The 4 Stages Of Conveyor Belt Damage

The point of timely conveyor belt repairs is not only to fix any existing issues but to use a proportional and appropriate system that avoids further escalation of damage.

Exactly how this will manifest depends on the defect in your conveyor belt system, and there is a somewhat broad range of types of damage that can be caused to your system.

Because damage to a conveyor belt can cause significant costs to a business through unplanned downtime and production delays, it is important to know what to look for, what to get fixed as soon as possible and what may need more intensive repairs such as vulcanisation.

Most types of conveyor belt damage can be divided into four stages, which reflects less an escalation of problems and the effects they have on your business and more where they originate and how they develop.

Surface Damage And Underlying Conveyor Belt Issues

The first, most commonly seen and sadly most commonly ignored, is issues on the surface of your rubber conveyor belt.

Some surface abrasions, dust or dirt are a consequence of the belt being used, but others can be a sign of manufacturing issues that have the potential to escalate into significant damage to the belt.

Here are some surface problems you should look twice at:

• Trapped Air Bubbles – If there are bubbles between the rubber-coated ply layers, it can leave a weakness in the belt that could expand under tension and heat.
• Visible Speckles – Small granules of dust, dirt and filler powders can be a sign of contamination during the calendering process, which can be a sign of potential long-term degradation.
• Fuzzy, Curly or Uneven Edges – This is often a sign of a problem with the belt cutter, usually either that the belt had been cut under tension or the blade it was cut with requires sharpening.
• Hard Or Discoloured Spots – This is usually a sign that the belt was vulcanised at the wrong heat, leading to solid rubber spots that are not elastic enough to be effective as a conveyor belt.
• Belt Cleaner Abrasions – This can sometimes suggest underlying pressure issues that could over time turn into outright cracks on the surface.

Structural Damage And Hidden Dangers

Conversely, there is also a category of damage types which are reflective of a belt that looks perfectly functional on the surface, but a more thorough inspection can reveal some concerning early warning signs that go beyond what can appear to be slight imperfections.

• Separation Of Layers – The layers or rubber and cabling should be stuck seamlessly together, and any separation creates weaknesses that only grow bigger over time.
• Irregular Thickness – If the conveyor belt is thicker in some places than others, it can cause disproportionate levels of wear in certain parts of your conveyor belt.
• Misaligned Reinforcement Fabric Or Cords – The steel cords or hard-wearing fabrics at the centre of your conveyor belt need to be properly aligned, or they will take the rest of the belt with them.
• Poor Splice Design – If the adhesive points are not properly determined, the belt will struggle to tension properly without getting weak.
• Tearing On The Edges – If the pulleys rip at the edges of a conveyor belt, it is often a sign of poor alignment of the belt structure that can potentially cause tzears.

Performance Failures And Downtime

If a conveyor belt is not fit for purpose due to using poor materials or having an inappropriate design for its role, damage and downtime become almost inevitable.

• Weak Adhesive – If the glue sticking the rubber layers together fails under tension, it can make the entire conveyor belt less stable.
• Poor Ultimate Tensile Strength – If the belt is unable to withstand the typical level of tension expected during a work cycle, the belt may end up sagging, stretching, or even snapping under the slightest pressure.
• Inadequate Abrasion Resistance – If the rubber cannot withstand rubbing or jagged edges, the belt will wear out very quickly.
• Sensitivity To Heat – Rubber can get brittle in heat, which means that belts designed to be used in high tension or high temperature environments must take that into account.

Post-Use Damage

Many of these issues can be spotted in an initial inspection; however, the following only emerge following actual use, even if their causes are often a fault in the manufacturing process rather than issues during operation.

• Splice Collapses – If the belt splits apart quickly, the layers have not been properly glued together.
• Tracking Issues – One of the most common issues with conveyor belts, whilst it can be an issue with roller alignment, it can also be an inconsistency within the manufacturing process.
• Blisters And Bubbling – This is caused by exposure to moisture or chemicals that create weaknesses throughout the belt.
• Damage By Materials – Whilst this could be a simple operation fault, regular damage caused by materials on the belt may reflect an inadequate belt design.