Belts warn you
A drive belt rarely fails without warning. It starts with a slight change in sound on rapids, then visible cracks or shiny glazed teeth, then missed steps that show up as parts slightly out of size.
Listen and look
Once a week, run the axes at rapid with the shop quiet and listen. Then look at the belts with a torch. Note anything new on the care card. Packed dust in the teeth is a common cause of wear, so clean them while you look.
Keep a spare on the wall
A spare belt for each axis in the fast bin turns a failure into a short fix. When you use one, the kanban card goes in the reorder pocket the same day.
The slip we see most
Tightening a worn belt to stop the noise instead of replacing it.
How you know it is working
Belts get changed on a planned day, and parts stay in size across the bed.
Written by Thabo Molefe, Plasma Cell Lead. Thabo specs the plasma tables, fixture plates and consumable shelves for steel shops.
Checklist
- Weekly listen at rapid
- Torch check for cracks and glazing
- Spare belt per axis in the bin
Pair this runbook with
Stuck after the checklist? Email cnc@cncpme.co.za with your city, machine and a photo.
