Conveyor belt slippage on its drive pulley is one of the most common conveyor belt problems and it can lead to a whole cascade of additional problems: spillage of materials, blockage of system, wear-and-tear and failure of the belt, damage or breakage to your motors, motion failure and in some cases, even injury of your employees. Slipping is not a small problem and it needs to be stopped, fast.
If your conveyor belts slip frequently you are losing time and money. What causes a conveyor belt to slip? In our 40+ years of experience, the culprits are using the wrong type of belt for the application, not getting the right amount of tension to drive between the belt, or failing to properly maintain the belt pulley environment ____ trapped materials or buildup of oils and dirt. MIPR Corp can help stop the slide. We have over 40 years of experience designing custom conveyor belt pulley solutions with the size, materials, grip, and style needed to stay on track to get the job done!
How can you keep a conveyor belt from slipping?
Get the Right Conveyor Belt…
Our engineers have seen and worked with every type of conveyor belt and can quickly determine if ongoing slippage is the fault of the belt or its installation. If your slippage is caused by a belt that is too heavy for the motors, a conveyor belt that isn’t strong enough to carry your materials, or a conveyor belt with a surface that is too slippery for the materials you are handling, you don’t need belt repair—you need a better pulley type.
MIPR Corp can help. From a tire-shredding recycling line to a large lumber sawmill to lemon, grape, and hop farms, we successfully solve slippage issues for our customers—fast.
No conveyor belt company carries the range of belt types and pulley surfaces or offers the level of customization of MIPR Corp. And we ship samples same-day so you can see, feel, and test our proposed conveyor belt pulley solutions!
Our team is always standing by to talk to you about a possible conveyor belt replacement. Before you call, read our guide to gathering the information we need to advise you on a conveyor belt replacement. By answering a few simple questions in advance you can speed up the time it takes for our team to design your optimal custom solution.
With The Right Grip…
The material and design of your conveyor belt will determine how well it conveys your production materials as well as how easily it traverses inclines and wraps pulleys. (Drive/head pulleys are usually the first place a conveyor belt will slip.) If the conveyor belt lacks the appropriate level of grip arrangements to grab and turn the belt around the pulley.
There are additional adjustments you can make during installation and calibration to stop slipping:
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Install Lagging
Lagging is simply additional material added to the surface of your pulley to give it extra “grab.” The type of lagging you choose will depend on the belt type and production process so be sure to confer with the MIPR Corp engineers or check your belt’s documentation before making changes.
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Adjust Tension
Proper tension on your conveyor belting will keep it on track—but don’t give into the temptation to over-tension your belt! Yes, it can seem like a clever way to solve the problem quickly, but it’s a stopgap solution at best. Over time, over-stretching the belt will strain splices and stress the motor in ways that will wear both down faster. Make your tension adjustments carefully and incrementally and give each change a few rotations before determining if it works. Remember, conveyor belts take a few turns to fully settle into their new tension settings.
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Change Pulley Size or Change Out Worn Pulleys
You may have the right belt but not the right pulley. It may be that a smaller pulley was installed to save money that is now causing your belt to slip. You may also have pulleys that are worn out. MIPR Corp can help you choose a more appropriate pulley size for your conveyor belting and your line.
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Add a Snub Pulley
Installed at the proper point, a snub pulley can increase the arc of contact between the belt and the pulley to increase the friction.
And The Right Care…
Even the ideal conveyor belt for the job will struggle to stay on track over time if it is not properly cared for. Regular, routine maintenance and calibration is necessary to stop conveyor belt slippage in its tracks.
- Clean conveyor belts frequently
- Check for signs of wear—and make repairs
Conveyor belt alignment and proper conveyor belt tracking are key to preventing conveyor belt slippage. Check out our in-depth guide on conveyor belt tracking for helpful tips on adjusting and maintaining your conveyor belt tracking.
… Stays On Track To Finish The Job On Time
Conveyor belt slippage isn’t something you have to live with! Our conveyor belting experts are on-call to help you deal with it. We create custom solutions designed for minimal downtime and maximum value and we even ship conveyor belt samples same-day!