Tag Archives: Conveyors

Martin Engineering ups the MINExpo ante with six new product designs to be featured

Bulk handling, Equipment maintenance, Mining events, Mining safety, Mining services, , , ,

Martin Engineering will feature six new product designs at its booth at MINExpo 2024 in Las Vegas later this month, covering the latest innovations in belt cleaners, conveyor enclosure technology and flow aids.

Coming directly from the company’s Center for Innovation, these heavy-duty (HD) and extra-heavy duty (XHD) accessories are designed to significantly improve efficiency while reducing dust emissions and offering safer maintenance/replacement. The result is greater productivity with less labour for a lower cost of operation, the company claims.

“Martin is celebrating its 80th anniversary by rolling out some excellent new products that extend equipment life, improve safety and reduce maintenance, while also being better for the environment,” Dave Mueller, Conveyor Products Manager for Martin Engineering, said. “We’re excited to be able to display and demonstrate several products at the booth and give visitors an idea of their performance in real-world mining applications. All the products have been thoroughly field tested to satisfy Martin’s high standard of quality and meet our ‘Absolutely No Excuses Money Back Guarantee’.”

Primary and secondary conveyor belt cleaners are going through a design renaissance as of late. Martin’s engineers have worked diligently to make installation and servicing easier and safer with less environmental waste.

Martin® ECOSAFE™ Primary and Secondary Cleaners XHD withstand heavy-duty environments while using less urethane in their construction. They are also mounted on a safe-to-service assembly with easily swapable individual cartridges. The design allows the majority of the urethane to be used for the blade, with less used at the support base, which features a removable and reusable metal insert. Using less urethane reduces waste while external servicing allows for easier and faster maintenance.

The CleanScrape® primary and secondary cleaners, Martin says, revolutionised conveyor belt cleaning with four times the equipment life of standard urethane blades and the elimination of the need for tensioning after installation. The next iteration is the Heated CleanScrape® Primary Cleaner, which is heat-traced within the blade, making it ideal for harsh sub-zero climates where frozen material build-up can affect performance and cause unnecessary downtime.

Requested by customers, the mining-grade Martin UBX Secondary Cleaner is designed as a longer lasting and user-friendly alternative to similar units on the market. Intended for wider and faster belts, the new Martin Engineering blade is made entirely of urethane, or urethane with an embedded cleaning element, that is more robust and longer-wearing than comparable blades on the market. The blade is held snugly to the belt by a mechanical spring tensioner as opposed to the competitors’ troublesome air-supplied tensioners, which, according to Martin, are unreliable, onerous to maintain and expensive to operate. The result is a more economical unit with longer lasting performance and less maintenance.

Wrapping up the new secondary blade offerings are the Martin SQC2S™ Cleaner with Orion HD and XHD Blades. Following the successful introduction of the standard model, the more rugged version for wider and faster belts is engineered to handle the most punishing applications. A two-tiered tensioning system with a spring tensioner on the assembly and another rubber tensioner on the blade attachment ensures the urethane and tungsten carbide blade needs considerably less monitoring and tensioning. This low maintenance approach is further supported by the attached polypropene deflector shield to mitigate build-up and usher material away from the main frame. An important safety feature is the slide-in/slide-out design which allows service and blade replacement to be performed outside the conveyor structure.

While maintenance access and safe monitoring are vital, so is retaining a sealed environment to control airflow and suppress dust emissions. The Martin Magnetic Inspection Door is a durable two-part design with a urethane shield and a strong magnetic seal that covers and protects a monitoring and maintenance space on the enclosure. Keeping the dust inside, it is easily pulled back for inspection or, during scheduled shutdowns, pulled all the way down or off for improved access, Martin says.

The Martin Urethane Skirting is a long-lasting wear strip placed outside of the skirtboard of a conveyor loading zone to seal the enclosure and prevent spillage and dust emissions. Produced to the belt’s specific trough angle, the urethane strip offers less friction on the belt edge of high-speed belts than rubber skirting for a longer belt life and less damage to the belt edge, according to the company.

