In the copper strip electroplating process, the transport system operates in an extremely aggressive chemical environment due to the presence of strong acids, causing high maintenance costs and frequent line downtime. The existing belt drive, which guides the strip through the process tanks, does not reach its expected service life, with premature component failure caused mainly by excessive belt wear, pulley corrosion, and an inadequate static tensioner. This thesis first diagnoses the damage of the existing system, on the basis of which a new solution is designed. The core part is the development and design of a dynamic tensioning mechanism in Creo Parametric, adapted to the existing spatial constraints and operating parameters of the line, including the determination of kinematics and the forces required for reliable belt operation. Belt materials are additionally tested for resistance to the aggressive chemical environment. The solution is verified through the manufacture of a physical prototype, its installation on the line, and operational testing, confirming the suitability of the redesign prior to wider implementation on the remaining drive units of the electroplating line.
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