Protecting the Conveyor Belt

Deflecting Metal Threats – Three Solutions to Avoid Metal-Inflicted Damage. TRACEY WALL, Communications Support Officer for Kinder Australia, Associate Member of the CMPA since 2002.

Metal can inadvertently fall into bulk materials.
This may simply be a result of metal debris and contamination in a material stockpile, equipment wear and tear, or product impurities.
If left undetected, this foreign metal poses a significant risk to conveyor belts. When metal fragments become mixed with bulk materials, they can wreak havoc as they travel at speed along the conveyor system. The sharp metal edges connect with the belt and may tear into the conveyor surface. The result of this is the occurring repairs and downtime.
Metal is unwanted, but not uncommon. The goal is to target certain areas of the conveyor with engineered solutions in order to prevent the damage.

K-Flexal® Elastic Belt Support System
It is vital that a transfer point is adequately supported. When a belt is tracking correctly and aligned, it is less likely for metal to snag into the belt and begin to cause the damage. The specialised elastic properties of K Flexal® effectively acts as a shock absorber for the belt. It can take into consideration the dropping height, belt speed and material’s abrasiveness to support the belt correctly.

Medetec Metal Detector Kit
The installation of a metal detector can tell you immediately whether there is foreign metal present in the material. Kinder Australia have sourced Medetec Metal Detectors due to their high level of accuracy and adaptability in the bulk handling industry. The sensitivity of the metal detector can be adjusted according to the specific requirements. When metal is detected, the relay output is deactivated, allowing for various actions to be triggered. The relay can be connected to activate an alarm, send a stop impulse to the conveyor belt, or signal a scraping device, among other possibilities.

ZS 71 Belt Rip Detector Switch & Wire Kit
Once the metal has imbedded into the belt, the damage may already be done before any operator notices. The ZS 71 Belt Rip Detector Switch will alert to tears in the conveyor belt immediately – When a rip occurs in the belt, any material or ripped section of conveyor belt caught by the wire activates the switch, halting the conveyor operation. The switch gives piece of mind that no tear will pass by undetected.
Industries can take proactive measures to mitigate the risks associated with foreign metal contaminants in materials with the assistance of Kinder Australia.

Awareness and the implementation of engineered solutions such as K Flexal® Elastic Belt Support System, Medetec Metal Detector Kit and the ZS 71 Belt Rip Detector Switch & Wire Kit will target problematic metal in three different ways – working collectively to avoid conveyor belt shred.

Kinder Australia has been a proud member of the CMPA for 21 years. The Victorian Earth Resource industry is constantly evolving – Ongoing membership into the CMPA has ensured Kinder Australia stays abreast of important topics and challenges facing the industry.
The CMPA also provides a multitude of networking opportunities through training, conferences and other social events.

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