Five Considerations for Maintaining OEE When Purchasing a Low Profile Conveyor

While similar to other conveyor systems, the thin design of low profile conveyors requires several special considerations when deciding on a vendor. Following these recommendations will help to ensure when you work with NEFF to purchase a QC conveyor, that the conveyor will be easy to maintain and withstand the rigors of your application to help maintain uptime and overall equipment effectiveness (OEE).

1. Frame Construction

The frame is the backbone of any conveyor. It supports the load, of course, but most importantly it maintains the relative positioning of every other component of the conveyor. If a pulley is even slightly misaligned, for instance, it can lead to tracking issues that destroy the belt, the bearings, or both. Choosing QC Conveyors low profile conveyor whose frame is built in a way that can’t rack or twist over time will ensure frame integrity.

2. Crowned Pulleys

Crowned pulleys are slightly larger in the center than at the ends and are the recommended conveyor belt tracking method from most major belt manufacturers, like QC Conveyors. They play to the belt’s natural tendency to center themselves on the longest part of the conveyor, making them the most reliable method of tracking a conveyor that won’t become damaged over time.

3. Tensioning Style

Pay careful attention to the way tension on the belt is applied and released. While releasing tension may be a relatively infrequent operation in most applications, choosing a conveyor with tracking and tensioning separated, such as QC Conveyors, makes both belt replacement and cleaning underneath the belt much simpler operations.

4. Tension Marks

Proper belt tensioning is something that should never be a guessing game. Under-tensioning can lead to belt slippage, while over-tensioning leads to premature bearing failure. Conveyors with initial tension marks take the guesswork out of tensioning by clearly denoting where initial tension should be set for optimal conveyor performance. QC Conveyors makes it easy for you to see tension marks.

5. Maintenance Manual

In the event of conveyor downtime, the first step to getting back up and running should be a check of the troubleshooting steps in the maintenance manual. Review the maintenance manual for a conveyor before making a purchase to ensure it is comprehensive and includes basic troubleshooting steps. See QC Conveyors’ maintenance manuals here.

Paying careful attention to these recommendations will help to ensure you purchase a dependable conveyor that maximizes your OEE. QC Conveyors’ engineers designed each conveyor series with each of these recommendations in mind to create a reliable conveyor solution. NEFF specializes in helping you decide on which low profile conveyor of QC Conveyors’ will be best for your specific application. Speak with your NEFF Sales Representative or fill out this application form to learn more about how QC Conveyors can be your reliable conveyor vendor.