Conveyor System Breakdowns:
Understanding, Mitigating and Repairing
Understanding conveyor system breakdowns
Conveyor systems are vital components of any environment where the smooth flow of products and materials is crucial. They help to improve efficiency, maximise productivity, minimise downtime, and reduce labour costs. Because of their essential role, these systems must be kept running optimally.
At CSL Automation, we understand the importance of keeping your systems operating at peak efficiency. That’s why we offer a range of services, including breakdown repair, to reduce downtime and increase productivity in your workplace.
Types of Conveyor System Breakdowns
Conveyor breakdowns can occur for various reasons, and understanding the most common causes of a breakdown can help you prepare for sudden breakdowns:
Mechanical Breakdown
Mechanical issues with your conveyor system can stem simply from the gradual wear and tear of components such as belts, rollers and bearings. Mechanical faults can lead to jams, misaligned belts or even complete breakdowns.
It is, therefore, important to complete a regular check on the mechanical components of your conveyor system and stock the necessary spare parts to minimise downtime if any issues arise.
Electrical Breakdown
Electrical issues can occur due to motors, control systems or wiring faults. Issues with the electrical aspects of a conveyor system can lead to the system shutting down entirely.
It is crucial to regularly check on the electrical components of your conveyor system and stock the necessary spare parts to minimise downtime if any issues arise.
Breakdowns
We understand the importance of your conveyor system within your warehouse, fulfilment centre, or factory. In the rare event of a conveyor system breakdown, we will arrange for one of our qualified/experienced engineers to visit your site ASAP and complete the repairs needed to get you operational again.
We can repair the conveyors we install, and those other integrators install. Our engineers specialise in equipment manufactured by Conveyor Units (Uni-XU), Interroll, Ambaflex, Qimarox, Intralox, etc.
Keep your systems running
CSL Automation can help you prioritise the long-term efficiency of your conveyor and automation system. Our dedicated team is committed to keeping your system running smoothly, reducing costly downtime and boosting productivity.
Prevent breakdowns with our tailored Conveyor Care plans, designed to keep your conveyor system operating at peak performance. We offer flexible service tiers to meet your specific needs, ensuring uninterrupted operation throughout the year.
Explore our service levels to find the perfect fit for your system’s maintenance requirements.
Conveyor System Breakdown FAQs
Why should I hold spare parts for my conveyor system?
Holding spare parts for your conveyor system minimises downtime and ensures continuous operation. In the event of a component failure, readily available spare parts allow for quick replacements, reducing the impact on production schedules and preventing costly delays.
It also eliminates the need to wait for parts to be ordered, shipped, and delivered, thus improving overall efficiency and responsiveness to maintenance needs. Even if your system has been recently installed and is under the manufacturer’s warranty, holding spare parts of the key elements is still advisable.
Our aftersales team can help provide a bespoke list of recommended spares to keep in stock to ensure the smooth running of your operations.
What types of spare parts should we keep on hand to minimise downtime?
It’s advisable to keep a stock of commonly replaced parts such as belts, rollers, bearings, and motor components. Our team can provide guidance on which spare parts are essential based on your specific conveyor system.
What are the signs that indicate our conveyor system may need repairs or upgrades?
Signs indicating the need for repairs or upgrades include increased noise, decreased throughput, frequent breakdowns, excessive wear on components, and safety hazards. Our technicians can assess your system and recommend appropriate solutions. Find out more here.
How do you handle warranty claims and support for conveyor components and systems installed by CSL?
CSL stands behind the quality of our products and services. We handle warranty claims promptly and provide ongoing support for conveyor components and systems installed by our company, ensuring customer satisfaction and peace of mind. We only work with trusted partners for all of the equipment we install and with reputable equipment manufacturers.
What are the most common causes of conveyor downtime, and how can we prevent them?
Common causes of conveyor downtime include belt misalignment, bearing failures, material jams, and motor issues. Preventive measures such as regular maintenance, proper operator training, and installing sensors for early detection can help prevent downtime.
Our Maintenance options include:
- Annual service contracts
- Ad-hoc/reactive service visits
- Visual inspections Scheduled/Preventative maintenance visits
- Wear part replacement programmes
- System health checks
- Remote dial in health checks
Breakdowns
We understand the importance of your conveyor system within your warehouse/fulfillment centre/factory, in the rare event of a breakdown we will organise one of our qualified/experienced engineers to visit site ASAP and carry out the repairs needed to get you operational again.
We can repair conveyors installed by ourselves and other integrators, our engineers specialise in equipment manufactured by Conveyor Units (Uni-XU), Interroll, Ambaflex, Qimarox, Intralox, etc.
Spare Parts
Having a supply of consumable and critical spare parts on site is always highly recommended, we estimate that more than 85% of equipment breakdowns can be repaired on the initial engineer visit if parts are held on site!
The supply of spare parts could involve anything from adhoc ordering of individual parts, “front line” breakdown spares kits, critical wear parts or comprehensive spares packages to suit your bespoke system which can fitted by either your in-house maintenance engineers or fully experienced CSL engineers. Spare parts packages can be mechanical, electrical or control based or even a mix to suit your system and requirements.
We can supply both from our own stock of critical genuine spares and a large inventory from our suppliers. Expedited delivery options are also available.
Modernisation & Upgrades
However well designed a conveyor system layout is, sometimes changes in products, company direction, increases in throughputs or changes in scope occur, meaning the previous conveyor system will need changes.
These changes often include:
- Re-configurations
- Upgrades
- Extensions
- Relocations
- Fire escape route changes
- Change in routes/scope or function
- Safety system upgrades
- Improvements in energy efficiency
- Control and software changes
Our continual improvement programs will help you to optimise workflow while also reducing the operation costs. CSL understand the importance of your conveyor system and will define a detailed plan of implementation to minimise downtime and disruption.
By carrying out these changes not only does it save money over a new system it also cuts down on downtime and environmental wastage.
Safety
Over time safety requirements and legislation change, to help keep your conveyor system compliant and operationally safe CSL can carry out modifications to an existing system and its safety functions.
Often the suggested safety upgrades and modifications include:
- Electrical
- Pullcord e-stop systems
- Additional & relocation of e-stops
- Safety barriers & bump stops
- Pedestrian barriers including gates
- Traffic barriers
- Build back sensors
- Walk over structures
- Retro fitting lift up gates
A lot of these changes are simple and can help organisations remain safe and complaint with health and safety legislation. A quick on-site survey can help us identify possible improvements and make suggestions for these changes.
Relocations & Decommissioning
For multiple reasons materials handling systems need relocating, this is usually within the same building or to a new facility. Our project team will carry out a site and equipment survey and will produce a project plan. This would be similar to the work carried out when the system was initially installed and will ensure the equipment will fit in the new location either in the same layout or with a re-configuration.
The equipment will then be disconnected and moved to the new location before being re-fixed and re-connected, this might also involve adding to the system or making software and control modifications.
Our projects and engineering teams can also assist with complete end of usable life decommissioning prior to recycling, this includes disconnecting and making safe the electrics, removal and palletising before collection.
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