A broad range of advanced technologies for safer and more productive bulk handling will be on display at MINExpo INTERNATIONAL® 2016, as Martin Engineering unveils new and improved component designs for conveyor belt cleaning, dust management, load containment, risk reduction and improved material flow. Visitors to the indoor booth will find interactive product displays and demonstrations, Foundations™ Safety Seminars on the upper deck and even a unique game for attendees to test their abilities for a chance to win a variety of valuable prizes.
A highlight of the company’s exhibition will be the industry’s first-ever reference book dedicated to reducing conveyor risk and injuries. A collaboration of experts with vast experience in bulk material handling, Foundations™ for Conveyor Safety was written and published with the simple mission of improving conveyor safety. It’s designed to educate readers by identifying hazards, danger zones and unsafe work practices around conveyors, helping raise awareness and provide guidance to management, operators and maintenance personnel. The content provides a detailed overview of hardware solutions, best practices, risk assessment and safer conveyor construction, with a summary discussion of the return on safety investment and how to measure the payback.
Among the featured products will be the Martin® Roll Gen™ System, a patent-pending design to create a self-contained mini power station that allows operators to run electrical monitoring systems, safety mechanisms and pneumatic belt cleaner tensioners in areas without convenient access to a power supply. Able to be retrofitted on existing idler support structures, the device is considered a first step toward eliminating power production obstacles, as conveyors move into the next generation of “smart systems” that are predicted to be more sustainable and autonomous. See more on this in the September issue article.
The company’s booth outdoors will be dedicated solely to Martin Engineering’s new Mr. Blade® service program, a new factory-direct replacement program for belt cleaners, delivering fresh polyurethane blades, specified and custom-fitted on-site and installed free of charge. Customers are assured of accurately-sized, professionally installed and properly tensioned replacement blades that are matched to their specific applications, providing optimum cleaning performance and service life. The company will have one of its custom-designed vans on site doing live demonstrations cutting and fitting belt cleaner blades.
A variety of new belt cleaners will be on display indoors, including the patented CleanScrape™ design. The unique system has been recognised by the Australian Bulk Handling Award in the Innovative Technology category for its engineering and potential benefits, which include low belt wear, extended service life, reduced maintenance and low cost of ownership.
Visitors will also be able to view Martin Engineering’s safe-to-service primary belt cleaner, Martin QC1™ Cleaner HD, and the patented QB1™ Cleaner HD, manufactured with the firm’s unique ‘CARP’ (Constant Angle Radial Pressure) technology to maintain the most efficient cleaning angle throughout its service life. The QB1 HD features a no-tool replacement process that can be performed safely by one person in less than five minutes.
A selection of dust management and load zone technologies will be on exhibit, including customizable suppression systems, high-speed impact cradles and ApronSeal™ Double Skirting, which provides two wear surfaces on a single elastomer sealing strip installed along the bottom of the skirtboard in a belt conveyor loading zone. When the bottom side of the strip against the belt is worn, the sealing strip is inverted, providing a second service life.
Among the flow aids featured at the event will be the company’s heavy-duty electric vibrators to facilitate material movement and a variety of air cannon technologies to prevent clogs and break up accumulation in storage vessels, chutes and loading equipment. Innovations include new retractable nozzle designs, high-performance valves and a unique Y-pipe design that allows maintenance on both air cannons and nozzles without confined space entry.