In addition to the new equipment, MINExpo visitors will have a chance to see how the design of Martin Engineering products like Martin Air Cannons and Industrial Vibrators can significantly improve the material flow through a system. From choke points like silos and hoppers to screening and separators, strategically placed flow accessories prevent unscheduled downtime and improve safety by preventing manual clearing of obstructions, Martin says.

BEUMER Group to design and supply overland conveyor for Warrior Met Coal’s Blue Creek mine

Bulk handling, Coal technology, Mining equipment, Mining services, Steel and iron ore, , , , , , , ,

BEUMER Group has been selected by Warrior Met Coal to support the expansion of Blue Creek mine, a new state-of-the-art underground longwall mine producing steelmaking coal.

The extracted coal is to be processed on surface in a coal preparation plant before being moved over 14 km to a train loadout station.

The BEUMER Group recently secured the order from Warrior to design and supply a single-flight curved overland conveyor for this 1,500 short ton per hour transport system.

Daniel Schmillenkamp, CEO of BEUMER Group Canada, said: “In cooperation with Warrior, we addressed the project-specific challenges. The design and implementation are a testament to our commitment to innovation and customer-centric solutions.”

The project presented some challenges due to the difficult and hilly terrain of the proposed transport corridor, BEUMER says. To find the most efficient solution, Warrior explored various transportation methods, including rail, troughed and pipe conveyor systems. Over the past 12 months, BEUMER Group worked closely with Warrior to identify the most economical and technically feasible transport method and optimal route, resulting in a single conventionally troughed conveyor with 18 horizontal curves.

Philip Saunders, Senior VP Engineering at Warrior, said: “BEUMER’s holistic approach and our very close working relationship allowed us to expedite the design and procurement phase to move toward the completion of this time-sensitive project at a pace rarely seen in the coal or mining industries.”

BEUMER is responsible for engineering and procurement of all structural and mechanical components and multiple E-Houses with VFDs, MCCs and PLC control systems. The conveyor system will use nine load-sharing drives to limit the overall belt tension.

BEUMER’s Director of Sales, Peter Sehl, said this project uses innovative and proprietary conveyor engineering and design tools to support the fast construction schedule. “With over 5,000 tons of steel for ground modules and elevated sections, 47% of the conveyor flight will be elevated to avoid natural features and minimise earthworks,” he said.

The overland conveyor is expected to be operational by the end of 2025.

With the addition of Blue Creek, Warrior expects to increase its annual High Vol A production by 4.8 million short tons; enhance its already advantageous position on the global cost curve; drive its cash costs further into the first quartile globally; improve its profitability and cash flow generation; and cement its position as a leading pure play steelmaking coal producer, the coal producer says.

Flexco to showcase the latest innovations in belt conveyor solutions at MINExpo 2024

Bulk handling, Mining equipment, Mining events, ,

Flexco says it will present the newly released FXC™ Steel Cord Belt Fastening System and the soon-to-be-released 900 Series Belt Cutter/Skiver at MINExpo 2024, in Las Vegas, in September, as part of a display covering the latest innovations in the world of belt conveyor solutions.

“MINExpo 2024 is an excellent opportunity for the mining industry to familiarise themselves with our FXC Steel Cord Belt Fastening System,” Flexco Product Manager, Franklin Moore, said. “A major issue that heavy-duty sites often deal with is reacting to unplanned downtime. Consequently, our team set out to develop a solution that could help; that led us to creating the FXC. Overall, the FXC allows users to get their steel cord belts back into operation quickly, drastically reducing the effects of downtime which helps increase the site’s bottom line. We’ve already seen positive results in the field, and we can’t wait to see what our peers have to say at the show.”

The Flexco booth will also feature the 900 Series Belt Cutter/Skiver.

Flexco Product Manager, Kevin Fales, said: “We’re excited to feature the 900 Series Belt Cutter/Skiver at this year’s MINExpo, as it will be the first time that many in the industry get a chance to see it in-person. With updated clamp knobs, a drive handle with manual and powered drill capabilities and a new design that allows operators to simply slide the belt forward from a cut to skive position, sites can unlock a more consistent, safe and quality mechanical belt fastening installation process with our latest belt maintenance tool. This will be a great chance for our industry partners to get a hands-on feel for its capabilities, and our team cannot wait to answer all our attendees’ questions.”

