Monitoring of dependences and ratios of normal contact forces on hexagonal idler housings of the pipe conveyor

•Analysis of conditions that are influencing the normal contact forces acting between two hexagonal idler housings.•The performed experiments simulated various possible situations with regard to the real operational conditions.•Statistical characteristics of the conditions influencing the normal contact forces between two hexagonal idler housings.•Linear regression models describe the normal contact forces.•Multiply regression models of the normal contact forces between two hexagonal idler housings.

Contact forces, which are induced due to a reciprocal contact between the conveyor belt and forming idler rolls during a current operation of the pipe conveyors, are influencing the operational characteristics of these conveyors significantly. Despite of frequent application of the pipe conveyors, the question of contact forces is neglected relatively. This paper analyses closely the contact force values and their dependence on tensional force in order to identify mutual relations taking into consideration the selected factors.