Aggregates Manager Digital Magazine
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/917007
by Alan Schmidgall EQUIPMENT MANAGEMENT 26 AGGREGATES MANAGER / January 2018 O verland conveyor systems deliver cost-effective opera- tion within a wide spectrum of capacities, while offering quiet and environmentally sound material transport. When used in place of loaders and haul trucks, overland systems allow operations to signifi cantly reduce fuel costs and expenses associ- ated with labor, workers' compensation, Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) training, emissions, engine depreciation, ongoing maintenance, and more. To optimize the time-and-money- saving advantages of overland systems, producers should consider several top maintenance strategies. Protect the belt On an overland system, the belt is the biggest investment — and it must be adequately protected against costly and unnecessary damage. One of the most effective belt protection solutions is that of the V-shaped wing pulley. While ex- tending pulley life, the V-shaped design is engineered to prevent material buildup and belt damage while greatly minimiz- ing noise and vibration during operation. Versus the conventional wing pulley, the V-shaped pulley design delivers several advantages. A conventional wing pulley is particularly susceptible to material buildup, wing bending, and noise and vibration during operation. Belts and tail pulleys are subject to damage and failures when fugitive material becomes entrapped between the belt and the tail pulley. If the material is not removed, several serious issues can occur. First, Optimizing Overland Systems Overland conveyors can offer big energy savings, but require the right approach to system setup and maintenance. While truck transport is limited to grades of 6 percent or below, overland systems can take on inclines of up to 35 percent.