The FXC and the 900 Series will be among the tools that will be used in product demonstrations in the Flexco booth, alongside displays of other solutions like Flexco’s industry-leading mechanical belt fastening systems and the digital belt cleaner monitoring platform Flexco Elevate®.

REMA TIP TOP reinforcing conveyor partner status in African mining sector

Bulk handling, Equipment maintenance, Mining equipment, Mining services, ,

REMA TIP TOP says it is strengthening its market position in the African mining sector through the provision of tailored solutions and 360° services on site to ensure cost-efficient and smooth operations.

The company has played a key role in the African conveyor technology market for more than 100 years, it says. In 2023, the company launched a new calendar line, allowing for the manufacturing of extra-wide conveyor belting for heavy surface and underground mining applications.

REMA TIP TOP’s specialised teams bring a deep understanding of the business and of the challenges mining companies face across African countries and communities, the company says. In addition, they bring expertise and experience to find the best solution for each individual challenge.

To meet the ever evolving needs of the mining industry, REMA TIP TOP’s research and development division is constantly working on cutting-edge innovations such as low-rolling resistance, low abrasion loss, oil resistance, heat resistance and full fire retardancy with one of the lowest abrasion losses in the industry. It also continues to develop and improve its rubber compounds to increase the durability and robustness of their conveyor belts.

“With our local high-volume manufacturing power and ground-breaking innovations, we are further strengthening our position as a reliable partner to the African mining industry,” Nico Prinsloo, Chief Executive Officer of REMA TIP TOP South Africa & African Group, says.

Rooted in Africa, REMA TIP TOP develops and produces high-quality conveyor technology locally under the Dunlop Industrial Products and Dunlop Belting Products brands. The company is operating throughout Africa with 12 local outlets, and is thus able to deliver very quickly and in large quantities wherever needed. Sophisticated logistics ensure products and services to be delivered to remote destinations on time by road or sea. To ensure the highest availability of their proven solutions, REMA TIP TOP has invested heavily in the expansion and modernisation of the South African manufacturing capacities.

A new, state-of-the-art calendar system contributes to a massive increase in production power and distribution speed. It also enables innovations such as the extra-wide conveyor belting to be manufactured quickly and reliably on demand.

REMA TIP TOP says it is constantly working on new solutions for the African mining industry to make conveyor systems more cost-efficient and reliable. Groundbreaking product innovations enable the company to reliably meet new requirements and tap into new markets. The latest expansion include a new state of the art calender line, five new press lines, three new mixing lines giving REMA TIP TOP South Africa a total of eight calender lines, 14 press lines and seven rubber compound mixers.

In addition to high-quality hardware, the company says it has also been driving the digitisation of the mining industry, with data-driven maintenance an essential part of REMA TIP TOP’s on-site service. State-of-the-art software supports predictive maintenance and helps to minimise unplanned, costly downtimes of conveyor systems in mining.

Prinsloo added: “What makes REMA TIP TOP a preferred partner to the African mining industry is the speed and flexibility we offer, as well as our commitment to provide our customers with exactly the solution they need for smooth operations anytime, anywhere.”

Tru-Trac to present next-gen belt rip detection system at Electra Mining Africa

Bulk handling, Mining equipment, Mining events, Mining services, , , ,

As a leader in solutions for conveyor belt misalignment, Tru-Trac says it will excite visitors at Electra Mining Africa this year with a whole new range of belt trackers among its innovative offerings. The latest range is the outcome of two years of design, development and testing, according to Tru-Trac Chief Operating Officer, Shaun Blumberg.

The stand also features Tru-Trac’s range of belt scales, engineered for precision and dependability, and a step into the future with a cutting edge belt rip detection system, it says.

“With our belt trackers setting the gold standard for effective belt alignment, the new range builds on the success of its predecessors, elevating them to an entirely new level of performance,” Blumberg says. “We’ve introduced exciting enhancements to our belt trackers, bringing notable improvements in performance and reliability.”

Tru-Trac has built a name for itself over the past three decades, extending its footprint and sales not only across Africa but worldwide, the company says. Blumberg highlights that Electra Mining Africa is another valuable opportunity to meet face to face with visitors from many African countries where Tru-Trac still has further potential to contribute to efficient and productive mining operations through improved conveyor system performance.

