3 Benefits to Completing a Conveyor Belt Survey

July 17, 2023

Finding solutions to operational issues can be a game changer.

A conveyor belt survey, also called a plant survey, is used to detect what type of belting is used in an application as well as to identify parts, specs, and your company’s unique uses and needs of your conveyor system.

There are many differences between heavy-duty and lightweight conveyor belts. These systems tend to vary from industry to industry and even from plant to plant.

Did you know? All belt specs are not created equal! They are not apples to apples and, therefore, cannot be viewed in a 1:1 ratio.

During a conveyor belt survey, our highly-trained field service technicians walk each conveyor line to identify the current belt spec in use. Additional details about the conveyor belt (and the entire system) are also recorded, such as:

Width and length
Required fabrications
How it runs in the application
Facts about the belt itself (plies, thickness, etc.)

All of these recordings provide relevant data. This data allows assets to be properly managed and to receive the full benefits of the conveyor belt survey. You and your stakeholders are provided with this documentation in order to make the best decisions for your facility, and we are here to support you every step of the way.

STREAMLINED ORDERING

A conveyor belt survey offers a way to simplify a complicated fabrication process. Thanks to the work done ahead of time, a made-to-order, customized conveyor belt that can’t be managed as a part number can be treated like one.

So, the next time this conveyor belt is needed, it can be ordered through a Motion account.

Made-to-order, customized heavyweight conveyor belt with cleats vulcanized to the belt.

Made-to-order, customized lightweight conveyor belt getting cleats welded to the belt.

IDENTIFY SOLUTIONS TO ISSUES

Once the conveyor belt survey is complete, the data can be assessed. This assessment can reveal a number of solutions to issues the system is facing, including the following:

Increased efficiency in how the conveyor is running or installed
Optimized and improved belt specs for proper application use
Standardization so multiple conveyor belt specs can convert to a single spec used in many places

Together, these solutions lead to cost savings.

GENERATE COST SAVINGS

Cost savings from conveyor belt surveys are achieved in various ways – from product throughput, to how often a belt is replaced, to costs associated with downtime and labor costs to get back up. For example:

Volta FEZ belt installed in a shingle line production facility had a total annual material cost savings of $80,000.

Skirtboard rubber installed on a conveyor belt to prevent material spillage.

Super-Screw® splice on a conveyor belt for quicker installation and less downtime.

Elongating the life of the belt: Belt specs should be determined by what’s being conveyed, conveyor speed and what is trying to be accomplished. Using the right spec can expand how long a belt is in service. That means more uptime and less reordering in the same timeframe.
Eliminating material spills: Sometimes, all a conveyor system needs is proper skirting and appropriate cleat configurations to keep material on the conveyor belt. That means less cleanup and fewer labor hours.
Faster splice: There are many different splicing options. Some applications don’t need vulcanization and can use Super-Screw®. That means shorter downtime and more throughput.

A good partner adds value by managing conveyor belting needs as well as helping operations accomplish their goals financially through cost savings and improved efficiencies. Therefore, a conveyor belt survey is the first step in that partner journey.

Are you ready to see how a conveyor belt survey can save you time and money? Contact us today to speak with a Motion Conveyance Solutions belt specialist.

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