cleaner systems
increase the time interval
between scheduled mainte-
nance times. Belt cleaners
should be positioned as close
to the head end as possible
(Figure 15).
Secondary cleaners are
designed to remove the thin
layer of fines left by the pre-
cleaner. It's best to place the
secondary cleaner in contact
with the belt while it is still
against the head pulley. This
enables the cleaner to scrape
against a firm surface.
There are several types of belt
cleaners available to eliminate
carry back. The brush type can
be driven by the pulley motion
or motorized (Figure 16). This
type is effective on dry materi-
als, as the bristles of the brush
sweep the belt clean. The dis-
advantage to brush type clean-
ers is the potential for build up
on the brush's bristles.
Pneumatic type belt cleaners
send a stream of air across the
face of the pulley to blow off the
carry back materials. They are
best utilized when moving dry
materials. The disadvantages of
the pneumatic cleaners are the
expense of the continual air
stream, and the creation of air-
borne dust as the carry back is
not deposited in the discharge
pile (Figure 17).

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There are two styles of wash-
type cleaners that use water to
clean the belt (Figure 18). The
first is a system that spays a
misting of water on the belt in
order to make the scraping
process easier. The second type
uses a high-pressure wash to
completely remove carry back.
Problems occur with these types
of cleaning systems with the
removal of the sludge that is cre-
ated. However, in some cases,
the water-material mixture can
be returned to the material load.
These systems also have the
potential for trouble under cold
operating conditions.
Return belt cleaner systems,
also known as v-plows, are used
to prevent large objects and
tramp iron on top of the return
belt from damaging conveyor
components. A low pressure
mechanical scraping is used to
remove the material from the belt
(Figure 19).

TAKE-UPS
All conveyors need some form
of take-up device in order to
ensure proper belt tension at the
tail to prevent spillage of materi-
als due to belt sag between the
idlers, and to provide enough
tension to prevent slippage
between the belt and the drive
pulley. They also compensate for
belt shrinkage or stretch, and
allow for extra belt length storage
for making replacement splices
in the belt.
The required take-up movement
length is determined by the type
of mechanism being used to
start and stop the conveyor, the
frequency of starts and stops
with a loaded belt, stretch char-
acteristics of the belt, and run-
ning tensions.

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There are two types of take-up
systems, manual and automat-
ic. The manual systems are
preferred when an automatic
take-up is impractical. They are
also preferred for use on short,
light conveyors where take-ups
are not as critical.
The take-ups shown here are
most commonly found on belt
conveyors. Window style take-
ups (Figure 20) are best uti-
lized on conveyors less than
150 feet in length. The travel
length of the take-up can be up
to 36 inches.
Telescoping Tube type take-ups
(Figure 21) can be used on
conveyors up to 150 feet in
length where headroom may be
a concern. The travel length of
the take-up can be up to 36
inches. The Scissors type verti-
cal gravity take-up (Figure 22)
is also used when headroom is
a concern. The travel length on
this take-up can be up to 8 feet.
Gravity take-ups (Figure 23)
are used on stationary convey-
ors over 150 feet long and
where vertical headroom is of
no concern.

TRANSFER POINTS
A transfer point is any point on
the conveyor where material is
loaded onto or unloaded from
the conveyor belt. The ideal
transfer point would be
designed to load the belt in the
center and at a uniform rate.
They should also reduce the
impact of the material falling on
the belt and maintain a mini-
mum angle of inclination of the
belt at the loading point. The
design of discharge chutes and
other loading equipment should
take these topics into consider-
ation. Other factors such as

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capacity, size, characteristics of
material handled, speed, and
inclination of the belt should also
be considered.

SKIRTBOARDS
Skirtboards are used to keep
transfer material on the belt after
it leaves the loading chute until it
reaches belt speed. They are
usually an extension of the load-
ing chute and extend for some
distance along the conveyor
(Figure 24). The distance
between the skirtboard and the
conveyor belt is critical.
Skirtboards need to be placed
high enough so that they never
come into contact with the belt.
The gap between the belt and
skirtboards should be as small
as allowable. The closer they are
together the easier it is to main-
tain a seal between them. The
gap between the bottom edge of
the skirtboard and the belt is
usually sealed by a flexible rub-
ber strip attached or clamped to
the exterior of the skirtboard.
Skirtboard length can be based
on a rule-of-thumb of 2 to 3 feet
per 100 feet per minute of belt
travel. The material should be
traveling the same speed as the
belt when it leaves the load
area.

