Modern Quarrying Quarter 1 2021

CONVEYOR BELTS

put the belting professionals in touch with your operations team to let them talk specifics. In the end, this will be a win-win for all parties. The purchasing team develops a relationship with an industry expert and high value supplier, the product development team can improve performance of the belt and conveyor system to reduce total cost of ownership, the maintenance team will drive uptime, and the belting supplier is rewarded by customer satisfaction and the growth of a new business relationship. Determine the operating requirements A major misconception in belt selection is tensile strength. Tensile rating is the working tension and breaking strength of the belt in the longitudinal direction. While having the correct working tension is important, many believe a higher tensile rating results in a stronger belt. Ironically, just like a belt lacking strength is an issue for your operation, a belt that has been overdesigned can also cause damage to the conveyor, reduce efficiency of the system, and increase the risk of premature belt failure, leading to downtime. A belt with a high tensile rating typically comes with a higher price because it’s a heavier, thicker belt. In an application like mining, where your conveyor is of an extended length, a high tensile rating is critical. However, in light industrial markets like aggregate, logging, mobile crushing and recycling, the tensile rating isn’t as much of an application requirement. In fact, a heavier belt will create more drag on the conveyor that will lead to higher amp draw, more energy consumption and a higher cost to operate. The increased stiffness due to the thicker, heavier belt will increase rolling resistance on the pulleys and bearing, causing more maintenance and repairs. The entire system will run at a much lower efficiency, and the wear and tear on the unit will be expedited. To tell the truth, belt failure due to lack of tensile strength is rare. Why not exchange the tensile strength you don’t need – which could be hindering your operation – for features that could resolve your application’s frequent failure modes? Puncture resistance, for example, is a leading cause of belt failure. It occurs when the belt carcass is punctured, or pierced, which leads to tear propagation, and ultimately, downtime for belt repair or replacement. Another leading cause of belt failure, hook retention, refers to the strength of the location where your belt ends are connected. An investment in this specification can prevent your lacing or fasteners from ripping out of the belt, causing a broken splice. Tensile rating has little to no effect on these types of failures. Belt properties can be modified to complement the specific requirements of your application and conveyor system. It may be possible to achieve increased perfor- mance with a lower cost product, which makes working with a qualified supplier a cost-effective decision in more ways than one. In the end, conveyor belt technology is a science. To run a successful operation, go

beyond picking a belt out of a cata- logue. Work with a qualified belting sup- plier who can help you determine the belt specifications critical to your application and conveyor system, which can prevent costly downtime and improve your total cost of ownership. l

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MODERN QUARRYING QUARTER 1 - 2021