How to Maintain Conveyors: A Complete Rundown!

Conveyors are a reliable, cost effective means of moving parcels. They help warehouses, distribution centres and post depots load and unload transit vehicles, move goods through automated sortation systems, and prove invaluable to businesses with speed and efficiency targets.

Although conveyors may seem like simple devices, proper care and maintenance is essential to ensure they function correctly and lead long service lives. Maintenance affects all aspects of operational effectiveness, including safety, efficiency, and system availability. Companies that pay proper attention to conveyor maintenance benefit from high levels of productivity and lower costs.

Maintenance for both belt and roller conveyors falls into three categories - predicted, preventive and corrective. Predicted and preventive maintenance are advantageous because they greatly reduce the chances of conveyors breaking down. In addition, businesses can schedule servicing to a convenient time and have the parts and materials ready.

Corrective maintenance (repair) takes place if all or part of a conveyor fails. It tends to disrupt production schedules, but prevents further damage to the machine.

What is predicted maintenance?

If a component fails, it can cause the conveyor to break down. Companies that operate predictive maintenance either replace components at regular intervals, or as they begin to show signs of wear, minimising this problem.

Conveyor manufacturers often supply guides with their equipment, which specify part replacement intervals. These are generally reliable, but regularly check components such as the drives and roller bearings to prevent problems.

Preventive maintenance extends conveyor service life

Preventive maintenance for conveyors terms the regular inspections and housekeeping duties all users should perform. This includes lubricating components, removing built-up material, and testing electrical components to keep them functioning safely.

Preventive maintenance inspections should cover the main components and operating systems. Only allow qualified engineers to carry out repair work. Ensure safety by switching off and isolating conveyors while it takes place. Preventive maintenance tasks vary depending on the type of conveyor system.

For instance, take conveyors that use belts to transport parcels: belts are expensive and require special care. Belt maintenance starts with alignment (or tracking). Correct tracking is essential to the safe, trouble-free operation of any belt conveyor. A belt is tracked well when its edges remain within the width of the pulley and roller components.

To achieve this, ensure the conveyor is centred and level. Pulleys, snub rollers and idlers must fit square within the frame and be perfectly parallel. Check the belt’s tension to avoid slippage and keep it clean. Dirt on the belt will affect tracking as it creates additional roll or pulley face.

The wear and condition of the belt is also important. Inspect its surfaces and edges for signs of damage, and repair if necessary. Pay particular attention to splice points (the areas where belts join to form a continuous loop). Damaged or failing splice points can destroy a conveyor belt.

Some conveyors use powered rollers to transport parcels. While inspecting a roller conveyor in operation, check for rollers that do not rotate or rotate irregularly. When the system is at rest and electrically locked out, examine these closely and clean, lubricate or replace as required.

Whatever type of conveyor system is in use, good housekeeping is an important part of preventive maintenance. Service routines are machine specific and tailored to meet individual customer operational demands. However, they often involve some of the following tasks:

• Test emergency stop controls
• Lubricate components such as bearings and pulleys
• Check all guards and warning signs are in place
• Inspect belt (if fitted) for tracking and signs of wear
• Keep the conveyor clean and free from dirt and grease
• Ensure photoeyes (if fitted) are clean and unobstructed
• Check unit for dents or signs of overload or fatigue
• Make sure there are no leaks and the power levelling system (if fitted) is functioning correctly
• Inspect all motors, gearboxes and bearings for leaking seals or other early indications of failure
• Check belt (if fitted) and lacing for signs of wear or fraying from incorrect tracking
• Inspect booms for rubbing – this can indicate the cable or rollers need adjusting
• Ensure chain tension is correct on the base drive
• Check cables are equally tensioned – this will ensure telescopic machines extend and retract properly
• Inspect cable pulleys for wear
• Check hydraulic system and hoses for leaks and tighten if necessary
• Check electrical components and cables for damage
• Look for dust and debris build up – clean and vacuum as required
• Check the belt pulleys and adjusters are tight and there are no signs of unusual wear

Corrective maintenance – a last resort

If the worst happens, and a conveyor fails during operation, replace any worn components and fix the machine at the earliest opportunity. This may disrupt normal production schedules but do not continue to run a malfunctioning conveyor – this could cause further damage and prove costly to repair.

Looking after conveying equipment properly extends its service life, and keeps it functional, efficient and safe to use. Many maintenance tasks are simple and require minimal training to perform. However, some demand a qualified service engineer.

Operational maintenance contracts

Conveyor systems range in size and complexity, from small businesses with just one or two machines, to giant warehouses or distribution centres with hundreds of loading bays. Managing these systems and making the most from them can be a daunting task. It also detracts a company’s internal resources away from its core business.

Many manufacturers offer tailored servicing contracts, which provide an effective way of managing conveying equipment and reduce maintenance costs. They allow clients to concentrate on primary business activities and improve operational efficiency.

Service contracts include regular service visits for predicted maintenance, 24-hour callout support, system integration and networking, and equipment monitoring. Clients can track the life cycle of individual machines and optimise performance to suit their business needs. Service contracts are often a realistic, cost-effective alternative to training in-house engineers.

The best service contract suppliers use support centres to monitor sites and machines. Experts analyse trends produced from engineering reports, and detect early warnings of component failures and other malfunctions. This allows the correction of problems before inconvenient breakdowns occur.

Conveyor maintenance can be hassle-free if managed effectively. Poor conveyor maintenance results in break downs, lost productivity, employee injury through accidents, and lawsuits - all of which come at a high cost!