How to select your next conveyor

Knowing how far the material has to travel and identifying challenges caused by floorspace restrictions influences the conveyor design. Images: PRAB

Conveyors must be able to withstand tough conditions and heavy materials.

Manufacturers that add or update conveyors can improve reliability, reduce unplanned maintenance, and lower total cost of ownership through a combination of planning, engineering, automation, and maintenance.

Here are some key considerations that can help you avoid elevated maintenance expenses and downtime.

1. Planning

First, you need to identify the goals for the new conveyor. These can include increasing efficiency, reducing downtime, improving workplace safety, lowering total cost of ownership, reducing energy costs, and minimizing labour requirements.

In conjunction with setting a goal, it’s important to define the scope of the project, evaluating all possible improvements. This will help ensure that you meet your long-term operational goals.

Conveyors can enhance production/waste stream management at many points in the process, including:

• Transferring finished parts
• Transferring metal scrap and fluids
• Aiding metal scrap processing

Knowing the characteristics of the material being moved is fundamental to conveyor specification. Factors to consider include:

• How heavy is the load?
• What volume of material needs to be conveyed?
• Is the material wet or dry?
• What is the composition of the material?
• How far is the material being moved?
• Is the material flowable?

Finally, examine footprint and configuration considerations. Knowing how far the material has to travel and identifying challenges caused by floorspace restrictions influences the conveyor design.

2. Engineering

The best conveyor for a given operation depends on the application, metal type, temperature, weight, and plant layout. As a result, a dynamic set of application criteria must be engineered to handle all factors. In fact, multiple conveyor types are often used in combination to accomplish production goals.

One of the most important considerations is how the material will be introduced to the system. The impact of dropping material from considerable heights can damage the belt. It also can cause the material to bounce on the belt and work its way inside the conveyor, damaging the internal mechanics. Impact plates, load shoes, and a load bar often are necessary to prevent damage. Also, centring payloads helps prevent material from getting inside the conveyor’s frame.

Installing the right conveyor—or combination of conveyors—increases productivity, improves workplace safety, and decreases downtime.

Surge loading should be avoided. Interlocking the conveyor into the equipment that is feeding it is the best way to prevent this.

Heavy loads are another problem. Taking care to ensure the conveyor’s pitch can sufficiently handle the weight and bulk density of the material is necessary for steel belt and pivot belt conveyors. Occasionally, loads weigh more than the conveyor is designed to move, which puts a strain on motors. Selecting conveyors with torque-limiting protection that automatically shuts the conveyor down helps prevent equipment damage.

When it comes to the material being moved, abrasive materials decrease the life span of certain wear surfaces on the conveyor. Additionally, leakproof construction is necessary for retaining cutting fluids.

It is also critically important that the conveyor is engineered to provide a clean discharge of material to avoid carryover that can require maintenance to correct. For conveyors transferring metal scrap, even distribution of the metal scrap into storage containers can help prevent pockets of unused space inside the container. During load-out, this will help ensure the maximum amount of metal scrap is being hauled away in each container.

3. Automation

If conveyors are integrated into another system, especially an automated one, the controls become a critically important part of the equation. The program must be able to handle all outcomes that the automated system is capable of.

Control systems programmed to monitor conveyor performance enable operators to time preventive maintenance to minimize impact on production. They also can provide maintenance-schedule alerts. Remote monitoring systems warn maintenance staff of a potential issue without them having to physically be at the machine.

Although controls help prevent labour-intensive, unplanned maintenance, that doesn’t mean controls make the conveyors “hands off.” All operators need to understand how the conveyor system interacts with the automated system, as well as startup and shutdown procedures.

4. Maintenance

Although the frequency of maintenance and inspections depends on run-time, routine conveyor upkeep is to be expected. This includes lubricating bearings and rollers with an advanced lubricant and inspecting belts for wear and slack.

Making maintenance easier saves time. Ensuring access panels are installed in key areas—such as points that may be susceptible to jams—and having removable guarding can help operators complete maintenance more quickly. Additionally, certain conveyor options can help operations automate routine maintenance. These include:

• Automatic lubricating systems that supply a small amount of clean grease or oil to conveyor bearings to ensure consistent lubrication, improving bearing performance and eliminating the need for personnel to manually lubricate bearings.
• Automatic take-up systems that monitor tension using load cells on chain conveyors and tighten the belt to eliminate manual adjustments and downtime. Automatic adjustments can be scheduled to be completed during low production times or shift changes.

When it comes to efficiency, conveyors are vital assets. Installing the right conveyor—or combination of conveyors—increases productivity, improves workplace safety, and decreases downtime. Investing the time upfront to carefully select your next conveyor will position your company for sustainable improvements for years to come.

Mike Hook is the director of sales and marketing at PRAB, 5801 East N. Ave., Kalamazoo, Mich. 49048, 877-558-9834, www.prab.com.