A close inspection of the belt
Maintaining a conveying system in its fully operational capacity is a prerequisite in increasing efficiency; upgrading it is then the next goal. One of the first elements to be closely inspected as it can provide significant process improvements is the conveyor belt. For baking, a steel belt can act as a window into the performance of the entire oven. For example, if side wandering tends to occur, this can often cause the belt to come into contact with the structure or another rigid object, resulting in burrs. Wavy edges could be another indication of side wandering, or uneven temperature in the oven. “It can also indicate uneven pressure from the belt cleaner or scraper, or a belt scraper that is wider than the belt itself,” Marko Leber, IPCO Global Product Manager, Food, illustrates.
To design solutions and upgrades, IPCO will look for deformations in the belt that could suggest problems with drums, belt supports or other parts coming into contact with the belt. Counter actions include cleaning the drums, cleaning or replacing belt supports, and checking scrapers, rollers and belt tensioning. The underside of the belt is also on this checklist and subject to inspection, as any scratches could indicate worn or damaged belt supports or safety scrapers. “We understand how a belt interacts with the many other components that make up the system as a whole. For our service teams, an analysis of the condition of a belt gives us an insight into how an entire system is performing,” Leber explains.
A comprehensive conveyor analysis
IPCO is a belt specialist first and foremost, but almost
100 years experience of working with the bakery industry has given the company an insight that goes beyond the design and supply of solid and perforated steel belts. The Swedish company can provide support in the form of a full range of conveyor components. Such was the case of a customer experiencing constant problems with a line, for example: while they initially intended to replace the belt, IPCO analyzed the equipment and identified a deeper issue for which it recommended a more elaborate solution, in addition to replacing the belt. It included a new tracking system, replacement tensions and drive drums, scrapers, spring guide rollers and a combination of cast iron and graphite skid bars. “The result was a complete system upgrade, designed, supplied and installed by our teams,” Leber summarizes.
In most cases, the condition of the belt is the symptom of a problem and not the cause. That is why IPCO recommends regular belt inspections. In another recent case, a customer experienced belt tracking problems which, on close inspection, turned out to be caused by several components in the 1970s-built oven, and completely unrelated to the belt itself. These parts were not able to provide the reliability and performance of modern conveyor equipment. The surfaces of the drums, for example, were no longer suitable for effective belt tracking. IPCO retrofitted a range of new components, including inlet and outlet drums, new tracking devices, a graphite station and a cleaning brush and scrapers. The existing belt did not require replacing. “The customer ended up with a state-of-the-art conveyor system capable of delivering significantly improved productivity, with lower costs than it would have been for a new belt.”
The article is part of an extended feature, which was originally published in [BBI 5 – 2021]. Read the full article in the magazine:
