Page 31 - MetalForming magazine • December 2022

Material
Handling:
Four Ways to Optimize Conveyor Performance
FABRICATION
Selecting the right equipment for the application, along with proper setup and maintenance, will keep conveyors running smoothly and in step with other production-line equipment.
BY LOUIS A. KREN, SENIOR EDITOR
The press gets the press. As the heart of a stamping line, this very much is true, while the same can be said of the main capital pieces on any fabrication or other manufacturing shop floor. While this equipment does receive the most attention, a produc- tion line is like a chain, with each indi- vidual link vital to that chain’s per- formance. The vital link we focus on here is the conveyor, courtesy of a dis- cussion with Colin Reak, marketing communications manager at Jorgensen Conveyor and Filtration Solutions, a supplier to stamping, fabrication and other manufacturing operations.
To ensure needed line productivity,
conveyors must function in step with associated equipment and with processes upstream and downstream. Conveyor problems can shut down operations just as readily as press prob- lems, but by following these four pieces of advice, conveyors dependably will move parts and scrap.
1. Mind the Maintenance
Belt tension is key to a properly per- forming conveyor, and should be checked regularly. An over- or under- tensioned belt can increase wear, reduce productivity and increase like- lihood of jams. It also will affect belt tracking, causing the belt to swing from side to side, for example, leading to part or scrap jams.
“General belt inspections help catch potential problems early,” Reak explains. “Any damaged/missing items or items displaying unordinary wear should be replaced, and the possible cause should be investigated.”
Belt-tension issues lead to more rapid component wear, which also should be monitored. This includes drive-motor and drive-gear inspections.
“As a conveyor
ages, the sprock-
ets running the
belt may wear,” says Reak. “It is vital to inspect these items frequently, as if
left unchecked such wear may reduce conveyor productivity.”
Also, gear boxes and bearings require periodic maintenance, includ- ing greasing of the bearings. Greasing locations typically are designed for accessibility to ease maintenance.
“Again,” stresses Reak, “proper belt tensioning will eliminate many of the above-mentioned wear problems.”
And, check that the conveyor starts when production begins, as a stopped conveyor on a running production line leads to all sorts of headaches.
2. Consider the Application
Choose the correct conveyor for the applica- tion to boost perform- ance and produc-
tivity.
Pitched-hinge conveyors such as this one prove effective in inclined movement of parts and scrap. Be sure to mind angles when setting conveyors up on a production line.
28 MetalForming/December 2022
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