It can be difficult to keep up with today’s fast-paced environment. However, conveyor belts make it significantly easier. Their ability to automate material handling processes and boost operational performance makes conveyor belts indispensable in countless industries.
Continue reading to see how conveyor belt efficiency can streamline workflow, reduce labor costs, and improve overall productivity.
Understanding Conveyor Belt Use and Performance
While Henry Ford is often thought of as the individual responsible for the popularization of production and assembly lines, the exact name and date of the original invention remains unknown.
It’s believed that these systems have been leveraged to streamline processes since as early as 1795 when they were used in ports to move agricultural products from shore to ship. Over centuries, individuals have experimented with conveyor belt production to try and perfect a system that minimizes downtime, reduces waste, and improves overall quality control.
After learning about their benefits, countless industries now depend on conveyor systems to keep their day-to-day operations moving smoothly, for example:
- Manufacturing– assembly lines, material handling, and packaging.
- Logistics- warehouses, distribution centers, shipping and receiving.
- Food and beverage– processing, packaging, sorting, and transportation.
- Mining- material handling and transportation.
Whether you want to learn how to increase productivity in manufacturing or reduce waste in a food processing plant, understanding what influences a conveyor belt’s performance is essential to achieving conveyor belt efficiency. Some of the main factors that impact performance include:
- Belt material
- Belt width
- Belt speed
- Incline or decline
- Drive system and pulley design
- Load support and idlers
- Accessories and modifications
- System layout
Benefits Of Conveyor Belt Efficiency
As we mentioned before, conveyor belts are used in a variety of industries from high-temperature industrial to food packaging and material handling. With the ability to automate material handling processes, these systems can significantly increase productivity. Below, we’ve outlined how conveyor belt efficiency can improve your business operations.
1. Worker Safety
Fostering a culture of safety for workers is beneficial for countless reasons, one of which is enhancing efficiency and productivity. Conveyor belts reduce the risk of workplace injuries caused by heavy lifting or manual transportation.
Many conveyor solutions have built-in safety features such as emergency stop buttons and sensors to prevent accidents. Fewer accidents mean fewer distractions and fewer distractions allow for workers to focus fully on the task at hand.
2. Increased Throughput
Conveyor throughput is a measure of how much conveyor solutions can move in a given time. The goal is to have the maximum amount of product moving through the system while maintaining high quality and safety standards.
Conveyor belts provide a constant flow of materials, eliminating downtime caused by manual handling. Additionally, they can handle larger volumes of products in a shorter amount of time, increasing production rates at lower costs.
3. Reduced Labor Costs
Since conveyor belts automate repetitive tasks, they reduce the need for manual labor. This means fewer workers are needed to move materials, therefore leading to lower labor costs.
4. Improved Accuracy and Consistency
Reliable consistency is essential to ensuring product quality and operational efficiency. Conveyor belts move materials with precision and accuracy, reducing errors and waste. Some systems can also be designed to handle products gently, reducing damage during transportation.
By improving the pace and security of product movement, high accuracy can be maintained throughout the entire process. This consistent flow of controlled movement of materials minimizes the risk of product damage and improves quality control.
How To Increase Conveyor Belt Productivity
Now that we’ve discussed the benefits of conveyor belt use and efficiency, it’s time to share some helpful tips to increase the productivity of your processes.
Pre-Production
First and foremost, choosing the right belt for your operation is crucial. Every business is different, and as a result, conveyor belt efficiency often depends on whether the belt you pick meets your unique specifications.
If you’re not sure where to begin, conveyor belt production experts can help you navigate the choices. Before operations begin, think about the following factors:
Determine material and product load. The size, weight, dimensions, and other characteristics of the load your belt will be transporting can help you determine what material, motor, drive, and custom conveyor belt products or accessories are right for you.
Set your belt to pull rather than push. Your conveyor belt can lose up to 50-70% of its load capacity when it’s pushing rather than pulling. This is why we recommend setting your drive systems to pull rather than push, except in high-temperature applications (1200F+) as the tension on the belt is reduced when the drive is located at the front.
Calculate the flow rate. How fast and how precise you need materials to move on your belt may require additional conveyor products and equipment such as fasteners, splicing equipment, segmented transfer plates, or maintenance tools.
Consider the industry requirements. Specific industries will have stricter requirements, for example, meeting sanitation and hygienic regulations is paramount for food and beverage or pharmaceutical plants. The belt material you choose can significantly influence these standards.
During Production
Next, you’ll want to consider a few key factors during day-to-day operations. The following elements can help increase conveyor belt production and efficiency not only in the short term but also in the long run.
Create a maintenance routine. Maintenance is essential for achieving conveyor belt efficiency. Ensure your team is following the manufacturer’s recommendations for daily, weekly, monthly, and quarterly inspections.
Implementing a maintenance plan for your team to follow can also be helpful, we suggest also recording each inspection and any preventative actions that need to be taken.
Stay on top of cleaning. Similar to maintenance, following a regular cleaning schedule can help increase productivity. Keeping belts clean and properly lubricated is not only necessary for safety reasons but it also ensures operations continue to run smoothly since you reduce the risk of spillage, buildup, and other issues.
Prioritize replacements and repairs. No matter how vigilant you are in keeping up with best practices to extend the life of your conveyor belt, there will come a time when repairs or replacements are inevitable.
The best way to ensure conveyor belt efficiency is to make note of any damaged or deteriorating conveyor parts and address the problems immediately. Conveyor belt replacement experts can help you discover exactly what you need to keep your operations up and running.
Looking for reliable conveyor belt replacement services? Contact us to see how we can help you increase your productivity today.