PUTTING BELT CLEANERS ONLINE

ESS ENGINEERING, A LEADER IN CONVEYOR BELT CLEANING TECHNOLOGY, HAS UNVEILED AN AUTONOMOUS TENSIONER TO OPTIMISE CLEANER PERFORMANCE.

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As mining operations scale to meet global demand, conveyor systems are under increasing pressure. Faster, wider and more heavily loaded belts are now the norm, making efficient carryback control more critical than ever.

Australian mine sites present unique logistical challenges.

Many mining operations are located remotely and are largely staffed by the fly-in, fly-out (FIFO) community, which means regular site visits to inspect and maintain belt cleaners and other conveyor belt accessories are often limited to scheduled shutdowns.

Conveyor belt cleaners are essential for removing material fines from the return side of the belt. Without effective cleaning, these material fines or carryback can lead to conveyor belt mistracking, increased spillage, accelerated wear, more safety hazards, and increased potential downtime.

Maintaining correct blade-to-belt contact historically required regular adjustment by trained local technicians to control carryback.

Spring and air tensioning devices were introduced as the labour market was squeezed and site access was reduced for security and safety. This meant more time could elapse between opportunities for maintenance; however, inconsistent tensioning had resulted in uneven blade wear and reduced cleaning efficiency.