“We are excited to present our extensive range of conveyor components at our stand, offering a complete view of our innovative solutions,” he says. “Visitors will have the opportunity to explore the design and functionality that contribute to our products’ success globally.”

A real draw for visitors will be Tru-Trac’s investment in Internet of Things (IoT) technology, specifically the integration of digital solutions to facilitate predictive maintenance through real-time monitoring of equipment.

“The mining sector is increasingly turning to IoT to refine data collection and analytics, enhancing overall efficiency,” Blumberg says. “Our IoT-enabled conveyor solutions offer predictive and preventative maintenance, reducing downtime and enhancing productivity.”

Demonstrating this commitment will be at least two product offerings on show at Electra Mining Africa: the company’s range of belt scales and a revolutionary new belt rip detection system that, the company says, promises to be a real disruptor in the sector.

“Our belt scales have seen considerable success since their launch two years ago,” Blumberg says. “These are critical components in any bulk materials handling operation, providing both accurate and repeatable data on throughput and production.”

Working with specialist design engineers, Tru-Trac says it has achieved a best-in-class product range which now also boasts a digital reporting platform that allows remote monitoring and reporting. Response from customers in the field has been enthusiastic, according to Blumberg, and considerable interest is expected at Electra Mining Africa.

“Tru-Trac Rip Prevent+, our next-generation belt rip detection system, is set to impress and generate strong interest,” he continues. “This is a disruptive solution which we are launching in Africa with our partners, SHG of Germany. Using artificial intelligence to monitor power consumption for anomalies, this technology gives early warnings of potential belt rips, enabling operators to react swiftly and prevent damage.”

Electra Mining Africa is due to run from September 2-6 at the Expo Centre in Johannesburg, South Africa. International Mining is a media sponsor of the event.

TAKRAF and ABB renew gearless conveyor drive technology partnership

Base metals, Bulk handling, Mining equipment, Mining services, , , , ,

TAKRAF and ABB have renewed their ongoing strategic partnership regarding the deployment of gearless conveyor drive (GCD) technology on TAKRAF bulk material handling solutions to enable a more sustainable and resource-efficient future, the companies say.

The partnership, which dates back to 2011, acts as a commitment to both groups’ efforts in achieving a more sustainable and resource efficient future, regarding the deployment of GCD technology.

Gearless drives eliminate the need for a gearbox, hereby significantly reducing the number of wear parts, which results in increased efficiency and reliability, as well as reduced maintenance requirements. Further advantages include a considerable reduction in the drive system’s footprint and emissions. In fact, for a large copper mine in Chile, studies showed that CO2 emissions were reduced by 66% as compared with diesel truck engines for the same copper production volume, TAKRAF states.

In 2019, TAKRAF delivered equipment for the principal ore transport system for Chuquicamata, one of the world’s largest copper ore mines, moving ore extracted underground to an above-ground processing plant using GCD technology (11 x 5 MW gearless synchronous motors). This system, boasting a total installed drive power of 58 MW, transports crushed copper ore from underground storage bins to the surface along a 7 km underground tunnel that overcomes 1 km of vertical elevation. Once on the surface, the ore then travels along an overland conveyor that transports it the final 6 km to the distribution silo.

Thomas Jabs, TAKRAF Group CEO (third from the right, shaking hands with Frank Kschamer (ABB Head of Sales Mining Germany)), said: “We are proud of our ongoing partnership and association with our drive technology partner, ABB. This is a relationship that dates back more than 12 years and has resulted in some incredible technology achievements, not to mention delivery of the world’s most powerful belt conveying system at Chuquicamata using GCD technology. GCDs bring numerous benefits, which are important to us as a company and the complete solution offering we present to our clients. With decreasing ore grades, ever-deeper mines and a general tendency to move from an open-pit operation to underground, powerful, efficient and small footprint conveyor drives will only become more important in an industry in which safety and sustainability are also increasingly important.

“We look forward to this new chapter and, together with ABB, look forward to future GCD installations.”

