If you rely on conveyor belts to keep your business moving, you want that belting to last as long as possible. For over 40 years, the engineering experts at MIPR Corp. have helped customers keep their conveyor belting systems running strong—minimizing downtime and maximizing the value of their investment. Properly installing your conveyor belt lacing is a powerful way to keep your belts running as long as possible.
The most common way to install a conveyor belt on a frame is through lacing. Conveyor belt lacing works on a zipper principle. Clips, bolts, plates, hinges, or spirals made of metal or plastic are attached to both sides of separate conveyor belt segments. When pinned together properly, they “zip” the two segments of the belt into one strong, tough, smooth-running belt.
Lacing is an essential part of splicing and assembling pre- or custom-made conveyor belting and, like tracking your conveyor belt, lacing your belt incorrectly can harm its efficacy and shorten its working lifespan dramatically. MIPR conveyor belt experts work closely with our clients to make sure the belts we design, manufacture, and ship worldwide come together in exactly the right way—with exactly the right lacing.
No matter what type of lacing or lacing tool you or your team use, make sure that you:
Use the Proper Type of Lacing for Your Conveyor Belt
MIPR Corp stocks, manufactures, and ships thousands and thousands of different types of conveyor belts. And every single one of them—from Teflon glass to Kevlar to food-grade plastic to coated and cleated conveyor belts—has an optimal type, or types, of lacing. What good is a high-heat or cold-resistant belt if its lacing can’t stand up to intense temperatures? Talk to your conveyor belt manufacturer and your team of mechanics to make sure you always use the proper type of lacing.
Make Sure Your Belt and Your Lacing is Lined Up and Squared Up
Keeping the belt segments and lacing components square—perfectly parallel—is key to lacing the belt up right. Tolerances vary, but you may be able to accidentally lace up a belt on a slight angle. As the conveyor belt carries loads over time, the stress on the lacing will build up until the belt snaps and breaks at the lacing point. Squaring the lacing from the start is a great way to keep your conveyor belt—and your production line—together.
Test Your Lacing When You Test Your Tracking
Maintaining conveyor belt alignment with proper tension and tracking takes careful calibration and regular alignment checks. When you inspect your belt’s tracking, take a look at the lacing seams. Are they showing wear or strain? If so, unpin the lacing and make sure they are square before you start again!
If you have a conveyor belt that just can’t seem to stay laced, talk to the belting experts at MIPR. We can quickly identify whether the problem is originating in tension or tracking, if the lacing is right for your belt, or if it hasn’t been properly pinned. And there is no one better to call for a fast, affordable replacement. We even ship samples same-day!