Page 60 - HUB-4 Magazine Issue 82

Quarrying News
Martin Engineering highlights
safe conveyor equipment design
Conveyors are among the most dynamic and potentially dangerous equipment in bulk handling. The operational basics of belt conveyor systems regarding the hardware installed and the performance required from the components are too often a mystery to many employees. This knowledge gap also creates a safety gap. Since personnel are the single most important resource of any industrial operation, to meet workplace safety standards, the consensus among safety professionals is to design the hazard out of the component or system, which historically yields more cost-effective and durable results.
Designs should be forward-thinking. This means exceeding compliance standards and enhancing operators’ ability to incorporate future upgrades cost-effectively by taking a modular approach. This method alleviates several workplace hazards, minimizes cleanup and maintenance, reduces unscheduled downtime and extends the life of the belt and the system. Before the drafting phase, designers should:
1) establish the goals of reducing injuries and exposure to hazards (dust, spillage, etc.);
2) increase conveyor uptime and productivity, and;
3) seek more effective approaches to ongoing operating and maintenance challenges.
Martin® Guarding is designed to protect workers from reach-in injuries in unauthorized areas Copyright © Martin Engineering 2023
Combining Safety & Productivity
To meet the demands for greater safety and improved production, some manufacturers have introduced equipment designs that are not only engineered for safer operation and servicing but also reduced maintenance time. An example is the Martin® QC1TM Cleaner HD/XHD STS (Safe-to-Service) primary cleaner and the Martin SQC2STM STS secondary cleaner, designed so the blade cartridge can be pulled away from the belt for safe access and replacement by a single worker.
The same slide-out technology has been applied to impact cradle designs. Systems like the Martin Slider Cradle are engineered so operators can work on the equipment safely, without breaking the plane of motion. External servicing reduces confined space entry and eliminates reach-in maintenance while facilitating faster replacement. The result is greater safety and efficiency, with less downtime.
This Martin SQC2S STS secondary cleaner allows for safe external maintenance by a single worker. Copyright © Martin Engineering 2023
The track-mounted Martin® Slider Cradle can be serviced quickly and safely, with no reach-in maintenance. Copyright © Martin Engineering 2023
An example of a safer belt cleaner is the CleanScrape®, which received the Australian Bulk Handling Award in the "Innovative Technology" category for its design and potential benefits. The revolutionary patented design reduces the need for bulky urethane blades altogether. It delivers extended service life, low belt wear, and significantly reduced maintenance, which improves safety and lowers the cost of ownership.
Unlike conventional belt cleaners that are mounted at an angle to the belt, the CleanScrape is installed diagonally across the discharge pulley, forming a three-dimensional curve beneath the discharge area that conforms to the pulley’s shape. The novel approach has been so effective that in many operations, previously crucial secondary belt cleaners have become unnecessary, saving further on belt cleaning costs and service time.
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www.hub-4.com September/October - Issue 82