IMPACT ABSORBING
SYSTEMS
Transfer point structures can rapidly deteriorate due to loading zone impact
from heavy objects or material with sharp edges. Loading zone impacts also
cause wear and damage to the conveyor belt, weakening the belt carcass. To
aid in the prevention of this damage, transfer points should be designed to
lessen the height of the material drop. There are also devices made to reduce
impact at transfer points. Impact idlers may be used at the transfer point; these
are troughing idlers that have rubber-cushioned rollers to absorb impact.
Impact cradles can also be positioned under the conveyor belt to absorb
impact at loading areas.

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EMERGENCY STOP
SWITCHES AND CONVEYOR GUARDING
Emergency stop switches consist of a pull-cable that
runs along the side of the conveyor and is connected
to a switch approximately every 100 feet of the con-
veyor's length (Figure 25). The emergency stop
switch either shuts down the conveyor system or
sounds an alarm if the cord is pulled, providing an
extra safety device for operators and conveyor main-
tenance workers.
Another safety device important in conveyor design is
guarding. Machine guarding provides a safer working
environment. Some examples are shown below. Drive
guards are used to cover v-belt drives, rotating
shafts, and jackshafts (Figure 26).
Return roll guards (Figure 27) are used to guard
return idlers that are less than 7 feet from the ground
or accessible by operators or maintenance personnel.
Side guards (Figure 28) are used on transfer points
to prevent access to pinch points and rotating compo-
nents.

CONVEYOR MAINTENANCE
SAFETY
Before performing maintenance
on a conveyor, it is important to
be aware of general safety
guidelines that will help protect
operators and maintenance per-
sonnel from injury. The first step
is to read the conveyor manufac-
turer's operations manual.
Manuals have instructions spe-
cific to each conveyor on mainte-
nance schedules, procedures,
and requirements. The following
sections discuss safety proce-
dures that should be followed
before and during conveyor
maintenance.

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GENERAL SAFETY
GUIDELINES
Do not allow anyone to operate
or perform maintenance on a
conveyor until they have read
the manufacturer's operations
manual and are completely
familiar with all safety precau-
tions.
• Do not allow the following
people to operate or maintain
the conveyor...
- Children
- Persons unfamiliar with the
equipment, or unfamiliar with
safe operating and
maintenance procedures for
the equipment.
- Persons under the influence
of alcohol, medications, or
other drugs that can
impair judgment or cause
drowsiness.
• Make sure everyone is clear
of the conveyor before start-
ing the belt, during
operation, or maintenance.
Never allow anyone to ride on
the conveyor.
• Do not leave conveyor unat-
tended while in operation.
• Do not wear loose hanging
clothes, neckties, or jewelry.
Long hair is to be placed
under a cap or hat. These
precautions will help prevent
you from becoming caught in
the moving parts of the
conveyor.
• Wear safety glasses, ear protection, respirators, gloves, hard hats, safety
shoes, and other protective clothing when required. Requirements for per-
sonal protective equipment will vary depending upon conveyor placement
and material to be conveyed. It is the responsibility of conveyor operators to
be certain they make use of all necessary personal protective equipment.
• Buildup of materials on pulleys or idlers will lead to belt misalignment or
damage. When removing such materials, the conveyor must be stopped

15
and power controls must be locked out or tagged out.
• The conveyor should not be used to handle materials other than those
specified as part of its design and manufacture. It is the operator's
responsibility to be aware of the conveyor system capacities and operate
the conveyor accordingly.
• Make sure the operator's area is clear of any distracting objects. Keep work
areas clean, and free of grease and oil to avoid slipping or falling.
• Periodically check all guards, shields, and structural members. Replace or
repair anything that could cause a potential hazard.
• When the belt is moving, the material travels at a speed sufficient to cause
injury. Do not start the conveyor until you are certain no one is exposed
to the moving parts or to the material being discharged from the end of the
conveyor.
• When doing maintenance work on structural parts or repairing any moving
parts:
- Disconnect and lockout or tagout all power sources. Know OSHA require-
ments.
- When welding is required, disconnect all power sources and connect
ground to point closest to welding area.
- Block all wheels to prevent the conveyor from moving, and block any
extended hydraulic cylinders to prevent them from moving or retracting.
• If any safety devices are not functioning properly, do not use the conveyor.
Remove it from service until it has been properly repaired.
• Do not replace components or parts with other than factory-recommended
service parts. To do so may decrease the effectiveness of the unit.
• Do not lubricate parts while the conveyor is running.
• Before starting engines within enclosed areas, be certain ventilation is
sufficient to avoid buildup of exhaust fumes.
• Relieve any and all pressure before opening, repairing, or removing any air
pressure lines, hydraulic lines, valves, fittings, or seals. In the event of a
hydraulic line rupture, stay clear of the area until pressure has been
relieved. Clean up any spilled fluid before performing repairs in the area.
• It is the operator's responsibility to be aware of equipment operation and
work area hazards at all times.
• Operators are responsible to know the location and function of all controls
and indicators, including electrical power panels, hydraulic controls, motor
controls, incline indicators, fuel and oil level indicators, belt scale controls,
etc.
• Operators are responsible to know the location and function of all guards
and shields including but not limited to drive guards, pulley guards, and nip
guards; and are responsible to make certain that all guards are in place
when operating the conveyor.

