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As a simple conveyor system for beginners to practice with, it often suffers from the annoying problem of deviation. Since I have built several types of belt conveyors before (regular belt conveyors, electric roller belt conveyors, telescopic lifting belt conveyors, etc.), I would like to share the experience I have gained. Introduction: Conveying equipment is one of the devices that can be found everywhere these days; it can be regarded as the automation of blood flow. There are various types of conveying equipment, including belt conveyors, chain plate conveyors, bucket conveyors, screw conveyors, roller conveyors, overhead conveyors, and so on. Among them, the belt conveyor is likely to be one of the most commonly used types, and belt conveyors can be further classified into various types such as belt conveyors, synchronous belt conveyors, and O-ring belt conveyors. What we will be talking about today is the widely used belt conveyor. I. Conveyor Analysis: Ordinary conveyors have a simple structure; they only require a fixed frame, two rollers, a drive mechanism, a tensioning mechanism, and a belt to rotate and transport items. If the device deviates from its intended path, the tensioning mechanism is usually adjusted. Indeed, adjusting the tensioning mechanism can resolve 80% of such deviation issues, but sometimes it takes hours of adjustment yet the problem isn’t fixed. Let’s now analyze each component: the roller (including the adjustment mechanism) is, without a doubt, the \"main culprit\"” ； Fix the frame and place the belt on it to secure it; it seems there’s no problem ； The drive mechanism, which is only responsible for rotation, seems to be fine as well ； Belt… it should be the “victim”, right? In analyzing rollers, belt misalignment is generally caused by non-parallelism of the rollers, which generates lateral forces that exceed the belt’s capacity to absorb them; this leads to severe misalignment and even wear or jamming. Image 2: Common solutions. After analyzing the above, it seems that the problem lies in the adjustment of the rollers, as there is nothing else that can be moved. Common solutions include: 1. Adjustment mechanism: The most basic setup, which can address general deviation issues ； Adjust within a certain range. 2. Roller width margin: This means the roller is slightly wider than the belt, providing some room for it to deviate freely ； Ability for minor adjustments. 3. Auxiliary settings: Some systems include mechanisms such as guide wheels on either side of the belt and limiters to prevent deviation ； Minor adjustments can cause severe deviation, accelerating belt damage. 4. Drum-shaped roller: The roller is designed in a drum shape with a bulge in the middle, enabling it to counteract lateral forces on both sides ； Adjustment within a certain range should be determined based on the taper. 5. Guide strip belt: A guide strip is placed under the belt to prevent it from drifting. Adjustment within a certain range; severe deviation can cause damage to the guide strip. In fact, these methods can address the issue of deviation to a certain extent, but there are still a few cases where deviation may occur even when all the aforementioned solutions are applied, due to limited adjustment capabilities. III. Root cause analysis: The aforementioned adjustments cannot fully resolve the issue of deviation; at its core, it is still a problem related to lateral forces, and these adjustments are intended to counteract lateral forces to a certain extent. Well then, the question arises: how is lateral force generated? It is obvious that: 1. There are structural issues; the parallelogram effect is severe, resulting in excessive lateral forces, and the adjustment mechanism goes beyond its range of operation. This situation can be confirmed at the beginning of assembly by measuring the diagonal length with a tape measure. 2. In some other cases, reassembling in parallel may not solve the problem either, as the frame and the upper belt mechanism form a spatial quadrilateral; in such cases, it is necessary to check during installation that the heights at both ends of each roller are equal. So, what else needs to be noted besides parallelograms? Attention also needs to be paid to the conveyor belt during use: it should not be tightened too much, and care must be taken to ensure that the tension on both sides is not too different, otherwise the belt may exceed its elastic limits on one side, forming a conical shape and generating lateral forces. When installing and using the conveyor belt, based on its elastic range – which is approximately 0.1%-0.3% – marks can be made every 1000 mm along both sides of the belt, with the belt being tensioned evenly to around 1001 mm on each side. The above are the experiences I have gained from making belts. Additionally, for belts that are adjustable in length or have multiple functions, it is best to install adjustment mechanisms at both the beginning and the end, while placing the tensioning mechanism at the other end.