Industrial Conveyor Belt Damage And Repair Basics
by Willie Horton
In any kind of industrial environment that relies on a conveyor system, you need to understand the potential for issues with the conveyor belt itself. Wear and tear, environmental hazards, and all sorts of other issues can cause damage to your system's conveyor belt. Understanding how conveyor belts can sustain damage and what you can do to fix that damage may help you to preserve the operation of your conveyor system.
What Kinds Of Things Can Damage Your Conveyor Belt System?
The first step toward conveyor system care and maintenance is understanding what types of things can damage that system. Conveyor belts can suffer damage for a number of reasons.
Abrasives: One of the most common causes of damage to conveyor belts is wear from prolonged exposure to abrasive materials. When your conveyor belts transport something particularly abrasive on a regular basis, this can lead to holes, thin spots, and tears in the belt. Additionally, pieces can get stuck under the belt, causing further damage not only to the belt but to the conveyor system.
Impact And Punctures: Even with your best efforts to protect a conveyor belt, you can't avoid every instance of something impacting the conveyor belt and causing a rip, puncture, or similar type of damage. While conveyor belts are typically thick, they are vulnerable to cuts and significant damage.
How Can You Address Damage To Your Conveyor Belt System?
Abrasive Damage: When it comes to dealing with damage caused by abrasives, you can often use plate fasteners to keep the belt secured so that your operation can continue to be productive. In the meantime, you can order a belt designed to hold up to the abrasive material that you're transporting. Additionally, add belt skirting to keep the abrasives from being able to fall beneath the belt.
Cuts, Punctures, And Holes: The best way to repair a conveyor belt that's been damaged with a cut or puncture is through vulcanizing. Conveyor belt vulcanizing is a process of using heat and a type of cement or glue to patch the conveyor belt with a fresh piece of material. You can trim the damaged area to create a clean space for the new material and then seal the new material into place.
If you are worried about damage to your facility's conveyor belts, these tips can help. Talk with a local conveyor belt repair center about vulcanizing and other repair methods to be sure that you are fully prepared to deal with potential damage.
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About Me
Owning any kind of industrial manufacturing facility means working with a lot of equipment and machinery. When you're new to this kind of thing, you may be wondering about what kind of ongoing maintenance the equipment will need. If you're lucky, the prior owner has logs and records that will tell you what you need to do. If you're not, that's what we're here for. We're sharing information here to help business owners like yourself to take care of the equipment in your facility today. We will post new information regularly, so check back often for the latest tips and plans.