Flat Belt Conveyor
Flat belt conveyor is a conveying system that helps transport products from one location to another. It can be a simple belt or even an entire array of webbed belts.
When driven at the head, it creates no direct force on the load-bearing side of the belt reducing wear and maintenance costs. They are also easy to clean in sanitary applications.
1. Durability
Flat conveyors have a lot of durability, and you can use them to transport heavy loads over long distances. Using them for this purpose can minimize product damage and reduce labor costs, which can result in increased productivity and a quick return on investment.
A durable belt conveyor should be able to operate under the stress of constant use, and this means that you need to ensure that it is in good condition. You should check the snub rollers regularly to make sure that they are positioned correctly and applying enough tension to the belt. Additionally, you should also check that the frame is square and that all of the pulleys are aligned properly.
If your conveyor belt is misaligned, it will cause the system to malfunction and shut down. You should look for small signs of mistracking and take action immediately to prevent the problem from worsening.
Another factor to consider when assessing the durability of your conveyor system is whether it can handle temperature changes. You may need to transport hot or cold materials, and you want to be sure that pouch packaging machine your conveyor system can handle the heat and cold without causing any damage. One way to improve the durability of your conveyor belt is to lubricate it often. This will help reduce the friction that causes the belt to wear down over time.
2. Stability
Flat belt conveyors are able to transport various products, such as car bodies and their components, plastic boxes or cardboard, mattresses, electrical components, coiled wire and waste paper. Unlike other conveyor systems that may be dangerous due to trap doors or exposed sprockets for cars and employees to get entangled with, flat belt conveyors are safe and convenient because they lack these hazards.
The flat conveyor belt is supported by a number of idler rollers that are spaced out at certain intervals along the length of the system. These rollers are precisely manufactured, firmly mounted and properly maintained to provide the necessary stability for the belt’s active side as well as the return side. The idlers are designed on the basis of the highest load that will be sustained by the belt.
To achieve mechanical stability, it is important that the head, tail and tension pulleys are fitted with rollers that are cylindrical-conical or crowned in shape. This ensures that the system is able to operate even under full load and maximum belt tension without inadmissible distortion of the supporting structure or pulleys.
If the flat belt conveyor is used to For pouch packaging machine manufacturers transport heavy items that are prone to falling off the system, it is recommended to use cleats which are located on the underside of the belt and are capable of absorbing impacts. They also reduce the build up of material on the bottom of the system which is a common cause of mistracking.
3. Easy Maintenance
Flat belt conveyor systems do not require many of the typical moving parts of other conveyor designs. This reduces a lot of the areas that commonly cause conveyor malfunctions and repairs. These issues can lead to downtime and loss of productivity.
Keeping up with preventative maintenance steps can make all the difference when it comes to conveyor performance and longevity. Following the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance plan will ensure that every part of your conveyor system is performing at its best.
This includes lubricating all of the necessary components on a regular basis, replacing those that are showing wear, and even upgrading them to better quality replacements when needed. This can go a long way in extending your conveyor’s lifespan and making it a more reliable and productive piece of equipment for your production line.
Another area to pay attention to is the conveyor frame. A crooked or slanted conveyor frame can cause the belt to mistrack, which will have ramifications throughout your entire operation. Checking the conveyor frame on a regular basis to verify that it is square can help you spot small issues before they become major problems that require a lot of time and money to fix.
Modular plastic conveyor systems also offer a lot of flexibility in terms of repairing and replacing individual modules when they are damaged. This eliminates the need to completely replace a whole conveyor, which can save you both time and money in the long run.
4. Safety
Flat belt conveyors aren’t as dangerous as other pieces of equipment and machinery, but they are capable of serious damage if the right safety measures aren’t taken. To help prevent this, it’s important that all team members who work with these conveyor systems are trained on the location and function of the controls. This way, if an emergency does occur, they’ll be able to respond quickly.
To prevent unnecessary accidents and potential injuries, all team members must wear the appropriate PPE when working on conveyors. This may include protective clothing, gloves, hard hats and steel-toed shoes. It’s also recommended that all employees take regular training on how to report unsafe conditions. This will ensure that unsafe equipment, processes or situations are reported and addressed promptly before they cause an accident.
Another aspect of safety with flat belt conveyors is their ability to accommodate newer vehicles that have built-in safety features like auto-braking. On a traditional car wash conveyor, the vehicle’s auto-braking system can perceive movement of the wheels as it moves down the tracks, which could lead to a rear-end collision with the tunnel wall. However, with a flat belt conveyor, the vehicle’s wheels are always resting on the surface of the conveyor, which prevents the automatic braking from activating. Geller expects this to make flat-belt conveyors safer for more and more newer vehicles in the future.
