Jason Luzader, Engineering Manager at PRAB
Conveyors are the unsung workhorses of metalworking operations. Unless they’re built for the exact application, material, and facility layout, the risks of underperformance, unplanned downtime, and costly repairs increase significantly.
This means if there’s one piece of equipment in the shop that should never be taken for granted, it’s the conveyor. They aren’t just big dumb machines either. Shops today are tracking new data to enhance performance and improve production. But often, it’s the tried-and-true systems like steel belt conveyors that operations continue to see outperforming expectations, delivering the durability and longevity required for difficult materials and high throughput.
So, how can metalworking manufacturers choose the right conveyor for their specific needs to ensure production success?
What are some key preventive maintenance tasks they can implement to keep existing conveyors running at peak performance?
What are some common issues manufacturers encounter when spec’ing a new conveyor?
To answer those questions and more, we sat down with PRAB Engineering Manager Jason Luzader for an exclusive masterclass in steel belt conveying. Let’s get moving!
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Q. With shops implementing so much new tech and modernizing their material handling, why does the steel belt conveyor remain such a steadfast workhorse?
Steel belt conveyors endure because they’re fundamental mechanical systems designed around the application. They’re positive-drive systems with sprockets at both ends, which eliminates slip and ensures consistent movement, even under heavy loads, elevated temperatures, or abrasive conditions.
From an engineering standpoint, simplicity often means reliability. The primary function is straightforward: consistently move material from point A to point B. While automation and advanced monitoring absolutely have value when properly applied, every additional layer of complexity introduces more potential failure points.
This is especially important in facilities with lean maintenance teams where minimizing reactive troubleshooting is critical. When a conveyor is designed specifically for the material, load profile, and operating environment, it reduces unplanned downtime and makes preventative maintenance more predictable.
It’s about applying the right level of technology for the application. When durability and mechanical integrity are priorities, the steel belt conveyor continues to prove itself.
Q. Knowing the material needs to keep moving first and foremost, what kinds of material is a steel belt system best suited for?
Steel belt conveyors perform best with larger, more consolidated scrap like stamping trim, heavy turnings, and plate remnants. These materials benefit from a rigid, positive-drive surface. The sprocket-driven belt positively engages the load and moves it forward without slip, supporting steady throughput in demanding environments.
In my experience, steel belts excel when the scrap is sufficiently large and intact, so it won’t migrate into hinge interfaces or behave like abrasive fines. Moderate abrasiveness is manageable when the belt is engineered correctly, and these systems handle wet machining scrap very effectively with proper configuration.
Where we evaluate alternatives is with fine, highly abrasive particles or thin, stringy materials that tend to wrap or cling. In such cases, our Pivot Belt Conveyors provide better long-term reliability because the belt surface promotes cleaner material release and reduces buildup.
It ultimately comes down to the material’s size distribution, hardness, abrasiveness, temperature, and duty cycle. When those variables align with the conveyor design, steel belts deliver decades of reliable service.
Q. What is the most common problem you see manufacturers face when spec’ing a new conveyor?
The most common issue isn’t underestimating load cycles — it’s failing to fully define the operating conditions the conveyor will experience.
Early in the process, I always ask to speak with maintenance. They’re the ones who live with the equipment every day. They know what wears, what jams, and how production reality differs from theoretical throughput numbers.
We look closely at:
A conveyor designed for 2,000 pounds per hour in steady state behaves differently if it receives 500-pound slug loads every 15 minutes. Surge loading affects structural design, drive selection, and wear rates.
The most successful installations are based on real operating data and built with future expansion in mind.
Q. Steel belt conveyors are often preferred for challenging scrap. What design features help manage these materials?
Effective design starts with accurate application data: material size, density, temperature, and throughput. But secondary factors can determine long-term performance.
Residual dilube is a good example. It reduces friction during forming, which is essential. But once the carrier evaporates, it can become adhesive. That’s when scrap may stick to the belt and cause carryover if the conveyor isn’t properly designed.
We address those challenges through belt surface selection, discharge geometry, return path design, and frame construction tailored to the scrap stream.
No two scrap streams behave the same. That’s why conveying systems are engineered specifically for the customer’s material and operating environment.
Q. When optimizing layout, how do you balance throughput and footprint?
Maximizing throughput without expanding footprint involves tuning key design variables rather than simply increasing conveyor size.
We evaluate belt speed, flight height, burden depth, and drive capacity to increase volumetric efficiency within the available space.
One practical guideline: the maximum diagonal part size should be smaller than the belt width. That prevents bridging and ensures unrestricted movement.
There are dozens of interrelated variables that influence conveyor performance, but these differ from facility to facility. That’s why our steel belt conveyors are engineered to the application — not pulled from a standard catalog.
Q. What are the early warning signs that a steel belt system is failing, and how does PM catch them?
Preventive maintenance identifies warning signs before they become failures.
Elevated motor amp draw can signal overload or increased resistance. Increased wear on sprockets and chains may indicate an undersized drive or operation beyond rated throughput. If a conveyor designed for 2,000 pounds per hour is routinely pushed to 10,000 pounds per hour, component fatigue is inevitable.
Wheel wear is another indicator, often caused by abrasive contamination along the tracks.
Most failures are progressive, not sudden. A consistent PM program allows maintenance teams to monitor these indicators and intervene before production is affected.
Q. If you were a shop manager with a limited maintenance budget, what three PM tasks would you prioritize?
First, monitor motor amp draw regularly. It’s one of the clearest indicators of overload or rising mechanical resistance.
Second, inspect and measure wear on sprockets, chains, and drive components. Catching wear early prevents cascade failures.
Third, keep the track system clean and inspect the wheel condition. Abrasive buildup is one of the most common contributors to premature wear.
Even a simple, disciplined inspection routine provides tremendous protection against unplanned downtime.
Q. How long should a properly designed and maintained conveyor last?
When a steel belt conveyor is engineered with accurate material data and operated within those parameters, a 20–30-year lifespan is entirely realistic in typical aluminum or steel stamping applications. And in many cases, we’ve seen systems last much longer.
Premature failure usually stems from misapplication, chronic overload, or neglected maintenance — not inherent design limitations. When specs and maintenance align with operating realities, steel belt systems deliver multi-decade performance.
Q. How is “Smart” automation technology being integrated into modern conveyor designs?
Adoption of smart technology is becoming more deliberate. Rather than layering sensors at random, manufacturers are using specific performance indicators, such as torque load, drive resistance, and overload conditions, that directly support equipment protection and predictive maintenance.
When properly applied, torque monitoring and load sensing provide early visibility into abnormal operating conditions. The key is defining how the data will be used.
PRAB conveyors are engineered with automation integration in mind. Through our in-house controls and automation capabilities, we can provide tailored monitoring packages or integrate into broader plant systems as required.
Smart technology should reinforce durability and uptime. When applied with purpose, it enhances performance without adding unnecessary complexity.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, the right conveyor isn’t about tech trends. It’s about engineering the right solution for the material, the environment, and the long haul.
