{"publication_id":"OT-2026-000000001","uuid":"01a0a4bc-daf9-7509-9751-7631e9fd4810","title":"Pivoting Idler Belt Tracking with Non-Contact Edge Sensing","abstract":"This disclosure describes a self-correcting belt tracking system designed for conveyor applications. It addresses the problem of conveyor belts wandering off-center, which leads to premature wear, edge damage, and potential operational failure. The system employs a pivoting idler roller assembly, whose angular position is controlled by an actuator in response to the belt's lateral position. Belt edge location is detected using a non-contact sensing array. A control algorithm calculates the required idler angle to steer the belt back to its central path, preventing sustained off-tracking and reducing maintenance requirements.","language":"en","published_at":"2026-09-15T11:03:55.387867Z","canonical_url":"https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000000001","status":"PUBLIC","supersedes":null,"keywords":["belt tracking","conveyor systems","idler roller","non-contact sensing","lateral control","pivot geometry","actuator","control gain","belt alignment","edge detection"],"extent":{"words":2417,"paragraphs":14,"figures":3},"hashes":{"canonical_text_sha256":"2681e8ed285e99697502290db2b26fac54f82755f2e77609c013ab54a3d687a4","html_sha256":"d01053b5d7eb58bb630898ff15c3bd62ff16ad2b4635c38514cf99dc7e635532","pdf_sha256":"eec4dfd827ae1395915721ebf76be7ccd2ea44b2705dffc9f550ffcec71c30d5","markdown_sha256":"8e0cf3d1f9d0530ed29ecaa59d7b4469490c89381f40db99fa233e5da21469c7","manifest_sha256":"4dc08a27f59a92161c3c247977ec4a2637c9e74ec3c7312fd70d2c6c56908fc9"},"links":{"html":"https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000000001","text":"https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000000001/publication.txt","markdown":"https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000000001/publication.md","pdf":"https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000000001/publication.pdf","manifest":"https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000000001/manifest.json","signature":"https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000000001/manifest.sig","integrity":"https://opentechnical.org/p/OT-2026-000000001/integrity"},"categories":[{"category_id":"CAT-000000003","path":"material-handling/conveying-systems/belt-conveyors","name":"Belt Conveyors","primary":true},{"category_id":"CAT-000000127","path":"conveyors-transport-systems/belt-systems/belt-tracking","name":"Belt Tracking","primary":false},{"category_id":"CAT-000000001","path":"material-handling","name":"Material Handling","primary":false},{"category_id":"CAT-000000002","path":"material-handling/conveying-systems","name":"Conveying Systems","primary":false}]}