The Wrights Dowson Group is a leading provider of bulk material handling equipment and systems in the UK. We have decades of experience in supplying a variety of industries with screw conveyor systems bespoke to their requirements.

If your work relies on one or multiple screw conveyors, it’s essential to perform regular maintenance checks to ensure it’s working as it should be.

Maintain Your Screw Conveyor

Screw conveyors from the Wrights Dowson Group should last you many years without any issue. However, their lifespan is dependent on how well the equipment is maintained and whether it is used to convey abrasive products.

We recommend lifting the cover of your u-trough conveyor regularly to check for cracks, bent or deformed screws, material build-up or a reduction of the outside diameter. When checking your screw conveyors, make sure the power supply is locked off before opening the cover.

Check the Hanger Bearings

Regularly monitor the hanger bearings of your shaft screw for wear. These are located on the outside of the equipment. Check bearings for good lubrication. Although bearings last a long time, especially if self-lubricating, they are often the first parts of your conveyor that will need replacing.

Check the hanger bearings are still well-aligned. Before you lift the cover, always block the feed of your u-trough conveyor. Hanger bearings will need to be replaced if they exceed wear of one-eighth of an inch.

Check the Rotary Shaft Seals

If your screw conveyor includes a shaft seal, regularly check this for wear and tear. Lip seals wear incredibly quickly, so we recommend CinchSeal rotary shaft seal for longer-lasting performance and better protection. In addition, the Shaft Seal is important to maintain and replace if necessary because it protects your product from contamination.

Material Build Up

If there is significant material build up in your u-trough conveyor, this needs to be cleaned out regularly. Some sticky and semi-liquid product performs better with a shaft-less conveyor. The material is less likely to build up around the centre.

Wrights Dowson’s Maintenance Solutions

Wrights Dowson’s screw conveyors make maintenance easier. Our equipment is:

  • Easy to install and take apart. This means that a complete maintenance clean is possible without calling any experts onto the site.
  • Constructed from stainless steel. This is resistant to abrasive products and slow to wear.
  • Outfitted with self-lubricating bearings and CinchSeal Rotary Shaft Seals
  • It can come with special self-cleaning features.

If your current U-trough screw conveyor is no longer performing as it should, it might be that the equipment no longer matches your specifications. Get in touch with our engineers to discuss a bespoke solution for your application.