Conveyor belt slip and pulley lagging problems
Loss of traction wastes power and can overheat the belt at the drive pulley.
Safety first: observe a running conveyor only from designated guarded positions. Isolate, lock out and verify zero energy, and secure take-up movement, before any hands-on check or correction.
Symptom
Look for belt-to-pulley speed mismatch, loss of throughput, heat or lagging damage. Stop if slipping generates smoke, burning odour or rapid heat rise.
Evidence
After isolation, inspect contamination, lagging wear, drainage grooves, wrap angle and take-up condition.
Causes
Worn or contaminated lagging, insufficient wrap, a take-up fault or an overloaded drive can reduce available traction.
Verification
Compare actual tension and traction conditions with the approved design. Do not infer adequate traction from motor current alone.
Action
Correct contamination and replace worn lagging to supplier limits. Obtain engineering approval before changing tension, wrap or pulley diameter.
Related Catenary calculators
Related standards on MechAtlas (status and edition)
Source note: Belt Conveyor.pdf, p. 20. Field guidance supports your judgment. Site procedures, manufacturer instructions and current standards govern final decisions.