If you own an armory of construction machinery, you’d know that their maintenance is key. Conveyor belts are no exception to this norm. Used in concrete plants, these belts are integral to the smooth and uninterrupted functioning of the asphalt mixing plants they are a part of. That’s why maintenance is of paramount importance.
To begin with, conveyor belts need be maintained from time to time, not by itself, but together with its frame. The person doing the maintenance needs to be cognizant with the construction of the belt. Basic maintenance requires in-depth familiarity with the equipment and its framework.
So, in a nutshell, maintenance is a big part of using conveyor belts. It works best when you have a checklist of maintenance work for it. Get them done from time to time to keep your conveyor belts in perfect shape.
The Maintenance Drill for conveyor belts
Maintenance drill for conveyor belts involves a thorough examination of the belt from both sides.
- It starts by understanding and appreciating the physical condition of the equipment.
- The conveyor belt needs to be run to see how it’s doing prior to the maintenance. If any unusual behavior is noticed in the components, that should be attended to during the maintenance work.
- If the repair person sees any anomaly in the function, they should take note.
- Anything that sticks out or is stuck in should also be removed.
- The repairman should also look for misalignment in the machine. All abnormal belt tracking should be repaired.
- Drive amperage needs checking.
All the said things need to be listed down and compared to their factor levels with similar loads to see how much performance has depreciated and how it can be restored.
What an Asphalt Plant Operator Can Do for Maintenance?
If you have a conveyor belt in your premise, you must only let an authorized operator run it. Below are some of the dons and don’ts of Asphalt Plant operating a conveyor belt.
- A conveyor belt is inoperable when its motor guards are set in position.
- If a component is stuck inside, the conveyor should be stopped first before a retrieval is attempted.
- Personnel in anything but work apparel should not be allowed near the belt.
- Conveyor belts must be maintenance regularly to keep them going smoothly.
- All spillages near the conveyor need to be promptly cleaned.
- Anything sharp stuck in the conveyor belt should be removed without delay.
- All repair works must be promptly done to ensure that the issue does not escalate.
- Loading and transfer points should be checked for spillage from time to time.
- All materials should be loaded only at the center of the belt.
- For maximum output and longevity of a conveyor belt, the machine and its moving parts should be taken well care of.
Things to Check When Inspecting a Conveyor Belt
Here is a list of things that need checking before a conveyor belt maintenance run.
- Alignment of the belt
- Removal of all foreign components
- Structure maintenance
- Removal of spillage
- Setting up of the scrapper
- Repositioning all things off-center
- Adjustment of the skit boards