Kinder’s Eraser primary conveyor belt cleaner helps quarries handle carryback before it becomes a problem. Image: Kinder
Failing to clean up carryback can lead to a sticky situation. Kinder Australia’s Eraser helps remove it at the source.
When conveying material, not all of it will go where it’s supposed to. Whether it’s due to environmental reasons, or it’s just a naturally sticky substance, some quarry products get stuck to the conveyor belt.
This carryback has a habit of getting exactly where it’s not wanted – interfering with the idlers, pulleys, the nearby environment, bearings, and places where you don’t want a build-up of mess.
Tim Storer, field applications specialist at Kinder Australia, told Quarry that finding out where carryback develops on a quarry site is a question his clients always ask.
Kinder’s field applications specialists help quarries determine where the problems are occurring. They spend much of their time visiting sites to find the right solution to problems a quarry might not even know about.
“Quarry operators are busy with running their business, they don’t always have the fresh eyes to spot where the problems might be,” he said.
“That’s where we come in. We like to get out to site, seeing the good, working with the bad, and rectifying the ugly.
“There are lots of ways a site can try to eliminate carryback. Conveyor cleaners have a big job to handle, and each has their own merits on how they perform.”
Carryback can lead to belt misalignment, causing material to spill off the belt and need to be cleaned up. Not only is this losing material, but it could pose a potential safety hazard.
If it builds up on the componentry, it can reduce the efficiency of the conveyor or potentially lead to damaged components. This leads to unplanned downtime, throwing a spanner in the works of the whole operation.
Kinder’s Eraser primary conveyor belt cleaner helps quarries handle carryback before it becomes a problem. It is an industrial-grade primary series-type conveyor belt cleaner built around an industry-exclusive polyurethane tensioning system. It features a unique Safe Torque ratchet that enables easy adjustment of the reliable, spring-free Perma-Torque urethane tensioning system.
The Perma-Torque system connects to a centre torsion bar, which, unlike a spring-loaded system, provides uniform cleaning pressure across the entire belt.
Storer said if a conveyor belt is smooth, most cleaners will be effective. However, the heavy-duty nature of quarrying means belts start to take damage when handling the sharp, lumpy, and often abrasive materials.
“This stops cleaners from getting into the nooks and crannies on the belt, leaning to material build up,” he said.
“Most of the time, this wear point will be in the central part of the belt, which is under the most pressure. That means the cleaner needs to be at its best across the entire belt.”
Quarrying is a rough business, which is why the eraser is designed to be tough. It is corrosion resistant, fully sealed, dust proof and mounted within a heavy-duty galvanised pipe on a sturdy steel mainframe. There are no springs, hoses, cables, or shocks.
The quick release and durable engineered polyurethane blade is available in various hardness durometers to suit the primary belt cleaning application. It can also be customised to suit a quarry’s needs if required.
Storer said quarries have given positive feedback, particularly when it comes to the ease of servicing and maintenance.
“The unique tensioning system is such an easy system to work with. There are two points of engagement, and everything can be done with the same tool. The system can be tensioned or released in seconds,” he said.
“From a quarry maintenance perspective, our clients love how effective it is at keeping the belts clean and how quick and easy the system is to access. All they need to do is pop off a dust cover and release a locking pin.
“Maintenance teams love the fact it’s a single person operation that can be done in seconds.”
Kinder provides more than just the eraser for belt cleaning. It also provides other primary and secondary belt cleaners for various applications. The company has a range of brush cleaners to help clean cleated belts or belts expected to withstand heavy duty.
It can also provide V-ploughs and diagonal ploughs to help deal with carryback build-up inside conveyor belts.
Storer said the field application specialists figure out exactly what kind of solutions can help.
“We like to get up close and hands-on, liaising with our clients to find out what’s working and what’s not,” he said.
“We’re constantly listening to feedback to improve our product offering and providing support.
“If you’ve got a problem, get in touch and let us see what you’re dealing with. It’s worth it to get a fresh set of eyes to find a solution to your problems.” •
For more information, visit kinder.com.au
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