Conveyor belts are an integral part of material handling for industries such as construction, agriculture, harvesting, mining, logistics, and food processing services. Any breakdown in the process results in a complete stop, which results in missed deadlines and costly repairs. Whether it’s an industrial material handling conveyor system, a conveyor belt for construction, or a portable conveyor rental for short-term jobs, they all require regular upkeep.
Minor issues not being taken care of can snowball into larger problems impacting your operations. In this blog, let’s discuss how to efficiently take care of early-stage issues and maintenance to extend the lifespan of your conveyor systems.
What Maintenance Does a Conveyor Belt for Construction Require?
Heavy machinery does not operate well on construction sites. Severe movement, combined with heavy debris, moisture, and extreme temperature, drastically affects conveyor systems. While conveyor belts for construction are built to withstand rough environments, they still require regular attention.
Key steps include:
- Daily visual checks: Take a listen to your machinery. Windy sounds are not the only thing you can hear. Frayed belts, tears, misaligned rollers, and unusual noises need to be addressed immediately.
- Remove debris buildup: Pay attention to components that may have been clogged with cement, gravel, or mud, as these can lead to premature wear.
- Monitor tensions and tracking: Often disregarding belt tension can result in a loose transmission belt, resulting in excess strain on motors and rollers, and the belt tracking is ignored.
- Lubrication: The tensioners, pulleys, and bearings require adequate maintenance to prevent excessive heating.
- Checking Bolts and Appendicular Supports: Vibrations from uneven surfaces may gradually loosen the bolts or change their alignment.
Why it’s crucial: Carrying out maintenance activities in advance and proactively can reduce conveyor breakdowns by 40% and greatly extend their life.
How Should You Maintain Industrial Material Handling Conveyor Systems?
Due to their robust design, industrial material handling conveyor systems can lift high amounts of materials nonstop, or even 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This relentless workload they are subjected to greatly accelerates wear relative to other working environments.
These practices will help:
- Advanced monitoring pro: The active monitoring of an industrial conveyor system can be done by measuring motor load, speed, and temperature.
- Dust every inch weekly: Belt tracking precision and friction can be altered by grease, dust, and production particles.
- Quarterly system audits: A comprehensive check of the entire system accounts for the expected performance of everything from control systems to gearboxes.
- Early-stage component replacement: System energy sinks like bearings, motors, and belts indicate signs of wear and tear long before they fail. Act before it’s too late.
- Mark every maintenance activity: All actions taken to service a device help predict the required service.
Pro tip: Have a digital log so audits can easily be conducted. With just a little maintenance, belt conveyors can reach an additional 25 percent operational uptime annually.
What Makes the Maintenance of Conveyor Rentals Portable and Unique?
A Portable conveyor rental is suitable for short-term and temporary projects. However, even rented machinery needs some maintenance to maintain consistent productivity and prevent downtime.
Here’s what you have to do:
- Pre-rental inspection: Prior to accepting delivery, inspect the belt for wear and tear, check the motors, and control any electrical issues.
- On-site setup matters: Position the units on level surfaces so they do not shift while in use. Employ adjustable legs or wheel locks to secure the units.
- Post-use cleaning: Remove all materials, including obstructions such as wet concrete or soil, that may cling to the unit.
- Report issues immediately: To evade incurring additional charges, report any damages in good time. Most maintenance clauses within rental agreements offer ‘no complaints’ after the initial report. Tell them early.
Why it’s important: Accounts show that poorly maintained rental conveyors cause safety issues. That, coupled with unexpected expenses and project timeline delays, makes maintenance critical. While construction belt conveyors are built to withstand rough environments, they still require regular attention.
Additional Tips to Extend the Life of Conveyor Across All Types
Regardless of the system in operation, these preventative maintenance routines will alleviate operational pressures and save thousands in repair costs:
- Train your team: Inadequate employee training often comes with associated damages to associates. A trained crew knows how to properly inspect and operate equipment.
- Avoid overloading: Abide by the set load guidelines. Observe the maximum threshold to prolong the life of conveyor belts and block motor stress.
- Official Manufacturer’s Parts (OEM): Generic parts may cost less, but they do not outlast OEM parts and may not fit as well.
- Install guards: Installing guards for equipment components protects against impacts and debris and minimizes wear while increasing the safety of the equipment.
- Schedule preventive maintenance: Schedule daily, weekly, and monthly maintenance tasks and adhere to them to ensure all equipment is well-maintained.
Severe movement, combined with heavy debris, moisture, and extreme temperature, drastically affects conveyor systems. While construction belt conveyors are built to withstand rough environments, they still require regular attention.
Maintenance for Specific Equipment Types and Services
The right partner will provide equipment and other services, such as:
- Complete conveyor system rentals and sales.
- Training equipment demonstrations.
- Leasing and purchasing maintenance support.
- Project-driven short-term lease options.
While choosing portable or permanent conveyors, consider other features such as height adjustment, telescoping reach, and towable mobility. These minimize labor and setup time but offer greater flexibility on site.
Conclusion: Don’t Let Downtime Drain Your Bottom Line
Every hour, your conveyor is slowing down, and your work is losing money. Whether it’s a conveyor belt for construction, an industrial material handling conveyor system, or a portable conveyor rental, regular maintenance sustains your investment and keeps your job on schedule. Regular maintenance and servicing help improve safety on site and extend the service life of your conveyor systems. It’s better to be proactive than reactive to potential problems.
AMC Rental, Sales and Service LLC offers reliable maintenance as well as rental, lease, and purchase options for industrial-grade conveyor systems. Their unique custom material handling strategies and towable telescoping conveyors are of superior quality and reliability.