This is something we often get asked about as it has such a major impact on conveyor systems and is critical to diagnosing and rectifying issues.
Spillage
Spillage is usually found at the tail area of the belt at the load transfer point and is characterised by product accumulating on the side of the belt. It’s often caused by the system being overloaded, an incorrect feed angle or the skirting rubbers not working efficiently due to incorrect selection.
If spillage is the diagnosis, there are a number of solutions you can try depending on what might be causing the issue. If the system is being overloaded, the feeder chute might need redesigning or rediverting to improve the product flow, or you can install an impact bed to better handle the product. If the skirting rubber isn’t working as it should then this can obviously be replaced.
Carryback
Carryback is characterised by product accumulating in a pile centrally and directly underneath the belt and can generally be found anywhere along the system.
It’s usually caused by insufficient belt cleaning so you might need to consider adding a belt cleaner to your system. If sufficient belt cleaners are in place it could be the belt itself that is the problem. If the belt is damaged or worn i.e. is pitted or there are grooves in it the belt cleaners can’t clean the belt effectively. In this instance, the belt may need servicing or repairing. There are a number of repair options available which you can read about in our blog article here.
Whatever issues you’re having, our highly experienced team can come out and help identify the problem and provide recommendations for an effective solution.