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• Operators are responsible to be aware of safety hazard areas and follow
instructions on warning, caution, or danger decals applied to the conveyor.
Safety hazard areas may include but are not limited to:
- Pinch points at fold hinge areas
- Pinch points at fold support areas
- Pinch points where locking pins are used
- Electrical control panels
- Moving parts hazards on drives
- Moving parts hazards where contact with belts and idlers is possible

GENERAL CONVEYOR MAINTENANCE


• Carefully read through all safety instructions in the owner's manual.
• Return and trough idlers are either greaseable or non-greaseable. Check
greaseable idlers to be sure they are filled with grease.
• Check to be sure the reducer is filled to the proper oil level.
• Check all other fluid levels.
• Check to be sure that skirtboards at loading points are installed and adjust-
ed.
• Check equipment wiring-any and all wiring must be done by a qualified
electrician.
• Loosen and remove the v-belts by adjusting the torque arm reducer or
motor mount tension bolts. Turn the driven sheave by hand to determine the
direction of rotation. Run the drive motor or use a phase rotation indicator
to determine the drive sheave direction of rotation. If both sheaves are not
rotating in the same direction, the unit must be rewired by a qualified elec-
trician. Adjust the torque arm reducer or motor mount tension bolts to set v-
belts at proper tension.
• If conveyor has multiple motors, steps should be taken to ensure the con-
veyor load is shared equally between the motors. Use amperage meters to
measure the current drawn by the motors. Adjust the tension of the v-belts
on the drives until the readings from the motors are equal. Be certain not to
over tighten the v-belts. The drives should be checked periodically to see if
the motor load is still balanced.
• When a belt scraper is used, be sure that it is properly installed, tensioned,
and working.
• Be certain all guards and safety devices are in place and in working order.
• Visually inspect all hoses, lines, and belts for leaks, wear, and damage.
• Check and remove all tools and any foreign objects from the belt, particu-
larly on the return run side where they may get between the pulleys and
belt. Grease on the belt should be removed immediately as it will
deteriorate the belt.
• Make certain no parts of the conveyor power, hydraulics, or moving parts
have been locked out or tagged out. If they have, determine who placed
the lockouts, and have them remove the lockouts or tagouts before
starting the conveyor.
• Walk completely around the conveyor, making certain no other personnel
are under, on top of, or next to the conveyor. Warn anyone nearby that you
are starting up the conveyor.

17
• After starting the conveyor, check all controls and indicators or gauges to
be certain they are in working order.
• Check the operation of safety stop lines and switches, if applicable, after
starting the conveyor.

IDLER MAINTENANCE
All regreaseable idler series use the same principle: One shot-grease
through, with a standard alemite 1627-B on one end and a bushing-pressure
relief fitting combination on the other end. If a change in the greasing side of
the idler is needed after the idler is installed, the fittings are interchangeable.
• The idler rolls are filled with grease at the factory.
Idlers that have been stored for longer periods of time need to be purged
and re-filled with grease.
• Idlers should be re-lubricated every 800 - 1000
hours unless running in extremely dirty or wet conditions where more fre-
quent greasing would be required.
• Do not over-grease! More idlers fail from over-greasing than from lack of
grease. Make sure all fittings are cleaned before and after greasing.
• Re-lubrication should not be done when outside temperature is below freez
ing. Grease is sluggish and stiff at these temperatures and may cause inter
nal damage.
• Roller grease seals are designed to hold in grease while there is pressure
in the idler lubrication system. When grease passes through all three rolls,
the pressure relief fit restricts the flow, causing internal pressure that
results in grease being purged through the bearings. At a maximum
pressure of 25 lbs., the relief fitting releases; thus protecting seals from
excessive pressure. Leakage may occur around the outside ring of the
seals. This is known as star burst or starring. This will flush the
contaminants away from the bearing.

