HOW TO KEEP PACKAGES MOVING: V-guided versus crown-roller conveyors

摘要

In the packaging industry, proper belt tracking on conveyors prevents maintenance headaches. Belt tracking keeps belts running straight and true on the end rollers and conveyor frame. Many factors affect tracking, including belt splicing, conveyor rollers, belt tension, side loads from pushing products on or off the belt, and debris build-up on rollers. But proper conveyor design minimizes problems with belt tracking. Two common design approaches that improve belt tracking are crowned rollers and V-guided belting. Crown rollers can be used with knife-edge idler transfers. These are small-diameter idler rollers that move small or delicate parts on and off conveyors. But idler transfers require belts flexible enough to wrap around rollers as small as 0.25-inches in diameter. Such belts are usually compatible with crowned-roller tracking. A better method of keeping conveyor belts centered is through V-guided belting. In this approach, the belt has a continuous plastic V or U-shaped guide glued down the center of the underside of the belt.