As core equipment in industrial production and logistics, the stable operation of conveyor belts directly impacts production line efficiency and safety. Scientific maintenance focuses on the following aspects:
Daily Inspection: Spotting Hazards Early
Establish regular inspection protocols focused on the following areas:
Belt Surface: Inspect for tears, scratches, or abrasions, and be alert to sharp debris in the conveying path that may pierce the belt. Check the wear of cover rubber—repair or replace the belt if the internal fabric is exposed, the surface becomes fuzzy, or the thickness decreases by over 30% (this protects the belt’s skeletal materials from corrosion or breakage).
Joints (Weak Points): Inspect for adhesive separation, edge warping, or exposed steel wires (in the case of steel cord belts). Ensure uniform tension to prevent localized stress fractures. For mechanical joints, verify that buckles are not loose or deformed; for hot-vulcanized joints, check for bubbles or cracks (ultrasonic detectors may be used to detect internal defects if necessary).
Operation Status: Monitor for belt deviation. Persistent one-sided deviation—caused by skewed idlers, uneven tension, or misaligned rollers—requires immediate adjustment to prevent edge wear or tearing. Listen for abnormal noises: a “creaking” sound (indicating friction) or a “clanging” sound (indicating impact) may signal seized idlers, damaged bearings, or material blockages—immediate shutdown is required in such cases.
Cleaning & Maintenance: Reducing Wear and Corrosion
Cleanliness directly impacts service life, particularly when conveying dusty, moist, or corrosive materials (e.g., coal, chemicals). Key practices include:
Surface Residues: After shutdown, perform daily cleaning using scrapers, high-pressure water, or brushes. For food-grade belts, use food-safe cleaning agents (e.g., neutral detergents) to prevent contamination.
Idlers & Rollers: Remove deposits from idlers weekly to prevent uneven stress on the belt (which can lead to deviation or wear); replace seized idlers to eliminate sliding friction. Deploy automatic cleaning devices (e.g., polyurethane scrapers) to remove surface buildup on rollers in real time, thus preventing slippage or deviation.
Special Environments: In high-temperature settings (e.g., steel mills), cool the belts regularly to prevent rubber aging; lubricate roller bearings with high-temperature grease. In humid or dusty environments, apply anti-rust oil to tensioning components (e.g., screws, chains) to prevent rust-induced malfunctions.
Tension Adjustment & Deviation Correction: Balancing Stress
Uneven tension and belt deviation are common issues that require scientific adjustment:
Tension Control: New belts experience initial stretching. Tension checks should be performed based on the belt material: nylon belts (which have a 10–20% elongation rate) require weekly checks during the first month, while aramid or polyester belts (with <3% elongation) can be checked monthly. Excessive tension (which causes fatigue fractures) and insufficient tension (which leads to slippage) should both be avoided. Optimal tension—calculated based on conveying capacity and speed—is monitored using gauges or sensors on the tensioning device.
Deviation Correction: For minor deviation (<50mm), adjust the idlers: if the belt drifts to the left, rotate the left-side idlers at the deviation point by 1–2° in the direction of belt travel (this uses friction to realign the belt). For severe deviation, check the parallelism of roller axes using a laser collimator (allowable error: ≤0.5mm/m); replace or reposition rollers with uneven wear.
Long-Term Maintenance: Extending Lifespan
Complement daily maintenance with material- and environment-specific long-term plans, including:
Storage: Clean idle belts, then roll them (with a minimum diameter 10 times the belt width—e.g., a 1m-wide belt requires a roll diameter of ≥10m) and store them in a dry, well-ventilated area. Avoid exposure to direct sunlight or rain to slow rubber aging. Rotate the rolls monthly to prevent compressive deformation.
Regular Testing: Conduct annual comprehensive tests covering tensile strength (≥3000MPa for aramid belts), wear resistance (wear loss <0.5g/h), and joint strength (≥80% of the belt’s overall strength). For belts in service for more than 3 years, add aging tests to the annual protocol. Replace belts early if the cover rubber’s hardness changes by >20% or its tensile strength decreases by >30%.
By integrating these daily inspection, targeted cleaning, precise tension adjustment, and long-term maintenance strategies, conveyor belts can operate consistently at peak efficiency while maximizing their service life. Such systematic care minimizes unexpected breakdowns, lowers operational costs associated with premature replacement, and ensures the uninterrupted flow of industrial and logistics processes. Ultimately, proactive maintenance transforms conveyor belts from ordinary equipment into reliable pillars of production, emphasizing that their longevity and performance depend not only on high-quality design but also on consistent, science-based care.
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