Salt Color Sorter Troubleshooting and Maintenance Tips

Salt color sorter is the core equipment to ensure product purity in salt production. It removes foreign particles, stones, grass scraps, lumps and other impurities from salt through optical recognition technology, directly affecting salt quality and enterprise benefits. Salt is prone to moisture absorption, caking, fine particle residue and corrosion. Therefore, its fault types and maintenance priorities differ from those of equipment for other materials. Combined with actual salt production scenarios, this paper summarizes common troubleshooting methods and targeted maintenance skills to help enterprises improve equipment stability and service life.

I. Common Troubleshooting Skills

1. Poor Sorting Effect (Excessive Impurity Residue, High Mis-sorting Rate)

Cause 1: Lens and Light Source Contamination

Fine salt particles easily generate dust. Long-term operation causes salt dust and oil stains to adhere to the surface of lenses and light sources, reducing imaging clarity.

Troubleshooting: Stop the machine and check for stains on the lens and uneven brightness of the light source. Gently wipe the lens with dust-free cloth dipped in anhydrous ethanol to avoid scratches, and clean dust on the light source surface.

Cause 2: Improper Parameter Settings

Different types of salt (refined salt / crude salt / iodized salt) and humidity require matched color sorting parameters. Too low sensitivity leads to missed impurities; too high sensitivity causes salt particles to be misjudged as impurities.

Troubleshooting: Adjust color sorting threshold, material layer thickness and sorting speed according to the equipment manual. Test with standard impurity samples and record appropriate parameters. For example, set the sensitivity of refined salt to 80-85 and crude salt to 75-80.

Cause 3: Uneven Material Flow

Clogged feeding hopper and abnormal vibration of the feeder result in uneven material layer thickness, making impurities in some areas unrecognizable.

Troubleshooting: Check the feeding hopper for blockage by caked salt, adjust the feeder amplitude to ensure the material layer evenly covers the conveyor belt with a thickness of about 2-3mm.

2. Abnormal Equipment Operation

Cause 1: Excessive Vibration

Loose anchor bolts, unbalanced vibrating motors or aging springs cause equipment resonance and reduce sorting accuracy.

Troubleshooting: Tighten anchor bolts; check alignment of eccentric blocks of vibrating motors and deformation of springs, replace with same-model springs if deformed.

Cause 2: Conveyor Belt Deviation

Worn conveyor belt, insufficient tension or failure of the deviation correction device leads to material offset and impurity leakage.

Troubleshooting: Adjust tension bolts at both ends of the conveyor belt to center the belt; check for surface damage and replace severely worn belts; activate and calibrate the deviation correction device.

Cause 3: Material Blockage

Moist and caked salt easily jams in hoppers, chutes and sorting channels, causing equipment shutdown.

Troubleshooting: Cut off power supply and clean caked salt with soft brush or compressed air to avoid equipment damage by hard knocking; install screening device at the feed inlet to break up lumps in advance.

3. Electrical Faults

Cause 1: Power and Circuit Problems

Unstable voltage, aging lines or loose connectors result in failure to start or sudden shutdown.

Troubleshooting: Check whether the power voltage is within the rated range (usually 220V/380V); test circuit continuity with a multimeter, fasten loose connectors and replace aging cables.

Cause 2: Sensor Malfunction

Photoelectric sensors and position sensors covered by salt dust cause abnormal signals.

Troubleshooting: Clean the sensor surface and check connection between sensors and controller; replace with same-model sensors if malfunction persists.

Cause 3: Control System Error Codes

Error codes displayed on the screen (e.g. E01: Light Source Fault, E02: Lens Abnormality) shall be checked against the manual.

Troubleshooting: Inspect corresponding components according to code prompts, e.g. replace the light source for E01; contact manufacturer technicians for remote assistance if the problem remains unsolved.

II. Targeted Maintenance Skills

1. Daily Maintenance (Before and After Shift)

• Before shift: Check normal power and air supply; test light source brightness and lens cleanliness; ensure stable operation of feeder and conveyor belt.

• After shift: Clean residual salt in hoppers and on conveyor belts to avoid crystallization and corrosion; blow dust inside the equipment with compressed air; cut off power and air supply.

2. Periodic Maintenance (Weekly / Monthly / Quarterly)

• Weekly maintenance: Check lubrication of vibrating motor bearings and add lithium-based grease; fasten all screws; clean sundries in sorting channels.

• Monthly maintenance: Calibrate light sources with standard color cards to adjust intensity and angle; check conveyor belt wear; test sensor sensitivity.

• Quarterly maintenance: Replace air filter elements to prevent salt dust from entering the pneumatic system; inspect insulation of electrical lines; perform anti-rust treatment on corrosion-prone parts such as stainless steel hoppers.

3. Maintenance for Special Scenarios

• Humid seasons: Install dehumidification devices to keep the equipment interior dry; clean caked salt in hoppers daily to prevent blockage.

• Corrosive salt types (such as industrial salt): Clean the equipment surface regularly with neutral detergent to avoid corrosion by residual salt; replace with corrosion-resistant parts such as stainless steel conveyor belts.

III. Precautions

1. Operation Training: Operators shall be familiar with the equipment manual to avoid faults caused by misoperation.

2. Spare Parts Reserve: Stock up vulnerable parts such as spare light sources, sensors and conveyor belts to reduce downtime.

3. Safety Regulations: Cut off power and air supply during maintenance; wear safety belts for high-altitude operation to prevent falling accidents.

4. Data Recording: Record fault causes, solutions and maintenance time each time, establish equipment files for subsequent analysis.

Stable operation of salt color sorters relies on the maintenance strategy of prevention first and timely troubleshooting. Targeted fault inspection and regular maintenance can not only improve sorting efficiency, but also extend equipment service life, helping salt enterprises reduce production costs and guarantee product quality.