5 Most Common Conveyor Problems (with solutions)

This guide offers practical solutions for common conveyor belt problems, aiming to enhance efficiency and reduce downtime.

It’s important to also prioritize safety in conveyor operation, adhering to OSHA and other safety standards, including ANSI B20.1.

Proper installation, maintenance, and use of safety guards and practices are essential for a safe and functional conveyor system.

1. Alignment and Tracking Issues

Belt runs off tail pulley

The problem of a conveyor belt running off the tail pulley is typically caused by issues such as an inadequately weighted counterweight, misaligned idlers/pulleys, frozen idlers, spillage at the loading point, or material build-up, with solutions including recalibration, realignment, maintenance improvements, flow control, and cleaning.

Entire belt runs off at all points of the line

When the entire conveyor belt runs off at all points of the line, common causes include side loading, spillage at the loading point, misaligned idlers/pulleys, material build-up, uneven belt strain, and improperly placed idlers, with solutions involving load adjustment, flow control, realignment, cleaning, belt repair, and idler repositioning.

One belt section runs off at all points of the line

When one section of the conveyor belt runs off at all points of the line, it’s typically due to faulty fasteners or splice, worn or broken edges, or a bowed belt, with recommended solutions including using correct fasteners, repairing the belt edge, and avoiding the storage of belt rolls in damp locations.

Belt runs off at head

When a conveyor belt runs off at the head, it is often caused by misaligned idlers/pulleys, worn pulley lagging, material build-up, or improperly placed idlers, and can be solved by realigning the components, replacing worn parts, removing debris, and adjusting idler placement for better support.

Belt runs to one side throughout entire length at specific idlers

The issue of a conveyor belt running to one side along its entire length at specific idlers is generally due to misaligned idlers/pulleys, improperly placed idlers, or material build-up, and can be solved by realigning and repositioning idlers and removing accumulated material.

2. Traction and Slippage Problems

Belt slip

Belt slip occurs due to insufficient traction, light counterweights, material build-up, frozen idlers, or worn pulley lagging, and can be solved by increasing traction, adjusting counterweights, cleaning, lubricating, and replacing parts as needed.

Belt slip on starting

Belt slip on starting shares similar causes and solutions, with the additional factor of being underbelted, requiring tension recalibration and belt selection.

3. Belt Tension and Structural Integrity

Excessive belt stretch

Excessive belt stretch is often caused by factors like over-tensioning, underbelted drives, material build-up, overly heavy counterweights, incorrect speed differentials, or damage from harsh conditions, with solutions including tension recalibration, belt selection, cleaning, weight adjustment, speed adjustment, and using belts designed for specific environmental conditions.

Belt breaks at or behind fasteners; fasteners tear loose

This issue is often caused by incorrect fasteners or splice, small pulleys, excessive tension, worn pulley lagging, material trapped between the belt and pulley, or an underbelted drive, and can be solved by using suitable fasteners, upsizing pulleys, adjusting tension, replacing lagging, clearing material, and recalibrating belt tension.

Vulcanized splice separation

This problem typically arises from excessive tension, small pulleys, underbelted drives, material accumulation between the belt and pulley, incorrect fasteners or splice, or wrong differential speed, and solutions include tension adjustment, using larger pulleys, selecting the correct belt, clearing material, resplicing, and speed adjustment.

Ply separation

Ply separation in conveyor belts can be due to excessive tension, small pulleys, damaged belt edges, exposure to harsh conditions, or too high belt speed, and can be solved by recalibrating tension, using larger pulleys, repairing the belt, using belts suitable for specific conditions, and reducing belt speed.

4. Wear and Tear

Excess bottom cover wear

This issue commonly results from material build-up, frozen idlers, missing breaker strips, insufficient traction, material trapped between the belt and pulley, or worn pulley lagging. Solutions include removing accumulation, freeing and lubricating idlers, installing new breaker strips, increasing traction with snub pulleys, using skirtboards for material management, and replacing lagging.

Excessive edge wear, broken edges

Causes include side loading, uneven belt strain, spillage at the loading point, exposure to harsh substances, a bowed belt, and material build-up. Solutions involve centering the load, removing strained sections for splicing, controlling flow at loading points, using belts suitable for specific conditions, avoiding improper storage of belt rolls, and cleaning accumulated material.

Excessive wear, including rips, gouges, ruptures and tears

This severe wear can be due to extreme material impact, inappropriate loading velocity, spillage at loading points, material build-up, exposure to damaging substances, or missing breaker strips. Solutions include using well-designed chutes, adjusting loading speed, controlling flow, removing build-up, using condition-specific belts, and installing new breaker strips as needed.

5. Material Degradation

Cover swells in spots or streaks

This issue is typically caused by damage from abrasives, acid, chemicals, heat, or oil. The solution involves using belts designed for specific conditions, making spot repairs, and installing rubber disc idlers without over-lubricating.

Belt hardens or cracks

Hardening or cracking of the belt often results from exposure to harsh conditions, small pulleys, worn pulley lagging, or improper storage/handling. Solutions include using condition-specific belts, using larger pulleys, replacing lagging, and following proper storage methods.

Covers become checked or brittle

This problem is usually due to damage from harsh substances or improper storage/handling. The solutions involve using belts suitable for specific environmental conditions and consulting a PPI representative for proper handling and storage methods.

Longitudinal grooving or cracking of top cover

Causes include skirting rubbing against the belt, frozen idlers, material build-up, and extreme material impact. Solutions encompass correctly installing skirting, freeing and lubricating idlers, removing material build-up, and using appropriate chutes or baffles.

Longitudinal grooving or cracking of bottom cover

This is typically caused by frozen idlers, material build-up, or worn pulley lagging. Remedies include freeing and lubricating idlers, cleaning accumulated material, and replacing lagging.

Fabric decay, carcass cracks, ruptures, gouges, soft spots

Factors contributing to this issue include extreme material impact, material trapped between belt/pulley, missing breaker strip, underbelted drives, damage from harsh substances, and small radius of convex curves. Solutions involve using designed chutes or baffles, clearing trapped material, installing new breaker strips, recalculating belt tensions, using condition-specific belts, and realigning idlers to prevent tension issues.

Sources:

1. “B20.1 Safety Standard for Conveyors and Related Equipment | ASME – ASME.” Asme.org, 2018, www.asme.org/codes-standards/find-codes-standards/b20-1-safety-standard-conveyors-related-equipment.
2. “ASME B20.1-2021 – Safety Standard for Conveyors and Related Equipment.” Webstore.ansi.org, webstore.ansi.org/standards/asme/asmeb202021. Accessed 16 Jan. 2024.