It Is Possible To Operate A Belt Conveyor In Reverse Direction?

It is extremely easy to use a belt conveyor. Among the basic parts that composed this machine are the motorized rollers which are popularly known as the drive rollers, idle roller and a frame with a slider tray which allow the belt to travel across. There are still additional parts included but the components mentioned are the basic ones. It is highly recommended to allow conveyors to move in one direction which is from the idle end towards the drive roller if you want a faster and secure transport. Rather than pushing it, the drive roller pulls the belt into the direction to where it should go. For higher productivity, running the belt in this direction is perfect. Through this way, the problem of slippage in between the drive roller and the belt is eliminated as the drive roller pulls the belt rather than pushing it. When it comes to tracking the belt, this idea is also perfect.

Is it possible for a belt conveyor to work in reverse motion? The answer is yes however, it can be a bit difficult and several factors are needed to be considered. Making a conveyor belt run in reverse direction so the belt is pushed from the motor end to the direction of the idler might require you to consider the following:

1. Payload Weight. It is important for the weight to be maintained in a low amount because pushing the belt might result to the separation of the belt and the drive roller. Friction is greatly reduced between the drive roller and belt when the belt is pushed carrying massive weight. The slipping roller is often the result of the failure of torque transfer from the motor to the belt.

2. Conveyor Dimension. Normally, shorter and wider belt works best in pushing the belt conveyor. This is mainly because of the friction which is present between the belt and the drive roller. The wider the surface area of the roller, the more friction is produced. Typically, choosing a long belt would only create an excessive amount of backpressure which often minimizes the friction happening between the drive roller and the belt. Working with conveyor belt requires no hard rules or guidelines however; you need to secure the right dimension of the belt conveyor and the ratios of payload to be able to run the entire conveyor belt smoothly.

3. Belt tracking. This factor has become a common problem with operating a belt conveyor to a different direction due to the high risks of possible slippage of the drive roller. To keep conveyors run smoothly even in reverse direction, payload weight has to be kept low. However, if the conveyor needs to run in more than one direction like shifting direction in a specific time frame, the use of tracking strip is important. A tracking strip is very effective in guiding the belt conveyors and often found to the underside of the belt.

By: Peter James Williams

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Robotunits creates customized belt conveyors to your specific choices. The majority of conveyors can be custom built and shipped within a week. Our typical factors permit us to develop customer chosen models from 40mm wide to 1200mm wide with a length of up to 6 meters. Conveyors outside of those specifications can be constructed on request.