Tru-Trac continuing to troubleshoot conveyor belt issues for mining operators

Bulk handling, Equipment maintenance, Mining equipment, Mining maintenance, Mining services, , , , , ,

With belt misalignment remaining the biggest headache for conveyor system operators across a variety of bulk material handling industries, Tru-Trac says it has evolved from this valuable niche into a full service conveyor solutions business.

Having patented and commercialised its belt tracker back in 1996, Tru-Trac has leveraged its engineering expertise and market knowledge into a comprehensive range of conveyor solutions – with a global sales and installation network. There remains, however, a ‘magic’ at the core of the business which, it says, continues to surprise customers: its deep understanding and expertise of belt misalignment solutions – belt trackers.

Shaun Blumberg, COO of Tru-Trac Rollers, highlights the serious disruption that belt misalignment on a conveyor can cause. The impact includes spillage, belt edge damage, structural harm, increased power consumption and increased labour costs. Ultimately, this leads to lost production, higher operating costs and even safety hazards.

From its local manufacturing base in South Africa, Tru-Trac has grown to serve markets nationwide and abroad – including some of the most sizeable equipment in operation. One of the world’s largest stacker reclaimers, which serves the coal sector in Germany, also experienced a Tru-Trac moment, according to Jonathan Rogoff, CEO of Tru-Trac.

“They were having significant challenges with belt misalignment – and told us they never had a belt tracker last more than a week,” Rogoff explains. “When we presented our proposed solution, they were sceptical – thinking we were either over-confident or naive.”

Leveraging decades of application data and its in-house engineering expertise, Tru-Trac enhanced its heavy-duty dual-return tracker into an extra heavy-duty (EXHD) model specifically tailored for this customer’s needs.

“This was a demanding application with the 2,300-mm-wide belt running at 9.6 m/s – close to the speed of some of the fastest belts in the world,” Rogoff says. “A year later, our product was still working well, leading the customer to standardise on this Tru-Trac solution.”

Closer to home, a mining company in Rustenburg recently had its production halted for two days after successive failures of numerous belt tracking products. After a site visit to assess the situation, Tru-Trac returned the following day with two of its belt trackers – to replace the five installed competitor products.

“Within 20 seconds, the belt centralised and the problem was solved,” Rogoff says. “Initially, our customer could not believe what he was seeing and was convinced the old problem would return when material was loaded. However, the belt remained true under full load, as we had predicted.”

Blumberg points out that there has been significant growth in the business over recent years, and the company has expanded its local manufacturing to punch above its weight on the global stage. In fact, within the industry, the brand has become synonymous with its product, to the extent that professionals often refer to any conveyor belt trackers as ‘Tru-Trackers’, the company claims.

After the success of its tracking solutions, it made sense to leverage its brand and expertise by diversifying into complementary conveyor solutions. Through its existing partnerships with international conveyor distributors, Tru-Trac began importing well recognised brands to augment its range. This includes belt scrapers and skirting rubbers as well as impact beds.

“This led to us building our own service teams to provide installation and maintenance support for customers, as we were now dealing with equipment that needed servicing,” Rogoff says. “The beauty of our belt trackers is that they are essentially ‘fit and forget’ solutions that need very little attention during their lifecycle.”

Today, there are about 50 Tru-Trac service teams working across South Africa and into the rest of Africa, to support customers. With this growth came an expansion of in-house sales teams, who work from branches in the main mining regions in South Africa and Africa

“This gave us more control over our own destiny allowing us to develop skilled customer-centric teams to service customers as a complete provider of mechanical solutions and services on conveyor systems,” Rogoff says.

Tru-Trac also now supplies its conveyor solutions to over 80 countries globally, including almost every mining country. At its facility in Centurion, near Pretoria, there are now over 100 employees on the manufacturing side alone.

The company’s in-house engineering and R&D capabilities have significantly expanded, with the size of its R&D department increasing fivefold over the past two years. This growth has enhanced Tru-Trac’s engineering and design capabilities, which include custom design and rapid prototyping, showcasing the company’s commitment to innovation and tailored conveyor system solutions.

