Aggregates Manager Digital Magazine
Issue link: https://read.dmtmag.com/i/917007
28 AGGREGATES MANAGER / January 2018 EQUIPMENT MANAGEMENT degraded material, which breaks into smaller parts, can be carried between the belt and the pulley, causing excess wear and tear on the belt; as well as potential belt slippage and mistracking. Large entrapped material with sharp edges can create an uneven belt surface and can puncture, gouge, or rip the belt. Also, trapped material can be ejected back onto the return side of the belt and can become entrapped in the pulley repeatedly until it fi nally degrades — or until it damages the pulley face, bends the pulley wings, or causes pulley or belt failure. Removing material buildup from the pulley or repairing or replacing pulleys and belts may result in signifi - cant downtime and maintenance costs. The V-shaped wing pulley defl ects material away from the pulley and belt, minimizing the potential of pulley or belt damage. Its V-shaped wing confi guration also results in continuous belt contact, and its round-edged wings overlap along the length of the wing pulley to permit the conveyor belt to be supported by multiple wings along the belt width. This eases the transition of belt contact from one wing to the next, which, in turn, minimizes vibration to the belt, extends belt life, and reduces the amount of noise generated by the wings contacting the belt. Ensure proper belt tracking There are numerous belt training products to choose from, the most common being self-aligning idlers, which are used to ad- dress mistracking caused by issues such as off-centered loads, wind, structural settling, belt splicing errors, idler instal- lation errors, material buildup, and more. Self-aligning idlers are a lower cost belt training solution that's targeted to both the carry and return side of the conveyor belt. When a belt mistracks, it contacts the side guide rollers, causing the self- aligner to pivot. This action brings the belt back to center. When choosing a self-aligner, look for designs with key features that protect belts from additional ripping, such as urethane (versus steel) side guide rollers that are softer on the belts and concave-shaped side guide rollers that are easier on belting edges. Another innovative belt tracking solution is the automatic return training idler, which provides continuous align- ment, centering the belt and reducing or eliminating any belt damage. Consider how alignment issues may affect a multi-mile-long overland conveyor. For example, a maintenance crew is often required to continually monitor the system by driving back and forth along the conveyor route to Automatic return training idlers provide continuous alignment, centering the belt and reducing or eliminating belt damage.