Conveyor belts, also known as belt conveyors, are endless loops of a material mostly used for transportation of objects from one location to another. Conveyor belts are generally classified into curved and straight conveyor belts.
A curved conveyor belt, as the name conveys, is curved in shape. When compared with straight conveyor belts, curved conveyor belts have many advantages. Curved conveyor belts can smoothly run through any kind of curve with a very good track-holding. Most of the curved conveyor belts come with a curve shape of 45, 90, or 180 degrees. The belts in curved conveyors are generally constructed in flexible mode. Thus, curved conveyor belts are widely used for agricultural and industrial purposes, but mainly in heavy industries to carry large machineries and articles.
Curved conveyor belts are broadly categorized into vertical and horizontal conveyor belts. Vertical curved conveyor belts are more popular. Mostly, vertical curved conveyor belts are held between two cases, and are basically used for bulk material or unit carrying applications. Horizontal curved conveyor belts are usually built on the platform that conveys, and used for the transportation of heavy materials.
Curved conveyor belts can be adjusted, depending on the application. The materials used for the construction of curved conveyor belts are selected, based on their application. Cotton, canvas, PVC, rubber, silicone, and tough and strong materials including steel and stainless steel are used. Stainless steel curved conveyor belts are the most popular. Strong metal curved conveyor belts are used to convey heavy material. Cotton, canvas, and rubber curved conveyor belts are generally used for the transportation of light weight material such as food and paper products.
Curved conveyor belts are often custom designed and available in different styles and widths. Flat belts, v-belts, magnetic belts, trough belts and rubber conveyor belts are commonly available styles.
Some of the leading manufacturers of curved conveyor belts are Cambelt International Corporation, BASSCO- a division of ASGCO, and Yokohama Rubber. Among them, Yokohama Rubber in Japan is one of the premium companies to develop steel-cord conveyor belts for long distance applications. The company also holds the world record for the longest curved conveyor belt, with a length of 11,103 meters. Most curve conveyor belt companies have online facilities. They also provide full maintenance and services, from consultancy on the right choice to the proper working of curved conveyor belts.
In the case of CVS, OSHA inspectors also found that employees are no instructions on how to avoid conveyor startups while clearing jams product and the company lacked written instructions to do so. Employees also face risks of tripping material stored directly in front of the conveyor. These conditions resulted in three alleged serious violations with $ 6375 in the proposed fines.
Any facility that uses conveyors must work to train all those involved in security operations. This should include frequent updates and remedial classes. Formation process and are probably the single most important aspect of the belt of security.
All participants on a conveyor belt that utilize the facilities may be responsible for security. The prevention of unsafe acts must be part of their culture.
Carriers that operate without training or authority should be avoided. People who do not understand how the system can react should not be at the controls, even if the degree of complexity is simple on the surface. Always be sure to train all those working on a conveyor belt area about how to operate the equipment and where the controls are. Everyone should know that while they are switches, how to use them and when to use them.
Carriers should never be operated in an unsafe manner. This includes people standing or mounted on the conveyor, overwork, or arrive at or below the belt when it is in motion.
Sometimes, people turn off the security devices to expedite the work or to speed up the pace. You must understand what devices are installed on a conveyor belt to make it more secure, and be sure yours are always operational and in place. Your employees should report any inoperative devices or other hazards as a matter of process, as soon as possible. Employees must never knowingly use, the equipment unsafe.
Unsure of cargo carriers is another factor. When people understand that they are carriers that are loaded, and how to interact with the computer, the chances of injury are greatly reduced. Loading a conveyor belt in the guard rails or, for example, increases the possibility that the employee bending unsafely or improperly, or that the burden is going to close a unit or engine and have a better chance to catch the clothing on the rollers.
Work that includes lifting tables and other ergonomic devices help employees to secure the load in the correct position, as the load devices make it easier and faster, and safer.
Obviously, many of the same principles apply during loading and lifting with conveyors that when the lifting of cargo and elsewhere. Employees who are familiar with the proper lifting techniques are less likely to be injured due to transporters, especially when moderate to heavy are being loaded and unloaded. Unsure position and posture are critical to the safety of transport.
In general, workers should never interact with moving conveyors. Conveyor lines can be designed to move Totes to a stimulus or work to analyze in order to be selected, etc.
Get employees involved
Establishment of safety committees and committees of inspection is a way to involve their staff in issues affecting their own security. It helps both you and them to understand what issues may exist at the facility, and where people could be injured. Safety committees can frequently and comprehensively advise, assess and investigate their handling of materials. The key to managing is to participate and ensure the committees meet, which are kept in focus, and that standards are set.
