TL;DR
Scan the idler clusters with an IR thermometer during a run. Rollers above 70 degC have failing bearings. Mark and replace them during the next brief stop.
What you might see
- squealing or grinding noise from idler cluster
- hot roller housing detected by IR scan
- damaged belt edge near a seized roller
- vibration increase in that conveyor section
Likely causes
Bearing grease degraded or washed out causing metal-to-metal contact
Seal failure on a sealed-for-life bearing allowing abrasive dust ingress
Belt lateral load from misalignment concentrating side force on specific rollers
End-of-service life on rollers beyond the inspection replacement interval
Required tools
- IR thermometer
- Spray paint or tags for marking
- Wrench set
- Replacement idler rollers
- LOTO kit
Safety first
- Lock out the drive before removing any idler cluster. Belt tension remains in the system at rest.
- Dust explosion risk in mineral ore environments. No hot work near the belt without a hot-work permit.
Procedure
- 1
During a scheduled run, walk the conveyor and scan each idler roller housing with an IR thermometer. Flag any roller above 70 degC.[1]
- 2
Mark each hot roller with spray paint or a tag for replacement.
- 3
Stop the conveyor and lock out the drive.
- 4
At each marked roller, remove the cluster from its frame and replace the failed roller with a new unit of the same size and specification.[1]
- 5
Check that the new roller spins freely before reinstalling the cluster.
- 6
Reinstall the cluster and confirm correct frame alignment and tightening torque.
- 7
Restart the conveyor and re-scan the replaced locations on the next pass to confirm the hot spot is resolved.
Sources
FLSmidth FLSmidth pipe conveyor Heavy-Duty Conveyor (Mining) general technical documentation, FLSmidth
General conveyor idler maintenance and thermographic inspection best practices (general)
More guides for FLSmidth FLSmidth pipe conveyor
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A belt rotation fault is most often idler misalignment or a blocked idler causing the pipe to open. Walk the belt and identify the first misaligned idler cluster, then realign.
How to fix drive pulley slippage on a FLSmidth pipe conveyor
Drive pulley slippage is caused by insufficient belt tension or worn pulley lagging. Check takeup tension first before replacing lagging.
Stop fixing the same fault twice.
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