Setting up the drive for a Flat Flex wire belt is crucial for ensuring its longevity and optimal performance. Often overlooked, this step is integral to the installation process and can significantly impact the lifespan of your conveyor belt. Taking the time to properly set up the drive is essential if you aim to maximize the value, efficiency, and run time of your Flat Flex wire belt. In this blog article, we will teach you the correct way to setup your drive to maximize the performance of your Flat Flex wire belt.
The first crucial aspect to consider when dealing with the drive setup for a Flat Flex wire belt is ensuring proper alignment of your drive components. Alignment is paramount; it involves aligning the teeth of the sprockets evenly across the width of the driveshaft. You should be able to place a straight edge against any sprocket tooth and observe a straight line extending to the next sprocket’s tooth across the entire width of the driveshaft. This alignment is essential for the correct engagement of the sprockets with the Flat Flex wire conveyor belt.
There are essentially three ways to facilitate the alignment process: you can utilize a square drive shaft with square bore sprockets or opt for a keyed drive shaft paired with keyed round bore drive sprockets. Alternatively, you can use a straight edge across the width of the belt to ensure that the drive sprocket teeth are perfectly aligned across the width of the drive shaft. Regardless of the method chosen, the significance of drive sprocket alignment cannot be overstated. It is pivotal for ensuring that your conveyor belt operates smoothly and for maximizing its longevity.
The second crucial aspect of proper drive setup involves installing the correct number of drive components and positioning them properly across the width of the drive shaft. This ensures they fit into the correct spaces of the Flat Flex wire belt, constituting the next crucial step in setting up your drive system to maximize the longevity of both your components and the conveyor belt itself. For Flat Flex wire belts, the initial requirement is to confirm the presence of one drive sprocket and one blank installed in the first and last outside belt spaces. Subsequently, the remaining odd spaces across the width of the Flat Flex wire belt should each accommodate two drive sprockets per odd space.
The final and crucial aspect is to properly space your drive components from the z-bends of your Flat Flex wire belt. Z-bends refer to the belt joints that form the spaces running across the width of your Flat Flex wire belt. It’s imperative to never have the face of your sprockets in direct contact with the z-bends of a Flat Flex wire belt. There should always be between 3/16” to ¼” clearance between the face of the drive component and the z-bend. This prevents excessive rubbing and helps prolong the life of your conveyor belt and drive components. If your drive components have set screws make sure to tighten them down once you have made all of the adjustments in the steps above.
Following these simple steps for your conveyor’s drive setup will make your conveyor run at peak performance and really help you get the most out of not only your conveyor belt, but also all the components that go into driving a conveyor. Taking the time to perform these steps correctly will make your system run smoother and help you save money in the long run. Should you have any questions or require additional guidance, please do not hesitate to contact us. Thank you for choosing Wire Belt for your conveyor belting needs! You can also download our Flat Flex setup guide as a PDF click here. The Flat Flex setup guide has tons of useful information about Flat Flex wire belts.
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