I see little bits of belt have shredded off one of the main belts. Is this normal? Should I do anything about it?
Is your belt loose or something?
Also, what speeds? Are you going beyond machine spec speeds?
Quick answer: Yes, this is normal.
Smaller specks of belt debris like this are typical of a new belt “breaking in” against the metal pulley and can continue to a lesser degree from normal wear and tear during regular use of the machine. The tolerances of the belt teeth and the teeth of the pulley, though they should be a VERY close match, will not be “perfect” until they have have been assembled and run together for some time so the inconsistencies get worn away. After that, it is normal to still see rubber “dust” slowly accumulate over time, as all things slowly wear over time and nothing lasts forever. What I see in your photos would not concern me enough to worry about replacing the belt or look for other possible causes. Unless I noticed a sudden significant increase in the amount or size of the rubber accumulation, or any of the myriad of printing problems that can arise from a failing belt, I would see this and not be concerned in the least.
There are plenty of sources online that cover this subject in detail so I won’t duplicate that effort here, but some visual indicators that the belt is suffering undue damage and needing replacement would be:
- Finding large chunks of the belt and/or belt teeth amongst the normal belt “dust” (large enough that you can identify exactly where on the belt they came from)
- Examining the belt itself and finding obvious and consistent cracks throughout the rubber
- Visually or audibly observing the belt slipping and finding the cause is NOT tension, but severely damaged and/or missing teeth
- Sudden increase in how often the belt tension needs tightened
Obviously there are others but I would consider these the most common directly observable clues that a belt needs replaced.
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