Manufacturers are using next generation technology to automate critical production lines and material handling activities in today’s fast-paced business environment. Companies are always looking for new ways to save costs and increase profitability. Hence, the increasing number of firms using conveyor belts in their production process is unsurprising.
But how do you optimize them? To save time, energy, and resources, we will discuss in this blog how to elevate the energy efficiency of your conveyor systems.
5 Factors to Consider When Enhancing your Conveyor Belt System
One of the most important aspects of the constant pursuit of corporate expansion and effectiveness is optimising industrial conveyor systems. But where to start? Consider these 5 factors.
Belt Type
The size, shape, weight, temperature, and abrasiveness of the materials and goods you are handling will influence the kind of belt you select for your conveyor system. Several belt materials are available, including rubber, steel, cloth, and plastic. Each material has pros and cons & choose the one that fits your needs.
Belt Speed
Your Roller conveyor belt’s speed has an impact on how quickly you can transport goods and materials, how much energy you use, and how much system wear and strain you put on it. The ideal belt speed is determined by your system’s capacity and throughput, the composition and flow of your materials and goods, and the industry’s requirements for quality and safety.
Belt Tension
Your conveyor belt’s tension determines how firmly it grips the rollers and pulleys, how smoothly it operates, and how long it lasts. A low tension on your belt might cause it to slip or sag, which could lead to damage, spills, or misalignment.
An excessively high belt tension might cause the belt to stretch or break, which might induce an undue amount of strain on the parts of your system causing downtime.
Using instruments like tension meters, gauges, or scales, you must monitor and adjust your belt tension regularly to leverage its performance.
Belt Alignment
Your conveyor belt’s alignment can influence how smoothly it operates, how evenly the weight is distributed, and how much wear and tear it places on your system. A misplaced belt can lead to vibration, spillage, edge damage, and tracking issues. You must often check and adjust your belt alignment using instruments like lasers, levels, and rulers when you need them to be perfect.
Belt Maintenance
Your conveyor belt’s maintenance impacts its dependability, safety, and the amount of downtime and expense it adds to your system. Your belt may break, cause an accident, or result in losses if it is not properly maintained.
To enhance belt maintenance, you should proceed with routine inspections, cleanings, lubrications, and repairs while adhering to industry best practices and manufacturer guidelines.
Tips to reduce energy use of conveyor systems
Here is a list of the right processes and safety measures to consider if you want to boost your conveyor system’s efficiency:
Keep up with Routine Maintenance
A quick, professional assessment of the system while it’s in use can identify worn-out components that need to be replaced, opportunities for process optimization, and other potential risks, such as system overloading.
Choose the Right Conveyors
Choosing the right conveying system be it chain conveyors or any other also results in extra indirect energy savings since it eliminates the requirement for a separate dust collection system. Expensive blowers or compressed air are commonly used in dust collection systems to filter and remove particulate matter from the air and industrial environment.
Avoid Overloading
You will be squandering more energy than necessary if you overload any part of the conveyor or the system. Additionally, you will put more wear and tear on the gearbox, drive unit pulleys or sprockets, pallet wear strips, belts or chains, and other moving parts. Therefore, even at some point where energy usage is negligible, overloading a conveyor is never a smart idea.
The Bottom Line
Throughput concerns are a frequent part of managing any industrial operation. These are a few strategies we covered above to raise the throughput, which will improve the productivity and efficiency of your conveyor.
We believe that our feedback helps you create more energy and resource-efficient decisions while operating your conveyor systems.
As the best belt conveyor manufacturer, Delta Stark can be your ideal partner for belt conveyor maintenance. Contact Delta Stark today to learn more or arrange maintenance on your conveyor belt system.