Types and causes of damage to the conveyor belt - Review, classification and mutual relations

The belt is the most important working element of any conveyor. Damages to this element cause costly downtimes in the operation of the transport system. Due to the working conditions and contact with the material, it is exposed to damage. Proper operation can be the way to effectively extend the life cycle of a belt. The experience of users shows that the majority of belt damages are due to improper operation of the conveyor or the technical condition of components. The article presents an overview of the types of belt damages and the authors' classification of their causes, not directly related to the quality of production of the belt itself. For each type of damage, the right method of prevention and condition monitoring is presented. Decision diagrams were constructed to form the basis for proper management of the work and durability of the belt.