12 Ways to Protect Your Conveyor Supply Chain Operations
Sian Victoria © - Industrial building
Guide on How to Prevent Costly Conveyor Supply Chain Downtime
Have you ever seen a conveyor system functioning flawlessly in a crowded warehouse? It is a fascinating experience. When such mechanical wonders function without any problems, the whole logistics operation becomes a work of art.
But let’s face reality for a minute. If something goes wrong with your conveyor system, the silence in the warehouse becomes almost deafening. All of a sudden, your delivery commitments start getting delayed, your employees become idle, and you feel the pressure building up on you.
This is precisely the reason why I decided to compile this business guide. Consider this blog post as your handy guide that will ensure your belts keep moving smoothly and save you from a lot of trouble later on.
I will discuss twelve tips that you can easily apply and that will help you minimise the risks associated with your conveyor logistics operations. No matter what kind of facility you have, big or small, these tips will come in handy for you.
1. Commit to a Regular Maintenance Schedule
It all seems easy, but you wouldn't believe the number of businesses that take maintenance lightly. It is a terrible idea to wait until the belt breaks to get the assistance of a technician. What you need is a preventive process.
Create daily, weekly, and monthly checklists for your staff members so that you have some regular auditing in place. The daily checklist should only require a quick inspection on a visual level, looking out for visible signs of wear or unusual sounds.
A weekly checklist can cover belt tracking, whereas a monthly checklist needs thorough lubrication and an evaluation of its structure. You will be able to arrange the repair works during the off-peak hours this way.
2. Keep Your Critical Spare Parts Handy
Just think, it only takes a tiny bearing worth five pounds to fail, and your entire operation grinds to a halt for three days because the replacement part is backordered. That is a nightmare scenario that happens far too often in supply chain management.
Take the time to identify the components that are absolutely vital to your conveyor systems. This list usually includes belts, motors, rollers, and sensors. Buy these parts in advance and store them safely on site. Yes, it requires a bit of upfront spending, but the money you save by reducing hours of downtime into mere minutes is worth every single penny.
3. Train Your Team Beyond Basic Operation
Your workforce is the eyes and ears of the warehouse floor. If all they know about operating the equipment is hitting the ON/OFF switch, then you are underutilising your best protection system.
Consider investing in programs that will help your operators identify the appearance and sound of well-running conveyors. They need to be able to recognise early indicators of belt slippage, misalignment, or overheating of the motors. It is when your workers have a sense of responsibility and can identify problems before they become disasters that a culture of protection will grow.
4. Never Overload Your Conveyor Belts
Every conveyor system is designed for a specific weight capacity, but there will always be that urge to load one extra box on top of the belt when things get hectic. Don't succumb to this pressure.
Overloading results in immense stress for your motors, strains your belts, and leads to the premature wear and tear of your rollers. Ensure that the weight restrictions are well labelled and enforced by your crew. If your production levels have increased, it could be time to invest in a new conveyor system.
5. Check for Proper Belt Alignment
The conveyor should operate perfectly straight for it to work well. When the belt begins to veer off to either side, that is what is known as mistracking, and this can result in a great deal of damage within a very short time.
The belt will be wearing down due to friction against the sides of the conveyor frame. It may even lead to packages falling off, which would cause an obstruction. Check regularly whether the belt tracking is working well, and fix any problems such as belt veering by adjusting the tension pulleys to the centre position.
6. Adopt Smart Monitoring Sensors
Why not utilise the advanced technologies of our time to ensure the security of your supply chain? Today’s conveyor systems can have intelligent sensors to monitor them for you.
Such sensors can detect vibrations, motor temperature, and belt speed right away. Should a bearing start vibrating more than needed, or the motor gets warmer than usual, an alarm will be sent directly to your smartphone or PC. It will warn you about malfunctioning parts even before they fail, giving you enough time to take measures in advance.
Sian Victoria © - Industrial building
7. Keep the Whole System Clean
Warehouses can be quite dusty and dirty environments. Even though small amounts of dust may not appear dangerous, debris is one of the most hidden causes of conveyor system failures. Getting a thorough checkup from somewhere like Joloda Hydraroll can uncover early warning signs that you might not catch on your own.
Debris from cardboard dust, packing tape, dirt, and even labels may easily get inside your conveyor rollers and gearboxes. Friction from debris will make your motors run harder and result in overheating. Reserve 10 minutes per day to clean your conveyor system at the end of each working shift. Using compressed air or cleaning specific parts of your conveyor can significantly extend its lifetime.
8. Diversify Your Supplier Base
Risk management does not only involve your physical equipment in your warehouse. It involves the companies that provide your equipment and maintenance thereof.
When you source all your conveyors and spare parts from one supplier only, you become extremely susceptible to problems like fires, strikes, and logistical delays. This will affect your ability to do business. Have relationships with two or three suppliers at least. The knowledge that you have alternatives can give you such comfort.
9. Create a Robust Recovery Plan
No matter how perfect the maintenance procedures are, something always goes wrong in the process of work. Power failure, a huge jam, or electric problem might completely stop the whole operation.
What is needed here is to be ready for anything. Create a written procedure of what to do in case of an emergency situation. What phone number should be called? Where are the buttons to manually operate the system? How to divert the cargo to another part of the warehouse when the central belt does not work?
10. Prioritise Safety Standards and Training
Productivity and safety are inseparable concepts in the warehouse. The safety of your employees while handling conveyors is vital, as it directly affects their performance and the possibility of major accidents.
All emergency stop switches should be clearly marked, accessible, and frequently checked. Teach your employees good safety practices, such as securing long hair, wearing snug clothes, and never putting hands near moving conveyors. Nothing is more essential than ensuring the safety of your people.
11. Conduct Periodic Supply Chain Audits
With the ever-changing nature of your business, so are the risks involved in your operations. What worked well for you last year may find it difficult to keep up with your current requirements.
Consider scheduling a comprehensive audit of your supply chain process one or two times per year. Give attention to how fast your conveyor belts run, how long it takes you to handle your packages, and any consistent bottleneck areas. This will give you an idea of the pressure points in your operations.
12. Build Open Communication with Your Partners
Finally, always be aware that your conveyor systems operate within a wider system that includes suppliers, delivery companies, and consumers.
Communication should never be an issue. If there is an expected increase in demand, make sure you notify the maintenance staff and your suppliers. Should your conveyor fail at some point, inform the transportation company so they can take it into account when arranging pickup schedules. The strength of a chain is in its unity.
To conclude
The truth of the matter is that reducing risks in your conveyor supply chain management business is simply being proactive. This does not require an enormous budget nor a team of scientists to be able to protect your business from the risks.
All that you have to do is focus on the little things, such as ensuring that everything is clean and well organised, training your employees and always planning for the worst scenarios.
What is going to be your first move to ensure that your conveyor supply chain management operations are successful? It could be anything, such as ordering some replacement parts or discussing your plans with your employees.
