COMPANY PROFILE

Emerson Bearing Company of Boston Shares Tips on How to Prevent Costly Breakdowns and Extend V-Belt Life & Efficiency

Choose the right V-belt and properly install it to help maximize your component's longevity and reliability.

Often undervalued, an important component of many industrial and manufacturing systems is the V-belt. Optimizing V-belts is critical for extending their life, increasing system efficiency, reducing the need for frequent maintenance, and preventing costly breakdowns.

V-belts are versatile components that transmit power in mechanical systems between sets of grooved sheaves or pulleys. They feature a trapezoidal cross-section and are the most popular belt drives. Their unique geometry, which causes the fit in the sheave or pulley to tighten with increased tension, is a big part of the reason for their widespread use.

When wedging the belt into the groove, there's an increase in friction between the belt's surface. This allows for the transmission of high torques. The increase in friction also prevents slippage, which would otherwise cause a greater loss of power. Additionally, in applications where V-belts often slip, many operators find that their bearings prematurely fail. Increasing V-belt life will also increase bearing life because it eliminates slippage and the accompanying frictional heat.

Why Properly Maintained V-Belts Matter

about V-belts. According to Bestorq, there are several reasons that may cause a belt to fail prematurely, such as the size of the pulley being too small, debris in the drive, under belting, or if the incorrect belt is used in the pulley.

The top reasons for belt failures that Bestorq faces include: » Belts that are not tensioned correctly » Worn pulleys » Misaligned pulleys » Belts that have been rolled on

There are many signs that can be observed before a belt fails. They will start cracking, delaminating, or there are other noticeable signs of belt wear. Belts may also make squealing, slapping, running, grinding, or other abnormally loud noises that indicate there is a problem.

It’s crucial to notice these signs and take the appropriate action. Bestorq says that if all safety precautions are not taken appropriately, someone can be seriously harmed if hit with a broken piece of belt or metal.

Properly maintained V-belts will provide longer overall belt life, allow for more energy efficiency, and experience less downtime. To extend V-belt lifetime and boost overall

quality, Emerson Bearings Company of Boston suggests implementing the following best practices.

Use Correct Installation Procedures

While you may initially consider saving time by rolling the V-belt onto the drive to install it, this comes with certain risks if installers neglect first to loosen the motor. This installation method presents a safety hazard, potentially damaging sheaves and belts, and putting heavy loads on the belt and the system's shafts and support bearings.

Choose the Right-Sized Belt

There have been certain technological advancements in V-belts regarding their materials, tensile cord advancements, construction methods, and cross-section profiles. They're available in a range of profiles, sizes, and widths. To optimize their performance and prevent V-belt damage, you'll need to select the ideal V-belt for your specific application. If your belt is loose-fitting, this will lead to decreased efficiency and life, which is why it’s so important to ensure the V-belt is the right fit.

Regularly Check Sheaves for Wear

V-belt users often replace these components while neglecting to check for signs of wear on the sheaves. These signs may include polished, ridged groove sidewalls, or groove sidewall cupping. If the sheaves display signs of wear, it's best to replace them, because worn sheaves can reduce the V-belt’s lifetime by as much as 50 percent.

Tension the Belt Properly

The best method for tensioning belts and maximizing their longevity is to use a belt tension tool. Relying solely on touch to gauge tension can make it more challenging. Too much tension will increase the risk of the band breaking while greatly reducing bearing life. Conversely, too little tension will cause the belts to slip over time due to high temperature and noise levels.

What to Look for in V-Belts

Finding the appropriate V-belt for your specific application is essential, according to Katz, president of Emerson Bearing Company. He says: "We are dedicated to helping customers not only find the right V-belt solution for their application, but to provide tools and information necessary to help enhance performance and extend service life.”

ABOUT EMERSON BEARING BOSTON

Founded in 1957, Emerson Bearing Boston specializes in bearings for niche markets nationwide and is the sister company of Action Bearing which serves the New England market. The company provides solutions to a variety of industries including: aggregate, concrete, mining, machine tools, electric motor repair, marine, material handling, metal processing, packaging, food processing, paper converting, printing, wind/power generation, recreation, heavy construction, robotics, automation, transportation, wood products, wastewater treatment, pump, compressor, and oil field.

More About Bearing Failure

Often a component of V-belt and pulley systems, bearings play a critical role in many industrial devices and equipment. While bearing failure is unavoidable, it is possible to minimize the negative impact of failure on company operations. The key is understanding what causes a bearing to fail and how to prevent it from causing premature failure.

There are many reasons why bearing failure may occur, such as improper lubrication. This is the reason for the majority of bearing failures and can occur if the wrong lubricant is used, if not enough lubricant is applied, or if the bearing has been exposed to excessive temperatures that have caused the lubricant to degrade. A properly installed, right-sized, and well-maintained V-belt can help eliminate those excessive temperatures.

Contaminants such as dirt, sand, water, and chemical compounds can also cause numerous issues in bearing assemblies. For example, they can degrade the lubricant or corrode/erode bearing surfaces, all of which can lead to premature failure.

While some bearings can handle minor misalignment between the shaft and bearing housing, not all of them can. Typical causes of misalignment include bent shafts, contaminated components, and improperly positioned shafts and locking nuts. These issues can lead to uneven load distribution and excessive vibration generation, which can further hasten failure.

Fatigue, or spalling, refers to the fracture of bearing surfaces and the subsequent breaking off of pieces of material. As fatigue spreads, it will lead to failure as well.

Knowing why bearing failure occurs makes it easier to implement appropriate measures to avoid the causes. Selecting the right bearing, correct installation, and proper lubrication can help you avoid premature bearing failure.