About the book
In the world of conveyor belt systems, it is well known that it is often very difficult to have a conveyor belt run true. Even a well-set conveyor belt sometimes derails transversely without any obvious reason causing many problems.
In practice, a conveyor belt always derails transversely without any special measures being taken to prevent this.
The belt tracking systems and alignment systems available in the market mostly have their own limitations and shortcomings. Many of these systems are for example not suitable for knife edge belts, and because they allow lateral offset in the conveyor belt neither the belt tracking system nor the alignment system is suited to function as a precision belt tracking system.
 | Free download Table of contents.pdf (37.32KB) |
| Table of contents.pdf (37.32KB) |
Research shows that there is a great need amongst those working with conveyor belts and knife edge belts for a reliable and accurately functioning belt tracking system which is not influenced by transverse forces on the belt or by contamination caused by, for instance, water, grease, oil, dough, etc.
During his professional career, the author was directly involved in belt tracking problems on relatively short, wide conveyor belts and knife edge belts. He also performed significant research in these areas, which resulted in two new belt tracking systems that, for the most part, do not have the disadvantages that conventional systems have.
This book will start with a description of the existing belt tracking systems and alignment systems actually used in real life, because most of the already existing literature generally only discusses the drive principle of conveyor belts and drive belts and leaves out the problems of belt tracking.
Then the book extensively describes the two new belt tracking systems for flat conveyor belts and knife edge belts. Both their operation and the extended research (including test set-up / test results) and further developments of the systems will be discussed in detail, clarifying their possibilities and restrictions. A point that is underlined here is that the aim of the development of the tracking systems proposed in this book is to also improve the tracking behaviour of very stiff belts for example steel belts.
The two new systems differ entirely from the commonly applied tracking systems (the "conventional systems", which typically use crowned rollers, tracking ropes or active steering based on belt edge position detection) and don't use electronics / computers.
Also other findings, either directly or indirectly related to conveyor belt systems, will be discussed.
Finally, the results of a relevant market research are included.
This book has been written for everyone dealing with conveyor belts, for example, producers and suppliers of conveyor belts and knife edge belts, of entire conveyor belt systems, employees of engineering offices and technical services of production companies.
Numerous reasons lead me to believe that this book should be included in the course material of students of technical schools. First of all, because very often many difficulties occur getting a conveyor belt to run true on the work floor. Secondly, because very little or no attention whatsoever is paid to this subject in technical schools, which is due to the lack of literature on this subject, the unfamiliarity with it and the underestimating of the effects of belt tracking problems in real life.
The sales figures of the original Dutch version, showed that there is a great need for this book. The book was so popular in both the Netherlands and in Belgium that a second and third edition was also published. At the same time that the third edition appeared, the German version of the book was published too. It turned out to be a tremendous success in Germany, Austria and Switzerland and, although with slightly more humble sales figures, in Denmark and Sweden. The reason for the lower sales numbers in Denmark and Sweden is most probably due to a generally larger spread of the English language in those particular countries. It is therefore assumed that in these and other countries the book is preferably needed in English.
Harry Clerx
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