Common Causes of Conveyor Failure in Brick Manufacturing Plants

Conveyors are some of the most heavily relied-upon equipment in a brick manufacturing plant.

They move raw materials, green brick, fired product, scrap, and everything in between. When a conveyor fails, the problem rarely stays isolated to the conveyor. A single mechanical failure can interrupt material flow and eventually stop an entire production process.

The challenge is that conveyor failures are often treated as component failures rather than system failures.

A bearing fails, so the bearing is replaced.

A chain breaks, so the chain is replaced.

A shaft bends, so the shaft is replaced.

If the same component keeps failing, however, the component may not be the real problem.

Conveyor Alignment Problems

Alignment is one of the first things to investigate when conveyor components experience abnormal wear.

A shaft that isn't parallel to its mating shaft can create uneven loading.

A conveyor frame that isn't square can cause belts or chains to track improperly.

Even relatively small alignment errors can create additional radial loads on bearings and shafts.

When troubleshooting a recurring failure, check:

• Shaft parallelism

• Bearing alignment

• Conveyor frame geometry

• Pulley or sprocket alignment

• Chain or belt tracking

• Mounting surface condition

Replacing a bearing without correcting the alignment problem simply resets the clock.

Bearing Failures

Brick plants present particularly demanding conditions for bearings.

Dust and abrasive particulate can contaminate lubrication and enter bearing seals. Excessive loading, misalignment, and inadequate lubrication can compound the problem.

A failed bearing should therefore be examined rather than immediately discarded.

Look for evidence of:

• Overheating

• Contamination

• Uneven raceway wear

• Spalling

• Misalignment

• Excessive loading

The condition of the bearing can provide useful information about what happened before the failure.

Material Buildup

Material buildup can create mechanical problems that aren't immediately obvious.

Accumulated material can interfere with moving components, increase drag, alter belt tracking, and add unexpected loads to shafts and bearings.

It can also change the geometry of transfer points over time.

A conveyor that originally operated properly may gradually become unreliable as material accumulates around critical areas.

Structural Fatigue

Conveyor structures experience repeated loading.

Vibration, impact, thermal cycling, and constantly changing loads can eventually produce fatigue cracks in frames, brackets, supports, and welds.

A crack around a bearing mount, for example, may allow the bearing housing to move.

That movement can then accelerate bearing, shaft, and chain wear.

In that situation, replacing the bearing doesn't address the underlying structural problem.

Chain and Sprocket Wear

Chain drives are particularly sensitive to alignment and lubrication.

As chain components wear, pitch can change and engagement with the sprocket becomes less ideal.

Worn sprocket teeth can further accelerate chain wear.

When replacing a severely worn chain, inspect the sprockets rather than assuming the chain is the only component requiring replacement.

Designing for the Environment

Replacement components for brick plants need to be designed around the actual operating environment.

A component that performs well in a clean manufacturing facility may have a very different service life when exposed to abrasive dust and continuous production.

Material selection, sealing, lubrication, guarding, accessibility, and maintenance intervals all matter.

Final Thoughts

Conveyor reliability isn't determined by a single bearing, chain, or shaft.

It's determined by how the entire mechanical system works together.

When failures repeat, the objective should be to identify the mechanism causing the failure—not simply replace the failed component.

Lesson from the Shop Floor

One of the most useful troubleshooting techniques is to ask what the failed component was being forced to do. A bearing that fails repeatedly may be telling you that it's carrying a load it was never supposed to carry. A cracked bracket may be telling you that the structure is flexing. A broken chain may be telling you the drive isn't aligned. Failed components are evidence. Treat them that way.

Call to Action

CCI Machine works with manufacturing facilities on conveyor repairs, replacement components, structural modifications, machining, fabrication, and equipment upgrades. If a conveyor component continues to fail, we can help evaluate the mechanical problem rather than simply reproducing the same replacement part.