Maintenance Tips By Larry

As a maintenance technician and advisor I understand how difficult it is to keep up with the nuances of all types of equipment in your plant. The run-fail-run mode of operation is difficult to manage and even harder on company profitability.

Q – My Conveyor is breaking Shear pins and I cannot maintain the automation of my scrap handling. What is wrong with my conveyor?

A – Shear pin breakage can be an issue as a Steel Belt or other drag type conveyor runs overtime. The #1 area I tell customers to check is the slack on the belt. During the course of operation the belt will stretch creating a pocket of slack toward the tail end of the conveyor. If this slack is left unattended the belt will start to track around the lower sprocket and jam between the sprocket tooth and the internal frame rail thus shearing the pin. If the take-up is all the way taken out, you will need to remove a section of belt and return to operation.

Q – What routine maintenance checks should I be performing on my Steel Belt or Drag style conveyor and how often should these checks be performed?

A – Routine inspections and maintenance are critical for avoiding unplanned downtime and requiring optimized performance from older equipment. I recommend daily, weekly, monthly, and quarterly inspections. I know this is a pretty basic statement but sometimes the basics get overlooked. These tips are not all inclusive and I strongly recommend you follow the inspection and maintenance guidelines set forth in your equipment manual. This summary is short but direct to offer some key foundational tips for keeping scrap metal conveyors running smoothly. Here are my key conveyor maintenance tips.

Daily – Check area for safe operation.

• Are there proper Gaylord boxes or containers at the discharge of each conveyor?
• Are electrical connections secure and safe?
• Is there any oil spillage around or near the conveyor discharge or machine?
• If equipped, check oilers for oil, fill if necessary
• If equipped, check drop out chute for scrap, replace bin if full.

Weekly – Check belt for abnormal wear and tear.

• Check knuckles of the belt and verify that separation has not started. A good rule is if the gap between the hinge/knuckle and the opposing belt is a ¼” or greater, that section has been compromised and should be replaced. If this type of separation is present in an isolated location replace affected section/pieces. This gap is typically caused by scrap metal getting jammed in the belt through normal conveyor run cycles. If this is an on-going issue with your Steel Belt Conveyor please contact me or another one of our technician; there are plates or tailored belts that can be supplied to reduce or eliminate scrap jamming in the belt.
• If equipped, check level sensor for proper operation. Adjust/replace if necessary.

Quarterly – Check drive for alignment and wear. Replace worn components as necessary

• Check fluid level in gear box for proper lubrication
• If equipped, visually check the clutch for wear and tear. Replace if worn.
• Check side skirts for damage and wear. Replace as necessary