Prediction of the wear behavior of a conveyor belt with flexible rollers

This paper introduces a method to predict wear behavior in conveyor belt systems using a lumped mass modeling approach. While previous research has focused primarily on lateral belt walking, this study shifts attention to belt deformation and its associated wear. Both significantly affect system efficiency and component lifespan. The authors propose using local frictional power as a wear indicator, leveraging its direct relation to frictional work in established wear models. To solely demonstrate the method, the study simulates a conveyor belt with three flexible rollers and a deformable belt modeled through rigid spheres connected by spring-damper elements. The authors visualize frictional power density across the belt width, distinguishing between running and transverse directions. The results demonstrate that the frictional power distribution depends heavily on discretization quality, particularly due to the polygon effect inherent in the lumped mass approach. A convergence analysis reveals the minimum necessary discretization of the belt, ensuring reliable qualitative results. To support the credibility of the work, this study compares theoretical expectations and initial wear observations from a real belt with the results from the shown approach. The plausibility check already shows promising results. The proposed methodology provides an adaptable framework to evaluate wear in belt-like structures. It can be readily adapted to a variety of multibody dynamics applications and integrated into larger MBS models that include the overall drivetrain and engine control. Future work will focus on refining discretization strategies and contact models, as well as validation of the wear model to enable quantitative predictions.