Rogoff concluded: “One of the rewarding parts of our work is that we provide conveyor solutions that really do deliver what customers require. We still regularly have customers whose jaws drop in disbelief when we solve challenges which they have unsuccessfully been grappling with for years.”

Martin Engineering restructures Italian business to boost service and growth prospects

Bulk handling, Equipment maintenance, Mineral processing, Mining equipment, , ,

Martin Engineering says it has restructured its Italian business and relocated to a new purpose-built facility to boost customer service and accelerate growth.

The move heralds a new chapter for the Italian branch of the US engineering firm, which supplies belt conveyor products and material flow aids to bulk handling and material processing companies to boost production efficiency and workplace safety.

Martin Engineering has been present in Italy for more than 30 years, supporting the country’s producers of coal, cement and aggregates. Moving to a new fit-for-purpose warehouse near Monza, northeast of Milan, allows the company to broaden its remit to solve material handling problems in various industries, it said.

The new location also enables Martin to bring a wider range of products to the Italian market, including the N2® remote monitoring system for conveyor belt cleaners, which enables maintenance teams to track conveyor belt cleaner blades on a mobile app. Also being introduced in Italy is Martin’s range of CleanScrape® belt cleaners, which, it says, are proven to last up to four times longer than standard cleaners with no retensioning or extra maintenance required after installation.

Restructuring the business means Martin Italy is now jointly led by Sales Manager, Matteo Manghi, who heads a team of sales engineers and service technicians, with Administration and Accounts Manager, Simona Farina, who is responsible for accounts, customer service and head office functions. Both Manghi and Farina report directly to Robert Whetstone, Martin Engineering’s Area Vice President for EMEAI (Europe, Middle East, Africa and the Indian subcontinent).

Manghi said: “It’s an exciting time for Martin Engineering in Italy as we now have the capability to apply our bulk handling expertise in new ways to solve problems for customers in a broader range of industries. Our new facility gives us the space to assemble and distribute our products for installation by our team of trained specialist service technicians.”

Farina added: “Martin Engineering has a long history in Italy and the move to our new headquarters represents a new beginning for our Italian business. We are now in a strong position to provide better service to our existing loyal customers and we have a solid base from which to grow our business into new segments of the market and bring new customers on board.”

Whetstone concluded: “Italy has been a key market for Martin Engineering and we firmly believe there are opportunities for growth. Investing in our new office and warehouse facilities will allow us to bring a broader range of products and solutions to Italian customers. I am proud of what our Italian team has achieved through the transition and I look forward to future success supporting our customers.”

Superior Industries unveils enhanced conveyor idler for extra longevity

Bulk handling, Equipment maintenance, Mineral processing, Mining equipment, Mining services, , ,

Superior Industries, Inc., a US-based manufacturer and global supplier of bulk material processing and handling systems, has announced what it says is the most significant redesign to conveyor idlers in decades.

This update is backed by a substantial $4.5 million investment in cutting-edge idler manufacturing equipment at its US production locations, the company says.

According to Superior Industries, these are the key innovations of the new idler design:

  • Ironclad weld joint at tube to end disc: a flush end disc prevents material entrapment between the roll and frame, while a weld bead is securely housed within the roll’s structure, ensuring added durability. This also comes with modern, robotic welding for greater weld penetration and extreme consistency;
  • Revamped designs of idler bearing seals: a decade of rigorous testing results in an unmatched bearing protection system, according to the company, with the lifespan of standard bearing seals surpassing all other models tested. The Premium Titanium® seal, in this case, provides extended longevity for demanding applications; and
  • Major upgrade to idler manufacturing:Improving industry-leading pace, Superior says it has achieved new heights in manufacturing speed. The manufacturing production rate of standard and custom idlers has witnessed a 35% increase, while the integration of robotic manufacturing ensures a level of consistency previously unseen.

Jason Adams, President of Superior, said: “Tens of thousands of Superior idlers are installed on our own conveyors every year, so roll performance really, really matters. The new idler exceeds our own high performance standards and we’re excited for other conveyor owners and operators to benefit from this upgrade.”

Martin Engineering launches next-gen conveyor belt tracking tech

Bulk handling, Equipment maintenance, Mining equipment, Mining services, , , ,

Martin Engineering has launched what it says is the next generation of tracking technology for a global marketplace with its Martin® Tracker™ HD (heavy-duty) belt conveyor alignment system.

