6 Actions You Need to Take to Ensure Longer Conveyor Life
Conveyor systems are the backbone of any processing operation – moving product along the processing line from one workstation to the next.
When working correctly, your conveyor system keeps your line moving efficiently. But when a conveyor slows down, or breaks down completely, the whole line comes to a screeching halt – and costs you time, resources, and ultimately, money.
The goal in any food processing facility is to keep your conveyors running efficiently for as long as possible.
Extend Conveyor Life
Avoiding a conveyor slow down or break down is easy with the proper care and maintenance. Follow these easy conveyor maintenance tips to keep your system running at peak efficiency for years to come.
Plan Preventative Maintenance
The best thing you can do to keep your equipment running efficiently is to follow the manufacturer’s recommendations for scheduling preventative maintenance. Inspecting all components, replacing any that show wear, upgrading components such as wires and cables to higher quality replacements will extend the life of your equipment and avoid costly breakdowns. It is to your benefit to keep a log for each piece of equipment to be certain that preventative maintenance practices are being followed.
A simple, easy way to keep track of your preventative maintenance practices is to implement Snaptivation into your plant. With an extremely low setup fee and low monthly payments, Snaptivation puts the power of asset management and preventative maintenance tracking into the palm of every employee. Learn more about this cost effective tool.
Clean Conveyors Regularly
One of the biggest contributors to conveyor break down is not regularly cleaning the conveyor. Gunk builds up and causes issues with the conveyor parts. Adhering to a regular cleaning schedule will increase the longevity of conveyor belts and parts.
Check Pressure on Pneumatic Systems
Frequent inspection of pneumatic system regulators and making proper adjustments is important to the life of your conveyor system. Excessive pressure is not only costly, but can damage the conveyor components, leading to a break down. Follow the manufacturer’s suggestion for proper pressure guidelines.
Lubricate Bearings
Proper lubrication of bearings will keep your conveyor running smoothly. Over and under lubricating is not good for the bearing, and can lead to a break down. Follow the manufacturer’s recommended guidelines for proper bearing lubrication.
Avoid Misuse
Most conveyors are designed for a specific product weight range. Placing heavier and larger objects on a conveyor designed for lighter or small products will add stress to the system and wear down the belt, motors, and reducers – and lead you straight to a breakdown. Follow the manufacturer’s weight and size limit guidelines for your conveyor.
Stock Spare Parts
No matter how much preventative maintenance you practice, there is always the chance of an equipment breakdown. Stocking the recommended spare parts for your equipment will decrease downtime and allow you to get the equipment up and running again quickly. Items such as wires, cables, and shear pins should always be stocked.
Proper maintenance of your conveyor is necessary to extend its life and keep it running efficiently for years to come. The above are just a few conveyor maintenance tips to help you keep your conveyor in like-new condition. It’s always a good idea to follow the manufacturer’s recommended maintenance guidelines as well.
