Solving The Problems Of Conveyor Noise

Sound is a very interesting topic. There are some sounds that we love. It might be the chirping of birds in the morning, the ring of a school bell signaling classes are over, or the music of the ice cream truck coming down your block. Sounds are what make up the music of life and there are so many to be enjoyed that our senses are often overwhelmed. One problem with sound is it has the ability to turn into noise. Although everyone's definitions of sweet sounds and unbearable noise vary, our ears are not as discerning as our minds.

According to the Occupational Safety and Health administration, all those whose jobs demand them to get an 8-hour exposure to a time-weighted average level of 85dBA (sound level/filter inversely related to the 40d (at 1 kHz) equal-loudness curve) are within harmful noise zones. Yes, some people may argue to enjoy the loud sounds generated by machineries or extremely busy job areas, the very big possibility of acquiring auditory problems cannot be set aside. Industries that utilize conveyors are ones where auditory problems are most likely to come from.

You see conveyors in many workplaces. They are motorized equipments with complex structures causing their operation to be very noisy. Workers work with these conveyors to transfer product and materials from one area to another, thus making the process even noisier than anticipated to be. The effects of these conveyors, however, to the health of the people are ones that should not just be taken for granted. This article discusses the noisiest parts of conveyors and the ways to reduce them so that the problems that they may also cause can be reduced, if not eradicated, as well.

If there are at all conveyors that do not make noise, there are very few of them. The intolerable noise created by these conveyors is because of their parts that are involved in the process. These parts are the conveyor rolls, roller bearings and roller shafts. To determine how much sound is produced by conveyors, their rolling speed has to be checked. Moreover, the frames of these conveyors which are most of the times made of large gage steel also contribute further to the noise.

There is also another part of the conveyor that makes the system noisy - the drives. These drives are made up of electronic motors, power trains, gear boxes, bearings, belts, chains, sprockets, mounts and guards. All these parts answer why there are high pitched bleats and troubling vibrations present in the system's processes. More to this are the auditory troubles brought about when using pneumatic devices. Disliked static are also possible because of this. Lastly, it has to be taken note that even belt systems cannot stand the noise created by these conveyor systems.

The design, condition and orientation of the belt surface and joints within the belt can make a huge difference in decibel levels as well as how the belt runs across the slider bed or roller bed. Finally the surrounding walls and workspaces can play a major role in noise dampening. Having an appropriate building or place to house a conveyor is as much a key to sound reduction as having the conveyor tuned and built accordingly. Now that we have identified some of the ways conveyors can make noise it is essential to review some of the ways in which these dilemmas can be solved.

The best thing that companies want is the well being of their business and their employees. Therefore, the way to get rid of conveyor problems is to diagnose the problems. If conveyors themselves are the problem, they have to be removed, checked, or replaced. Also, managers have to consider constant monitoring of these equipments to identify their problems and to ensure that they do not harm anyone or anything around them.

Making sure all conveyor parts are lubricated properly, moving rationally and are not worn out is an almost sure fire way to keep conveyor noise levels in check. Some of the more complex conveyor noise reduction techniques include vibration isolation and dampening as well as acoustic energy absorption. This can be accomplished through creative shielding or encasing. Those fortunate enough to be starting their journey from scratch should make every attempt in their original designs to eliminate potential noise issues at their source. Conveyors may not be able to hear but they do listen when controlled and maneuvered properly.

Conveyors, unlike human who are so sensitive to sound, do not notice sound at all. Companies, given that conveyors are a need for them, should follow the regulations as mandated by OSHA. Employees should be undergoing regular auditory check-ups so auditory problems can be diagnosed. If employees are exposed to the audio level of 90 dBA for eight hours, they are then required to wear ear protectors. Since the problems conveyors cause are a big issue, we have to do our part by making endeavors to reduce their noise.