V-Belts don't usually get much attention, but you'll find that a little effort goes a long way toward maintaining optimum efficiency, extending service life, reducing maintenance costs and preventing machine breakdowns.
V-Belts
V-Belt Suppliers share seven tips that can help you improve the efficiency and extend the life of your V-belts.
Install a new V-belt by simply rolling it onto the drive. This may save a few minutes, but it can actually be extremely risky if you don't loosen the motor first. In addition to being unsafe, the belt and pulley could be damaged and you will be putting too much load on the belt, support bearings and shaft.
Over the years, V-belts have undergone significant technological developments in terms of new materials, construction methods, development of tension ropes and cross-sectional profiles. They come in many different sizes, widths and profiles, and for best performance you need to choose one that is right for your application. The tightness of the belt can negatively affect its efficiency and service life, so make sure the grooves of the pulleys are matched and appropriate.
Surprisingly, many users repeatedly change V-belts without bothering to check the pulleys for signs of wear. Things to look for include groove sidewalls cupping or polished groove sidewalls with convex ridges. A worn, broken or damaged pulley can reduce the life of the belt by as much as 50% and therefore needs to be replaced immediately. Don't ignore pulley wear simply by re-tensioning the belt, but get yourself an inexpensive pulley groove measuring tool or gauge that will save you money and extend the life of the belt.
Proper pulley alignment is an important step in making a V-belt last. Laser tools are the fastest and most accurate way to ensure horizontal and vertical alignment. There are many different models of specialized laser tools available for belt alignment, all of which will reduce wear on pulleys, belts, bearings and seals, reduce vibration levels and increase efficiency.
A belt tensioning tool is the best way to properly tension a belt and extend its life. If you rely on "feel", you may find it difficult to get the tension right, which can affect the life of the belt. If the tension is too low, it will cause high temperatures and too much noise, which will cause the belt to slip. If the tension is too high, the belt will break and bearing life will be greatly reduced.
One of the keys to extending belt life is to keep the temperature as low as possible. To mitigate the high heat generated by continuous bending of pulleys, etc., make sure the belt protection area is well ventilated.
After the belt is heated and stretched slightly, the belt tension may change, so it is important to perform a quick check and tighten to ensure proper tensioning. This is a very important step for significantly increasing the life of the v-belt. To maintain horizontal angle alignment, it is best to use a laser tool.
High loads, high temperatures, incorrect tensioning, worn pulleys, alignment between the belt and pulleys as well as dirt, grease and oil can all damage the efficiency and life of the belt. Taking the time to do a few things when installing and maintaining V-belts can make them last longer, prevent machine breakdowns and avoid unnecessary and unplanned downtime.
We also offer Agricultural Belts and industrial belts, please feel free to contact us if you need them!
