| -Steve Gregory-
Steve,
I am not familiar with Soltec, but this is a mechanical converyor / drive issue. Pretty small set of possibilities for the design of a chain conveyor....... so I'll give you my feedback, for what it's worth.
From your description, I'd venture a "Kentucky windage" guess that 1) your tensioning on the chain is incorrect after reassembly 2) You have major chain stretch 3 The chain is bound up, and not "making the corner" at the drive sprocket end of the machine. 4) Fingers are bent, and catching on the rail 5) The finger support design of the rails has problems 6) There is a problem in the "channel" in the conveyor extrusion where the chain rides.
So, here are my suggestions:
Break the chain out of the machine again. In fact, I'd do both chains. Do it right the first time.......
TOTALLY clean the chains; you must use some chemistry or process which will remove ANY flux residues, and all grease. In the old days, we had 1:1:1 trichlor or TMS to do the job. Now you might have to steam clean, or use some nasty sodium tri-phosphate. Whatever method, BE CAREFUL!!!!Trust me, chemical burns aren't any fun.
While the chain is being soaked or steam cleaned, THOROGHLY clean and inspect the conveyor rail extrusions. This may require removal from the machine. Look for nicks or burrs in the chain guide areas. Remove if necessary.
Straighten / replace defective / bent fingers or pallet pins (depending on your conveyor design / application.
Lubricate the chain with high temp oil and / or grease. I used to use high temp teflon impregnated 90 wt. gear oil and Magnalube (avail. from McMaster-Carr). The gear oil was to penetrate the bushings of the chain, and the grease was for the sprockets / wear. You will have to "burn off" the oil after reassembly, or your prod. folks will not like you Mon. Morning.... Magnalube is a green high temp lube that Electrovert used to ship with their gear, and recommend.
Reassemble, without connecting the drive gearboxes or motors. Ensure that the chains can be easily moved through the rail extrusions BY HAND prior to assembling the drive sections.
Ensure that both chains are timed the same, that you use the exact same number of fingers on each side, and that you set up the fingers precisely across from each other. If not, you can "skew" the product as it enters and exits the wave, and this could cause your problem, as well.
Ensure rails are perfectly parallel.
Do not overtighten the tension on the board when you set up the conveyor width. You should be able to fairly easily move the product forward or backward in the fingers after it loads in the input side of the wave. If you seem to have to overtighten the rail width setting, you either have unparallel rails, or worn out finger / finger supports.
Just MHO.....
Best of luck!
Scott
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