Download McLanahan's Cross Belt Sampling System Troubleshooting Guide for tips on maintaining efficiency in situations such as the cutter stopping in the middle of the belt or the cutter not turning.
Cross Belt Sampling System Maintenance
The cutter assembly on my sampler is taking longer to stop. Is there something I can do to improve the stopping action?
Standard-duty cross belt samplers use a dry disc brake arrangement to stop the cutter assembly rotation. Over time, the brake discs will begin to wear, resulting in an increase in cutter assembly travel while stopping. This is remedied by periodically adjusting the brake gap, thereby keeping the mechanical reaction time of the brake to a minimum.
Checking and adjusting the cutter wiper can be time consuming. Is there an easier way to accomplish this?
Manually rotating the cutter assembly down to the conveyor belt to check cutter wiper adjustment, then making the actual adjustment can be a bit cumbersome. To save time and effort, try this: Correctly adjust the cutter and cutter wiper, then make a template that can be used to monitor the wear of the cutter wiper. If a gap exists between the end of the cutter wiper and the inside of the template, adjust the wiper out to touch the template. If the wiper is being replaced, install the wiper to the point where it matches up with the template. This can be accomplished from the inspection door located in the small enclosure hood opposite the discharge side of the machine. Just be sure to follow appropriate lockout/tagout and other safety procedures.
Do Cut Zone components need to be inspected and adjusted for wear?
Once Cut Zone components are set initially, periodic inspection is still required. Inspection is necessary to ensure that components are not prematurely or excessively wearing, as well as planning for preventative maintenance activities. As far as adjustments are concerned, the impact cradle can be adjusted upward to account for wear as long as approximately ¼” of wear material is still present. Note that too much adjustment upward will result in excessive wear (the cradle surface should be about 1/8” below the bottom of the conveyor belt). The multi-segment idlers do not require adjustment once they have been set. If excessive wear is observed on the roller shells, the affected roller(s) should be replaced. If a roller(s) is squealing, turning poorly, generating excessive bearing heat, or not turning at all, the roller(s) should be replaced as well.
What are signs of wear?
If you notice excessive material spillage from the enclosure seals, this indicates enclosure end seal wear. If you notice fine material is not completely removed during increment collection, this indicates cutter wiper wear.
Operational Best Practices
How can I save time checking the cutter wiper?
Making a template of the cutter wiper based on the correct adjustment of the wiper can save you time and effort. Check the cutter wiper against this template on a weekly basis and adjust as necessary.
How often should I inspect the enclosure end seals and skirt board?
Perform a weekly inspection of the enclosure end seals and skirt board seals. If fugitive material is escaping, adjust these components as necessary.
How often should I inspect the Cut Zone rollers and slide bars?
If necessary, adjust the Cut Zone rollers and side bars as needed, and replace them when excessive wear is observed.
Recommended Spare Parts List
McLanahan Corporation recommends that you have certain replacement parts for your Cross Belt Sampling System to perform any repairs that must be made as a result of regularly scheduled maintenance checks or in case of breakdown.
Part Name | Quantity |
| Internal End Seal | 1 |
| Pillow Block Bearing, expanded | 1 |
| Pillow Block Bearing, Fixed | 1 |
| Reducer/Motor | 1 |
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