General guidelines for greasing idlers:


Mild Conditions: Inside, protected from weather, dry material being con-
veyed.
Grease every 1000 hours.
Normal Conditions: Exposed to weather, but only dry material being
conveyed.
Grease every 800 - 1000 hours.
Severe Conditions: Exposed to weather with water in material being
conveyed.
Grease every 100 - 200 hours.
Extreme Conditions: Grease after every 40 hours of operation or more often
if necessary.

18
INSTALLING A CONVEYOR
BELT
Belts are customarily pack-
aged in crates that can be
rolled from place to place.
Crates and rolls are usually
marked with an arrow that
shows the direction in which
they should be rolled.
When hoisting the belt roll, a
bar should be passed through
the hole in the center of the roll.
Fasten chain or cable to the
ends of the bar for lifting, and
use a spreader bar above the
roll to prevent damage to the
edge of the belt.
Always store the belt roll sus-
pended on a tube or bar, or
resting on the face width of the
belt. Storing the belt roll with
weight on one edge may
stretch the belt, making it diffi-
cult to square at assembly and
train during the initial operation.
Belts should be stored in a dry,
cool building. Never drop the
belt or store it on its edges.
Installation of the belt begins
with building a suitable stand
behind the conveyor and then
aligning the belting roll with the
conveyor frame (Figure 29). If
the area behind the conveyor
will not permit this method of
threading, the roll of belting can
be suspended above the con-
veyor frame for threading.
Next, check the position of the side take-up bearings to make sure they are
positioned all the way to the retracted position. This will give you maximum
take-up ability after belt installation. Then check the belt to make sure the load
side (side with the thickest rubber covering) is facing up.
Most belting is shipped from the factory cut to length with additional allowance
for squaring ends for the splice.
The molded edges on new belts are not always straight and parallel.
Whenever practical, it is recommended to square ends of belt with the cen-
terline of the belt. Mark the center point of the belt using a light colored chalk
or pencil (Figure 30). Then draw an average centerline using these points as

19
a guide. Locate two center points on the belt such that arcs will overlay. Draw
the arcs on the belt. Using a steel straight edge, draw the square line through
the two arc intersecting points (A). Measure an equal distance (B) on both
sides of belt from square line to the cut line.
Next, position the fastener manufacturer's template on the belt (or fashion
one yourself given the manufacturer's recommendation for fastener spacing)
and punch holes in the end of the belt for the fasteners. Always follow the
manufacturer's recommendations as to the proper size of fasteners to be used
on any belt. Attach a clamping plate onto the end of the belt to enable an even
pull for threading the belt onto the conveyor.
Place the pulling plate on the bottom side of the belt so it will pass more eas-
ily over the troughing idlers. Bolt the clamping plate to the belt through the fas-
tener holes. The number of bolts should be proportionate to the amount of pull
exerted.
Connect a cable or rope to the clamping plate. A braking system can be
made by using a belt clamp mounted on the conveyor frame to prevent belt
runaway while threading. Slowly pull the belt into position (near the tail sec-
tion for easy access) with a block and tackle or similar equipment.
Attach 2 stretcher clamps roughly 3 feet from each end of the belt. Make sure
the stretcher clamp on the squared end of the belt is parallel with the belt end.
Remove the clamping plate and firmly attach the parallel stretcher clamp to
the conveyor frame.
Evenly draw the belt ends together, using a cable-jack or similar means, and
pull the unsquared end of the belt over the top of the squared end until the
correct belt tension is obtained. Maintaining this tension, create a centerline
following the procedure described earlier, and mark a squared line where the
belt must be cut for the splice.
Place a wooden plank under the splice point to facilitate the cutting and
punching of holes in the belt. Cut the belt, position the fastener manufactur-
er's template on the belt end, and punch holes for the fasteners.
The use of belt tape under the belt fasteners is recommended to help rein-
force the splice area. Refer to instructions included with the belt fasteners for
proper installation.

CONVEYOR BELT TRAINING


Belt training is a process of adjusting idlers and loading conditions in a man-
ner that will correct any tendency of the belt to run off of center. Never attempt
to train the belt by unequal adjustment of take-ups. The take-ups are only to
be used for keeping the tail pulley square with the conveyor frame and to
maintain belt tension.
The training of a conveyor belt causing it to travel over the center area of
troughing idlers, pulleys, and return idlers is vitally important to trouble-free
operation and low maintenance cost. Unless a belt itself is warped and curved
from improper manufacture, use, or storage, it is possible to train it for central
running. The following recommendations are basic to belt training procedures:
1. Level all frames crosswise as gravity will force the belt off-center if one side
of the conveyor frame is lower than the other (Figure 31).

