Keep it up!
BY MARTHA SPIZZIRI, MANAGING EDITOR, DIGITAL
CONVEYORS AND SORTATION materialhandlingupdate
YOU’RE IN THE DC AND EVERYTHING’S BUZZING
along, and then suddenly … it isn’t. A motor stops working. A belt rips. Now, the entire conveyor system is at a
standstill.
Unplanned-for downtime is a huge productivity buster.
But often it’s completely preventable. Here are a few good
habits that can make all the difference.
WALK ON BY
When it comes to keeping things moving in the DC, there’s
no substitute for doing a regular walkthrough of the conveyor system.
As for how “regular” these walkthroughs should be, the
inspections can be daily or even weekly, depending on the
number of hours the system is in use, how critical a particular area of the system is, and the type of operation. “If
it’s a high-speed sortation system, you probably can justify
looking at it on a daily basis. The cost of looking it over is
very, very minimal, compared to having it go down,” says
Boyce Bonham, director of integrated systems and controls
for Hytrol.
Think about when you conduct the inspection too.
Often, maintenance technicians will come in early to do a
walkthrough before the start of a crucial high-volume shift.
“The problem is, if there’s an issue, they don’t have time to
take care of it before (the system) goes into production,”
Bonham warns. If techs do the walkthrough at the end
of a high-throughput shift, they have time to resolve any
problems before the next high-volume shift comes around.
During the walkthrough, check that equipment is lubricated and look for things like belt wear and ripped, mis-aligned, or nontracking belts, advises Bonham. Also keep
an eye out for torn or unraveling belt lacings, and make
sure that all system components are aligned.
“If something is close to going wrong, you can typically
detect it,” says Tim Kraus, product management manager
for Intelligrated. “For example, a pile of dust on the floor
that wasn’t there last week would certainly be a good
indictor that something is not right,” such as a belt rubbing
against a part inside the machine. That belt could eventually tear or break or overload the system motor so that it can
no longer run, he explains. “If you notice (a problem) early,
you usually have time to get the component replaced before
it causes unexpected downtime,” he says.
Check belt tension as well. Loose, slipping belts can wear
quickly, and they can also cause wear on the machinery.
Overtensioned belts put an excessive load on mechanical
parts like bearings, which can shorten their life. The proper
tension range depends on the type of belt and the application; follow the manufacturer’s or systems integrator’s
instructions for your particular system.
During the walkthrough, don’t just look for problems;
listen too. A sound that’s out of the ordinary could be
another indicator of a problem, such as bearings that are
starting to fail.
Thermal imaging guns can also be used to detect problems that could ultimately lead to equipment failure. The
guns are used to take the temperature of certain compo-
When it comes to keeping conveyors and sortation systems in good
working order, nothing beats regular upkeep and preventive maintenance.
Keep it up!