This system comes with widely available plate steel to increase availability and affordability across all six continents the company serves.

A mistracking belt produces excessive spillage, which increases labour costs for clean-up and may cause contact with the mainframe. This damages both the belt and the structure and increases the potential for a friction fire, according to the company. The Martin Tracker HD upper and lower units provide immediate, continuous and precise adjustment of the mistracking belt. The result is greater productivity with less unscheduled downtime from both equipment replacement and spillage cleanup for a lower cost of operation, Martin Engineering says.

“Since most OEM mistracking devices are only designed to prevent contact with the stringer and don’t actually realign the belt, operators can spend a lot of time monitoring the system and adjusting idlers to achieve consistent alignment,” Dave Mueller, Product Manager for Martin Engineering, said. “With enough manual adjusting, operators find that idlers must be recentred if there’s a change in cargo characteristics or to install a new belt. The Tracker HD automates the alignment process, eliminating the need for constant monitoring and manual adjustments, reducing the labor and downtime for maintenance.”

The Martin Tracker HD’s precision comes from sensing rollers that ride either side of the belt edge and are attached to the end of an arm assembly. As the rollers detect slight variations in the belt path, the force of the wandering belt causes the arms to automatically position a pivoting idler in the opposite direction of the misalignment. The lever action requires less force to initiate the correction and only slight adjustments mean the consistent contact between the belt and idlers reduces the energy needed to bring the belt back into alignment, the company explains.

“Certain countries can’t buy the square tubing, so we’re now manufacturing the equipment from readily-available plate steel without any changes to the performance or life of the unit,” Mueller said. “This allows the Tracker HD to be produced and supplied across all global business units.”

The upper unit of the Tracker HD comes with the specified trough angle of the conveyor system

Easy to install and designed to withstand the stress associated with wider, thicker belts moving at higher speeds and carrying heavier loads, the Martin Tracker HD is suitable for a belt thickness up to 28.5 mm and speeds up to 4 m/s. Both the upper and lower units accommodate belt widths of 915-1,828 mm with an effective tracking distance of 45.72 m.

Available in 20°, 35° and 45° trough angles, there are options for the addition of a Martin Trac-Mount™ Idler, which allows the entire troughed idler unit to be slid away from the mainframe and safely serviced from outside of the system by a single worker, the company says. This safety element can considerably reduce the amount of labour and maintenance time for the replacement of broken or frozen idlers. Also available are rubber-lagged rollers on the lower tracker and a grease kit for both the upper and lower assemblies. The unit is not suitable for reversing conveyors, belts with substantial rollback, or paddle or chevron belts, Martin Engeering clarified.

It is recommended operators install Martin Tracker HDs after the load zone on belts wider than 610 mm with additional units placed down the system to keep the belt centred and tracking. By placing an upper unit before the discharge, operators ensure the belt is centred on the head pulley allowing for optimal belt cleaning with maximum cargo discharge.

The lower tracker has been redesigned to include an extra safety feature not found in competitor units, the company says. Regardless of the conveyor, return rollers have been known to detach and drop, creating a serious safety issue, so the Martin Tracker HD has been equipped with safety guarding on the steering roll to prevent the roller from coming off or putting workers in harm’s way. On the return, it is recommended to place a tracker after the discharge zone or take-up pulley, as well as periodically down the system depending on length. To ensure centred loading, the belt must enter the loading zone aligned, so installing a lower unit approximately five times the belt’s width in distance from the tail pulley will support an efficient loading process.

Since the basic design of the Martin Tracker HD is similar to that of its predecessors with square tube construction, the testing that has taken place focused on performance, durability and installation time. Tested in bulk handling operations including mining and cement where mistracking leading to spillage had historically been a concern, the unit performed up to Martin Engineering’s high standards, the company said.

“Martin Engineering believes safety should be a core function in any conveyor accessory we design, and the Tracker HD is no different,” Mueller said. “By automating consistent belt tracking, this solution reduces equipment wear, maintenance time and downtime. These factors lower the cost of operation offering the best return on investment of any tracker on the market.”