20
2. Square the tail pulley with the frame. Locate and
mark point A at the midpoint of a conveyor cross
member. Next, measure an arbitrary distance from
point A to locate a point X on the edge of the con-
veyor frame. Then measure the same distance from
point A to measure a point Y on the other edge of
the conveyor frame. Line XY should now be square
with the conveyor frame.
On the other side of the square line (line XY),
locate a point B at the midpoint of a cross member.
Measure the distance of BX and BY to verify that
line XY is square. Line BX and BY should be equal.
Clamp a straight edge to the conveyor frame direct-
ly on top of the square line. Any component on the
conveyor can now be squared by measuring from
the straight edge equal distance on each side
(Figure 31, distance C).
3. Square all troughing and return idlers with the
frame by measuring from the straight edge on both
sides of the conveyor and tighten the
attachment bolts.
4. Check the belt splice for squareness. Check the
belt run on the return run side of the conveyor, or
place a large plywood board under the belt on the
load side to get accurate measurements.
5. Run the conveyor empty and at reduced speed if
possible. If the belt should show a side creep at
only the splice area and this progressed along the conveyor instead of
remaining at one point on the frame, the splice may not be square and may
have to be redone. If necessary, resplice the belt. If you don't have sufficient
belt length to resplice after squaring the belt ends, you will have to add a
section of belt. When adding belt sections, remove enough length from the
original belt to allow for a minimum distance of 3 feet between belt splices.
Once you have determined the splice is square, examine the return run side
of the conveyor for side creep first, beginning at the head end and working
down to the tail. Make adjustments where side creep occurs as follows:
A. The point of maximum side creep (D) requires adjustment of a preceding
idler (E) when you are facing in the direction of belt travel.
B. Loosen the bolts and pivot the idler (E) around its midpoint just as you
would turn a steering wheel to bring an automobile back to the center of its
lane. Make these adjustments in small amounts; tighten the bolts and
make a test run after each adjustment to see the effect on side creep. Run
the belt at least three revolutions for the adjustment to take effect. If the
point of maximum side creep changes, adjust the idler that precedes that
new point.
C. When the slow running belt is centered, change to a higher speed (if
possible). Load the belt with material and continue testing until normal
operating conditions cause no deviation from central running.

21
6. Examine the load run side of the conveyor following the belt travel from tail
to head end. Make the same adjustments where side creep occurs.

LOADING THE BELT


After the conveyor has been thoroughly checked over and all belt training
completed, the conveyor can be loaded. Start with a light load and gradually
work up to the load that the conveyor was designed to handle. When stopping
the conveyor, operate until the belt is clear of material, especially at the end of
each working day. During cold weather, material remaining on the belt will
freeze to the belt and may cause damage.
Rubber skirtboards are bolted to the trough to form the load centrally on the
belt, to prevent side spillage, and to prevent material from spilling out the back
or bottom of the trough. Larger material spilling out the back of the trough has
potential to catch in the belt or damage the tail pulley. Skirtboards will require
adjustment or replacement as they wear.
Material should be stilled on the belt before it reaches the end of the skirt-
boards. If the material particles are still tumbling as they pass the skirtboard
ends, belt speed may need to be adjusted, feed arrangement or rate may need
to be adjusted, or the skirtboards may need to be extended in order to avoid
side spillage of material.

BELT TIGHTENING AND REPAIR


Conveyors with manual take-ups are equipped with side adjusting bolts at the
tail end to maintain the necessary belt tension. With a wrench, loosen the
take-up side adjusting bolts to move the sliding bearing assemblies forward.
Apply the proper tension to the belt to prevent slippage and excessive belt sag
between troughing idlers, and then re-tighten the take-up side adjusting bolts.
Fasteners can be used to make quick
repairs to belt tears or to replace belt
sections with new pads of the same
belting. Coat all exposed edges or cuts
with rubber cementing compound to
prevent any moisture or foreign mate-
rial from entering the belt carcass and
causing further damage.

TROUBLESHOOTING
The following is a troubleshooting
guide with suggested solutions to
some common conveyor problems.
Match troubleshooting table (Table 8)
to the corresponding number on the
troubleshooting key.

22 23
NOTES:

24
TM

SUPERIOR INDUSTRIES
301 East Hwy 28 • PO Box 684 • Morris, MN 56267 USA • 800-321-1558 • Fax 320-589-2260 • www.superior-ind.com
0102 © copyright 2002 Superior
Industries

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