What are the typical hazards of transport points?
According FFVA Mutual Insurance Company, the top points of danger to the carriers are as follows:
Power transmission
Japanese points
Points of breakage
Pinch points
Spill points
The areas under counterweights
Transfer of counterweights
Transfer mechanisms
Areas under the passage of transport
In special circumstances
How to address these specific areas of concern?
Guards – Guards are among the most common types of safety devices used to protect the transporters. Guards are always covered or barricaded for security purposes, such as gears, chains, or cut the point guards.
Operation and Maintenance of the Guard – is the owner’s responsibility to see that your carrier / transport system is never operated unless protection is always in place. In addition, all the guards to be maintained in a safe condition and warning signs will be maintained in legible condition.
Power Transmission – The need for power transmission equipment is common to all types of carriers of energy with themes such as drives, gears, shafts, couplings, etc. transportation equipment must be examined carefully by the owners to ensure that protection is for all exposed power transmission equipment to protect its operators and others in the working area of accidental contact. Typical topics to be observed are:
Guard unit in the chain, V-belt, and guidance should be both practical and durable. Guard may be constructed of perforated metal or solid metal, Mr mesh, plastic or other materials securely fastened to the belt frame.
Coupling guards must always be on all the direct connections between engines and gearboxes as the couplings are used to connect wells.
Line Shaft Guard – Line axis units are still used in some types of conveyors for the distribution of power to the transmission mechanisms. Care must be taken at its location to prevent the fingers, aprons, rope, hair or come into the line of duty axle.
End Shaft Guard – The ends of the rotation axis or axes are especially dangerous type. Plastic lids can be used to enclose the ends of elements to avoid becoming trapped in wells.
Points Japanese – Japanese Point, “by definition, that is the point at which a conveyor of the machine in motion in a line that meets or rolling another element that is rotating or moving in a line so that You can cut, pinch, Squeeze, or trapped objects come into contact with one of the two elements.
The protection under special circumstances – all exposed, moving parts of a conveyor belt that present a danger to workers to their jobs must be mechanical or electrically monitored or guarded by position or location. Accessibility or approximate the transmission equipment is essential to ensure adequate and continuous use. To ensure safe access to transportation and transaction requires the understanding between the design / manufacturing and safety training by the owner.
Provide a safe workplace involving truckers also requires consideration of electrical controls. Companies that use of energy carriers should refer to these sections of safety rules concerning the protection belt electrical controls and switches to the security.
According FFVA Mutual, the majority of transportation accidents are a direct result of an original design or implementation error. Conveyor security is generally considered as a part of overall security. The practices described in this article may not paying enough attention to the nuances required to provide a safe transportation system. The responsibility of planning, design and implementation of a transportation system is often fragmented, lacking in responsibility. Attention to these details in the very beginning of the belt buying process can result in increased security at its facilities.
There are two basic types of rollers used in conveyors. One is the load-bearing roller, which supports the weight of the material placed on the conveyor and helps to move it. These have to be selected mainly according to the weight that is to be carried.
The other type is the return or lower Conveyor Roller. Some of these have pointed rubber rings in the center and flat ones at the ends. The pointed rings break up the remains of carried material sticking to the belt. The flat rings protect the edges of the belt and facilitate its smooth return so that the loading can be continuous. They also prevent the belt from migrating beyond the tolerance limits. The return rollers can be equipped to clean themselves. The automatic cleaning of the conveyor belt and the rollers reduces the maintenance cost considerably.
Conveyor Rollers are normally manufactured from mild steel, stainless steel, PVC or aluminum. There are different types to suit for specific uses. Food processing industry uses stainless steel or PVC rollers. There are specially designed rollers that can spray water to wash the material being carried. For conveyor bends, tapered rollers are used. Some manufacturers strive to reduce noise to the levels recommended by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) of the U.S. Department of Labor, by improving the design.
Another variety used in conveyors is the impact roller. This is a support roller covered with shock absorbing rubber rings and is used mainly in systems moving heavy materials. It is fitted at the loading points to reduce the impact of the materials falling on to the conveyor belt. It may be motorized or gravity operated.
The rollers move on bearings. Pre-lubricated bearings that are supplied by some manufacturers can minimize maintenance cost to a great extent. Also contributing to the operating cost reduction are high-tech internal motors to drive the rollers.
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