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By Andrew Parker, President of CDM Systems, Inc.
The impact of proactive preventative maintenance with heavy equipment is stark.
In one case we experienced, two operations located just 20 miles apart had vastly different results with their heavy-duty conveying systems: the site with a proactive preventive maintenance program reached 11 years of life from its consumable components, while the site that ignored potential issues only got 3 years.
In heavy industry, efficient and consistent material handling often makes a difference between a profitable operation and a very expensive problem. This means that conveyor performance should be a top priority.
That is why proactive maintenance and occasional parts replacement are required to optimize long-term performance, and overlooking even the smallest parts is a sure way to shorten the lifespan of a major asset like your material handling equipment.
The reality for material handling operations is that maintaining the unit as a whole and paying attention to key components will save you a ton of money in the long run.
Does regular maintenance make that much of a difference?
If you want your conveyors to run for a long time, then yes. You can see this in the example of one site that got 8-plus years more out of their equipment than a site in a similar environment and application.
Almost every operation will have two overarching goals:
- Increasing throughput
- Minimizing costs
Extending the longevity of capital equipment goes a long way to achieving both.
Designing a maintenance program must also prioritize exact-spec replacement parts that meet or exceed the original system’s demands to ensure reliability and performance. Don’t just throw parts at it; use the right replacement components.
A daily / weekly / monthly / quarterly conveyor maintenance checklist
Routine and preventative maintenance often starts with a roadmap so teams can predict wear cycles and schedule replacement parts during planned outages. Here are some examples of pro tips for continually checking your conveying systems and keeping them running smoothly.
Daily: Visual Inspection
- Noise and vibration: Listen for screeching from the bearings or thumping, which could be belt / chain issues.
- Material leakage: Check for discarded material under discharge points or hanger bearings.
- Safety: Ensure all guards are intact and unobstructed.
Weekly: Drive and cleaning systems
- Seals: Check chute seals and adjust accordingly.
- Drive chain and belts: Check for proper tension and signs of fraying or glazing.
- Drive sprocket: Inspect for wear and correct chain engagement.
- Sensors: Wipe dust / debris off zero-speed switches and alignment sensors.
Monthly: Mechanical check
- Lubrication: Grease all bearings according to the manufacturer’s specific PSI / type.
- Screw flights / buckets: Inspect for thinning metal or pitted surfaces from abrasion.
- Idler rollers: Verify all idler rollers are free spinning and clear of debris.
- Structural bolts: Check for loosening due to high-vibration operation.
- Hanger bearings: (For screw conveyors) Inspect for internal wear; they are often the first to fail.
Quarterly: Component integrity
- Gearbox: Check oil levels and inspect seals for weeping or leaks.
- Splice inspection: Closely examine belt splices or chain links for cracks or elongation.
How does component care maximize conveyor performance?
Some industrial facilities run mixed-fleet material transfer equipment. Whether by necessity or design, an operation might use screw conveyors from one manufacturer, belt conveyors from another, and bucket elevators from a third. Although the manufacturers may differ, every heavy-duty conveyor faces the same threat: component wear.
Every key component of the conveyor must be maintained to get the most out of the system.
For example, proper chain tension is the most critical factor for maximizing the lifespan of our chain-driven equipment. During the initial break-in period, tension should be monitored weekly, then monthly. If you find yourself tensioning the chain more frequently – increasing from every 6 months to monthly – you have likely worn through the case hardness and must plan for an order before the next outage.
Maintenance teams should look for some specific sensory indicators for drag chain conveyors:
- Visual: Monitor the chain through the drive station inspection door. The chain should come off the sprocket straight and NOT drop out of the sprocket teeth or buckle.
- Audial: Walk alongside the equipment and listen for clunks, bangs, or atypical sounds.
- Tactile: When checking bearings, you should feel the chordal action on the bearing housing – the vibrating peaks and valleys to confirm proper tension.
The vital importance of spec matching
No matter the conveyor type, ‘universal’ replacement components are not optimal. But it highlights the importance of having technical parity. Whether you are replacing a hanger bearing on a screw conveyor, a mechanical seal on a belt conveyor, or a drive motor on a drag chain conveyor, the focus should be on matching the exact load, RPM, and environmental ratings – even if the parts aren’t OEM.
Another key factor in spec’ing the right parts is knowing the material compatibility. This is non-negotiable if you want consistent performance.
As one example, if you need to convey abrasive coal or corrosive fertilizer, a higher-grade wear plate for the application can be the difference between a short and a long wear cycle.
Why “Good Enough” can lead to unplanned downtime
The cost of subpar or misapplied components is cumulative.
For example, a mis-spec’ed hanger bearing doesn’t just fail; it causes shaft oscillations that can damage other couplings and seals in the system. An imprecise component fit will generate harmonic vibrations that can lead to costly motor and gearbox failures. Persistent friction from seized idlers or low-grade rollers can significantly increase your facility’s energy consumption, potentially costing your operation thousands in wasted power.
But the right parts, spec’ed properly for the application, should ensure an exact fit and play an important role in effective preventative maintenance.
By using the right parts, you can implement a predictive maintenance strategy that lets your team accurately identify wear cycles in advance and perform planned maintenance rather than costly emergency repairs.
Lowering safety and liability risks
Aside from improving conveyor performance, investing in the right parts and maintenance strategy helps keep your site safer because the equipment functions as intended.
With everything properly spec’ed, proactive maintenance and the use of high-grade components are likely to improve uptime, safety, health, the workplace environment, and production quality.
For example, a McKinsey report indicates that in the power industry, proactive and predictive maintenance programs can increase asset life by up to 15 per cent and reduce maintenance costs by 25 per cent.
Additionally, sourcing and stocking high-spec replacement parts is a form of operational insurance. It protects you from being trapped by long lead times, ensuring you aren’t held up by shipping delays or supply chain disruptions during peak production times or outages.
When to consult with the experts
Maintenance is only as effective as the routine you establish and the replacement parts you’re using. Standardizing high-spec components across your entire facility simplifies inventory management without sacrificing performance.
Daily and weekly tasks keep things running, but the heavier maintenance duties require specialized engineering oversight:
- Annual structural audit: A professional assessment of metal fatigue and weld integrity.
- Major re-flighting: When flights are worn to the point of lost capacity.
- Drive re-sizing: If you change your material or increase throughput, consult the manufacturer to ensure the motor and gearbox can handle the new load.
A reputable, experienced manufacturer can spec-match components and systems to your material and facility requirements, helping you continually optimize your conveyor performance. That gets you more value from your high-investment capital equipment and sets you up for long-term success.
About CDM Systems Inc.
CDM Systems manufactures custom bulk material handling equipment. The company is recognized for heavy-duty, large-volume belt, screw and drag conveyors, en masse conveyors, bucket elevators, stacker-reclaimers and apron feeders that operate in extreme conditions. CDM equipment is designed and engineered for service in mining, potash, cement, co-generation boiler feed and other heavy industrial applications.
About Andrew Parker
Andrew Parker is President of CDM Systems, Inc. He has more than 20 years of experience in the bulk material handling industry. He oversees operations, including conveyor design and development. He can be reached at Andrew@cdmsys.com. To learn more, visit CDM Systems, Inc.