Using laser surveying to check conveyor belt alignment
A mistracking conveyor belt can exact a heavy price in a bulk solids handling operation. A damaged belt, failed conveyor components, and spilled material are just some of the expensive problem caused by such misalignment. This article introduces you to laser surveying, a method that uses laser technology to check conveyor belt alignment. The first sections cover how a laser survey can be applied and how laser surveying works. Final sections discuss making permanent benchmarks and analyzing and using the laser surveying data to correct belt misalignment.
A conveyor belt can be hundreds of feet long and cost hundreds of dollars per foot, with a total replacement cost of as much as $1 million. When the belt wanders out of alignment, it can run against steel chutes and structural members and become damaged, sometimes beyond repair. The belt can also damage the chutes and structural members. Material spilled from the belt wastes product and requires costly cleanup. And the misaligned belt requires more electrical power than the minimum required to move the belt. The surplus power can cause parts to prematurely fail, increase unscheduled downtime, and raise maintenance costs.