With rising economic and capital budgeting challenges, one of the most daunting challenges for the large companies is maintaining the efficiency of their conveyor belts. As the conveyor systems and belts have advanced, their maintenance and upkeep have become complex in nature. Due to tough competition and complexities in manufacturing and processing environment, factory owners find it difficult to maintain their conveyor belts. Conveyor belts have played their role in enhancing the productivity by minimizing human efforts.
Conveyor systems are a collection of inter-related components that require timely maintenance. The parts generally include motors, pulley bearings, couplings or industrial gearboxes. Regular upkeep of these spare parts is necessary for smooth functioning of the conveyor belts.
Here are some tips that will assist you in maintaining the efficiency of your conveyor belts. Have a look at them.
Hiring a Maintenance Technician:
It is important to hire a maintenance technician when working with conveyor belts and systems. As these technicians are experts in their respective fields, they can easily detect the problems with conveyors and provide best preventive measures and solutions to the existing obstructions. Despite the irregularities involved in the manufacturing process, these technical experts have their significant role in maintaining the quality of the belts and ensuring the smooth functioning of the systems.
Replacement of Spare Parts:
As a conveyor system has a lot of interdependent parts or components, malfunctioning of one may result in disruptions of the whole system. It is impossible for an individual to detect the problems in the system, so hiring a maintenance technician will serve as a bonus in these cases.
If you do not have a technician on your side then, you should take necessary steps to investigate the spare parts timely and take required steps for their replacement. Worn out or eroded parts should be replaced as soon as possible. Make sure that screws, pulleys, and other spare parts are placed properly to keep the equipment aligned and fully functional.
Repair the Broken Belts and Conveyor Parts:
Maintaining large equipment is not an easy task. Instead of replacing the parts every time, you can get them repaired when the need arises. If any section of the drives gets slow, simple cleaning or greasing can also restore its original position.
System Audit and Documentation:
It is imperative to check and audit the conveyor belt systems regularly. Periodic checkups and records of the performance of the conveyor belts help in assessing the possible shortcomings and prevent major hazardous problems. Furthermore, documentation and auditing of the system gives in-depth knowledge about the smooth and worn out parts of the conveyor systems. In addition to this, system auditing helps in preparing estimates of the probable replacement and repair costs.
Preventive Maintenance:
Instead of waiting for the conveyor systems to break down completely and disrupt your operations, it is significant to take preventive measures timely. There are different components that are inter-dependent on each other and each requires different maintenance procedures. So it is always advisable to make a plan for different maintenance activities. Doing so will lessen the time that might have been taken up in repairing the whole system and provides you with better efficiency.