Flat Belt Conveyor Systems for Car Wash Operators
Flat belt conveyor systems offer many benefits to car wash operators. They make loading vehicles easier for customers. They are more flexible than a track system, meaning they can better handle today’s exotic cars.
Idler rollers are used along the length of a flat conveyor belt to support the load, prevent sagging, align the belt and clean up any carryback material. Those on extreme ends have spaced disks to break up connecting material and reduce mistracking.
Conveyor Speed
Flat belt conveyors move objects and materials along a specified path as the belt moves over rollers. The speed at which this is done depends on the diameter of the rollers, and the number of revolutions they make per minute. This number is multiplied by the conveyor belt’s circumference to determine its speed.
A common problem with conveyor systems is mistracking. This occurs when the conveyor belt veers off its specified track, which can cause significant ramifications for the entire system. To prevent this, it’s important to regularly check the conveyor frame for crookedness and other potential issues.
Another important maintenance item for flat belt conveyors is cleaning the belt. Soiling on a conveyor belt can cause the conveyor to lose traction, reduce efficiency and increase fire risks. This is why it’s important to regularly inspect the system for belt soiling and maintain a cleaning schedule that fits the system’s production levels.
The most commonly used conveyors are flat belt conveyors. These are made from softer materials that constantly flow in one direction and can carry most types of material. However, they do not offer the flexibility of incline conveyors and are therefore limited in their applications. Flat belt conveyors are also less costly than incline conveyors and can be more quickly installed and removed. In addition, these conveyors can be used in areas with low ceilings.
Conveyor Angle
It’s common sense that it takes more force to move something up an incline than across a flat plane. This is true of conveyors as well, and it’s one reason that Flat belt conveyor many businesses opt to use a steep incline conveyor instead of a flat conveyor system.
Flat belt conveyors can’t really work at very steep angles, since the material will simply fall back down to the bottom of the belt. However, it is possible to increase the conveying inclination angle by using a special type of roller called a troughing roller. This is made up of a central roller with a horizontal axis, and it’s supported by two wing rollers that have an axial lift above the belt.
The troughing rollers are designed to prevent the belt from becoming cup-shaped when it is on a steep incline, which can damage the carcass of the belt and cause it to be more difficult to clean and track. For this reason, a troughing roller should never be used at an angle higher than 25 degrees.
In addition to troughing rollers, other tracking measures are available for flat belt conveyors to increase their inclination sensitivity. These include cylindrical-conical or crowned shaped pulleys, which can be attached to the head, tail, tension and deflection pulleys of the conveyor. This helps to reduce the belt’s tendency to fold or crease, and it can also help to keep the belt aligned properly with the sprockets of the conveyor drive.
Conveyor Material
Flat belt conveyors are designed to transport any type of product from one end to the other. They can be made from a variety of materials, but they are usually made from softer fabric or rubber. They can be designed with several different features, including cleats and other customizations. Some of these features can help improve productivity and ensure safety.
For example, a cleated belt conveyor can have cleats with varying heights and shapes that are arranged across the surface of the conveyor. This can help increase the conveyor’s carrying capacity. The cleats can also be made of various materials, such as stainless steel or abrasive plastic. Some cleats are designed to resist leverage forces, while others have a wide base that allows them to scoop granules.
There are many other accessories that can be added to the belt conveyor system. For example, there are incline and decline belt conveyors that can be engineered with steep or gradual inclines. There are also curved conveyor systems that can be engineered to bend at angles as great as 180 degrees.
There are also systems that can be outfitted with a range of electronic and ESD-sensitive equipment to safely convey products between manufacturing processes. They can include advanced controls, cooling fan banks, guide rails and integrated vision systems. Other add-ins can be used to improve the appearance of a conveyor, such as walkways and lighting.
Conveyor Maintenance
There are many preventative maintenance practices that can be put in place to help ensure a conveyor belt system runs correctly and efficiently. These include regularly ensuring the correct tension balance, cleaning the conveyor mechanism, checking for electrical problems and more. The use of a mobile CMMS app like Limble makes it easier to keep track of all this maintenance, keeping the right amounts of spare parts in stock and having all maintenance documentation in one place.
One of the most important things to check on a flat conveyor is the frame to make sure it’s not bent or inclined. This can mislead the belt and cause tracking errors. It’s also important to check the snub rollers that hold Flat Belt Conveyor Manufacturer the belt in place, making sure they’re aligned with the frame and creating enough tension.
Conveyor belts can become crooked from the manufacturing process, or simply due to age and general wear and tear. This can cause the system to work inefficiently and even break down. It’s also important to regularly inspect the belt for abrasion, cuts and tears.
Lastly, it’s important to check the photo eyes on the conveyor system. They’re a safety measure that can prevent accidents and stop production in a dangerous area. Using a cleaning inspection to remove any buildup on the photo eyes is a great way to help them stay in working condition.