Failure analysis is a critical process aimed at determining the root cause of every failure. Failure of conveyor chain links in the industry has many repercussions which include; uncsheduled down - time which reduces production time coupled with damaged buckets and chain links which increases maintenance and repair cost. Failure of conveyor chain links and engineering structures on a whole is inevitable and for this reason, carrying out an investigation aimed at determining the root cause of failure is very crucial in that it can either minimize or prevent future reoccurances. Visual examination, chemical analysis and metallographic analysis were performed on both failed and un - failed conveyor chain link samples. Visual examination revealed that the type of failure was brittle fracture in that there was no necking. In addition, visual examination reavealed that there was an offset between the sprockets evidenced by indentations on the outer link of the chain link as well as vibrations within the bucket elevator system. Also, the point of fracture initiation was dependant on where the inclusions which were the cause of failure were located; either at the core or at the boundary surafce. Chemical analysis performed established that Silicon (Si), Phosphorus (P), Sulphur (S), Manganese (Mn), Chromium (Cr) and Molybdenum (Mo) all met the British standard EN 10293 requirement for steel casting for engineering use but Carbon (C) did not. Metallographic analysis carried out on the conveyor chain links showed that the cracks had initiated from dissolved micro - inclusions and were therefore the root cause of failure. It was therefore established that brittle fracture induced by inclusions was the root cause of failure of the conveyor chain links. In order to nullify the effect of the micro - inclusion, it was recommended that a stress concentration factor for inclusions should be introduced in the design of these conveyor chain links so as to improve on their fatigue life.

{"references": ["HK Kulkarni, RJ Patil (2015), \"Failure analysis and weight optimization of chain conveyor system,\" International Journal of Advanced Engineering Research and Studies, Volume 3, Issue 10, pp. 23\u201326.", "Jagtap MD, Gaikwad BD, Pawar PM (2014), \"Study of Roller Conveyor Chain Strip under Tensile Loading\", International Journal of Modern Engineering Research (IJMER), Volume 4, Issue 5, pp. 61\u201366.", "NIB Haris (2013), \"Failure Analysis of Conveyor Chain Links: A Case Study at Top Glove SDN. BHD\", PhD thesis, Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia.", "SM Bo\u0161njak, MA Arsic, ND Zrnic, ZD Odanovic, MD Dordevic (2011), \"Failure Analysis of the Stacker Crawler Chain Link\", Procedia Engineering, Volume 10, pp. 2244\u20132249.", "D Mom\u010dilovi\u0107, N Hut, L Milovi\u0107, I Atanasovska (2011), \"Failure Analysis of Chain Bracket,\" New Trends in Fatigue and Fracture, Volume 11, Issue 1, pp. 123\u2013126.", "M Sujata, MA Venkataswamy, MA Parameswara, SK Bhaumik (2006), \"Failure Analysis of Conveyor Chain Links\", Engineering Failure Analysis, Volume 13, Issue 6, pp. 914\u2013924.", "U Singh, MK Singh, M Singh (2013), \"Failure Analysis of Bridle Chain Used for Hoisting in Mines\", Journal of Chemical Engineering and Material Science, Volume 4, Issue 12, pp. 38\u201345.", "SM Bosnjaka, MA Arsic (2011), \"Failure analysis of the stacker crawler chain link\", Procedia Engineering, Volume 10, pp. 2244\u20132249.", "SM Bo\u0161njak, DB Momcilovic, DP Zoran, PP Milorad, BG Neboj\u0161a (2013), \"Failure investigation of the bucket wheel excavator crawler chain link\", Engineering Failure Analysis, Volume 35, pp. 462\u2013469.", "J. Pokluda, P. Sandera (2010), \"Brittle and ductile fracture\", Micromechanisms of Fracture and Fatigue: In a Multiscale Context, Volume 1, pp. 69\u2013123.", "J Davis (1998), \"Structure/Property Relationships in Irons and Steels\", ASM International, Second Edition ed., 1998. 153-173."]}