Keep a Conveyor Going with the Right Conveyor Belting Tools

Jan 13
09:52

2010

Rupert Smith

Rupert Smith

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Conveyor belting tools are an important part of a production line's arsenal. This article looks at a few important conveyor belt tools and what they do.

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A conveyor system may be the life and breath of a company. It may ensure that parts and products are made efficiently,Keep a Conveyor Going with the Right Conveyor Belting Tools Articles or that orders are filled in a timely manner, or that heavy loads can be delivered from one spot to another. One belt wearing out or cracking in a conveyor system could suspend the whole operation. This means time and money for lots of people and a potential backup in output. Of course, machinery does wear out and eventually break and there is no way to put it off forever. But when a conveyor belt has been used enough times and starts to show signs of wear, having the right conveyor belting tools will save you a lot of trouble in the long run.

Types of Conveyor Belting Tools

If the conveyor belt starts to wear in a particular spot or has already cracked, a belt splicing kit is one tool kit to have. A splicing kit can even be used for brand new belts that you want to join together. A belt splicing kit includes a belt bonding kit as well. Obviously, once you've spliced the belt, you'll need conveyor belting tools that put it back together. A belt bonding kit will do this. It will usually come with a heat wand, cutter, gripper, trimming tools, and a driller. Standard and heavy duty belt bonding kits are available. One of the prime differences in the two kits is the heat wand. The type of kit you'll need will depend on the type of belt you have. For a typical polyurethane or polyester belt, a standard kit should do it. For other belts, wire mash for instance, a heavy duty bonding kit may be necessary.

The other type of conveyor belting tools that come with a splicing kit are various kinds of grippers, which hold cords. Plastic and metal grippers are available. While plastic grippers are lighter, they may not work in all situations. Along with grippers, slitters are another important conveyor belt tool to have on hand. Slitters, which usually include a table, come in various blade lengths and can be customized if necessary. A device to monitor and control the temperature is also necessary. Some models have sensors that read the temperature and display it in either Fahrenheit or Celsius. They run on batteries and will monitor the temperature as power is delivered to the heat wand and control it. You can also prevent a lot of wear and tear by adding a sealant such as neoprene to the top of rubber belts.

Just as a conveyor system is an investment so are the conveyor belting tools that keep it in working order. They can be in the hundreds or they can cost in the thousands depending on the kind of belts you have. While it might be an outlay of money now, it could save money in the future. For example, using conveyor belt clamps to continue using a cracked belt will save you from replacing the entire belt, at least for a while. And monitoring the belts, checking them regularly, and pouncing on any problems will go a long way to preventing total belt replacements. So whatever your industry, keep conveyor belting tools at the top of the list.