Hennig Helps

Troubleshooting and Repairing Standard Chip Conveyors

July 29, 2020

Conveyors & Filtration

Hennig Chip Conveyor

Chip Conveyor Not Working? We Can Help

Let’s start by stating the obvious: you probably didn’t stumble across this article because your chip conveyor is working exactly the way it should be. Our maintenance team came together to walk you through identifying the problem when your chip conveyor isn’t working.

Now before you go ahead and start tinkering with your conveyor, we want to remind you to first and foremost, be safe. The first step in any maintenance operation is to make sure the power is OFF on the conveyor, but that is not the only safety precaution. If you’re not overly familiar with your system or haven’t performed maintenance before, you could still be putting yourself at risk for injury or death. If at any point you aren’t sure what to do, give our team a call at 815-316-5152.

 

Identifying the Problem: Where Is The Issue?

When getting started, we’ll want to first identify what kind of issue your chip conveyor is experiencing: motor/drive/power issues, belt related issues, or rails and/or frame-related issues. We’re here to help you get out of the jam, literally.

Troubleshooting your chip conveyor

Troubleshooting Your Chip Conveyor

We’ve outlined some of the next steps to help you identify where the issue is coming from within your chip conveyor. 

 

Run Your Machine in Reverse

By running your machine in reverse, we can quickly identify whether the chip conveyor is getting power. If your chip conveyor works - great news! Your motor is still running. 

 

A Common Issue

If your motor is still running, you could have a ball of chips, tool, or finished part jamming the way. Clear the obstruction and get back to making chips.

Worn Down Drive Elements 

  1. Sprocket keys
  2. Motor key
  3. Sprockets
  4. Driveshaft

Worn Down Drive Elements

You’ll want to look out for the following:

  • Is the keyway in your driveshaft worn down? 
  • Are your keys worn down?
  • Are your sprockets or sprocket keyways worn down?

If any of these issues prove to be the case - great news! Replacement parts can be ordered and delivered quickly. Get a hold of our team at  815-316-5152, conveyors@hennig.ame.com, or on our site.

 

Issue Still Not Resolved? Try to Move the Belt By Hand.

Cranking the driveshaft with a wrench and moving the belt by hand will help you identify if it's an electrical issue or a motor issue. 

If your chip conveyor is still moving, you’re probably looking at a motor replacement.

While your first thought might be to try and salvage the motor by doing a “small engine repair," traditionally it makes more sense to replace the motor and gearbox. Motor replacement typically starts at $1,200. To get an accurate quote, reach out to our team at 815-316-5152 or conveyors@hennig.ame.com. 

 

Not Able to Move it By Hand? Let’s Check the Belt on Your Chip Conveyor.

Once we’ve ruled out the possibility of an electrical or motor issue, we move on to checking for belt related issues with your chip conveyor. 

First, let’s take a close look at a belt assembly:

Belt assembly

A Common Issue

One of the most common chip conveyor issues we experience is a pulled out or bent shaft. This traditionally happens because the crimp on the shaft of the belt has been worn out.

Your belt will become jammed when the side link (3), where the shaft has been pulled back, has fallen down and causes a jam where the belt turns a corner.

  1. Hinge plate
  2. Cleat (if applicable)
  3. Side link
  4. Roller
  5. Side wing
  6. Shaft

 

If you’re able to run your chip conveyor in reverse, move the damaged shaft up to the discharge end so that your maintenance person has access to the shaft to perform the repair.  Once you’re able to access the damaged shaft, remove the damaged shaft by grinding off the crimps to separate the belt. You’ll want to purchase a conveyor hinge kit to replace the damaged hinge. Hinge kits typically ship in 2-3 days.

 

If you’re unable to run the conveyor in forward or reverse, locate any shaft that you are able to access and grind off the crimps to divide or split the belt. 

Once your belt has been split, you can attempt to remove the belt by pulling it out of the conveyor.

If you’re unable to remove the belt, try grinding the belt shaft crimps by using the coolant slots as an access point to gain some movement if you have coolant slots on your conveyor. You’ll want to purchase a hinge kit to replace the damaged hinge. 

When you only have a few damaged shafts or hinges, you’ll be able to purchase a hinge kit to get your chip conveyor back in action. You can request a part by making a request online or by reaching out to our team at 815-316-5152 or conveyors@hennig.ame.com. 

If there are multiple problems with your belt, (traditionally over 20% of your belt having issues), it might be time to order a replacement belt. Complete belts typically ship in 1-2 days.

 

Motor Not Running?

Not a problem, we’ll walk you through the next steps. Go ahead and unbolt your motor so we can check if it’s running properly. 

After unbolting the motor, you’ll want to remove the motor from the driveshaft to check the condition of the driveshaft. In your machine you’ll be able to locate two sprockets, one driveshaft, and three keys. 

 

Still Not Resolved? Let’s Check Your Chip Conveyor’s Frame and Rails.

If the issue still persists, we’ll want to take a closer look at your chip conveyor’s frame and rails. 

Damaged rails can prevent the belt from traveling properly. Take a close look at your chip conveyor for signs of wear such as holes, grooves, dips, etc. Any of these signs of damage can lead to larger issues - including motor and belt failure. 

If you’ve identified any damage to the frame or rails, it’s time for a replacement conveyor. Reach out to our team at 815-316-5152 or conveyors@hennig.ame.com. 

 

Other Common Issues

If the above troubleshooting suggestions weren’t the answer you were looking for, we’ve outlined some other frequent solutions that might help you get your chip conveyor back up and running.

 

Conveyor Still Not Starting?

  • Is your circuit breaker tripped? Check for a short in the motor or the cable.
  • Is there power from I/O PCB to the motor? Check the voltage at I/O PCB.
  • Has a fuse been blown? Check the fuses on the I/O PCB.

 

Conveyor Making Noises and/or Switching Between Forward and Reverse?

  • Is there a build-up of chips? Clear the excess chips and any other obstruction.
  • Is your conveyor belt damaged? Inspect the conveyor belt and repair or replace as needed.
  • Have you checked the conveyor belt tension? Adjust the belt tension as needed.

 

Still Having Issues?

Our team is here to help. With over 50 years of experience, Hennig Worldwide’s worldwide support infrastructure leads the industry in developing innovative chip conveyor technologies.

Get in touch with us at  815-316-5152 or conveyors@hennig.ame.com.

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