The Big Roller Overland Conveyor Company believes that bigger can be better when it comes to conveyor rollers.
For more than three decades, the bulk materials handling sector has understood a simple principle: larger conveyor rollers can deliver energy efficiency gains. What it has lacked, however, is clear empirical evidence on just how large those rollers should be, and the confidence to shift long-established design standards.
That gap is what motivated Big Roller Overland Conveyor Company director Shawn Ryan to pursue the development of a new large-diameter composite roller, culminating in a 20-inch (508mm) design now independently tested by TUNRA Bulk Solids.
Ryan said the industry has “known” since the early 1990s that larger rollers provide energy efficiency benefits, but the question of “how big?” remained largely untested in a rigorous, public way.
From engineering, procurement, constructions, and management (EPCM) contract models and risk mitigation frameworks to conservative design standards, the conveyor sector has often favoured incremental improvements over step-change innovation.
In 2022, Ryan decided to test his hypothesis. Drawing on an existing working relationship with the team at TUNRA, he personally funded research to validate the indentation rolling resistance (IRR) for 316mm and 400mm rollers. TUNRA was selected for a simple reason: it operates the only large-scale test facility of its kind compliant with AS 1334.13.
After presenting early research findings and concept designs to a major EPCM in 2023, Ryan encountered resistance. Undeterred, he turned to the global idler supply chain to bring the concept to life.
A key constraint guided the next phase of development: achieving a 20-inch roller with a maximum weight of 20kg. Only one manufacturer could meet the brief: Tribotech, with its Weartech Nylon composite roller. The combination of large diameter and lightweight composite construction represented a material science advancement that pushed well beyond conventional steel idler dimensions.
However, the dimensional leap created a new challenge. Industry standards such as CEMA 502 and SANS 1313 define commonly available idler sizes, with the largest CEMA roller at 8 inches (219mm). The 20-inch product dwarfed these benchmarks.
To properly certify the design and extend the empirical IRR dataset to 20 inches, TUNRA was again a leading option. But even its facilities required modification.
All relevant test rigs had to be upgraded to accommodate rollers up to 24 inches in diameter, while remaining compliant with applicable standards. With financial support during this innovation phase from the Minerals Research Institute of Western Australia, Big Roller invested in upgrading the necessary test rigs, infrastructure Ryan describes as benefiting the broader industry, not just his company.
For Ryan, independent third-party testing was non-negotiable.
“It’s one thing to say we have the best product,” he said, “but another to have evidence through data to back that up.” Third-party validation, he adds, is essential not only for technical credibility but for breaking down commercial and specification barriers that have historically slowed adoption of new technologies.
Partnering with TUNRA to conduct all industry-standard testing on the 20-inch idler has added what Ryan describes as “gravitas” to the process. The independent testing is contributing to increased commercial engagement and enquiries, signalling growing industry interest.
Throughout the process, Ryan says the collaboration has been defined by technical rigour and flexibility. The TUNRA team has been methodical in pursuing the required testing regime, while also supporting an aggressive development schedule aimed at bringing a certified product to market as quickly as possible.
Now, with testing forming what Ryan calls a “foundational stepping stone”, the company is looking beyond certification to broader industry impact. He believes the fundamental science underpinning larger-diameter, lightweight composite rollers has the potential to drive a major evolution in overland conveyor design.
Ryan said the adoption of large diameter rollers and advances in rubber compounds offer a compounding efficiency gain essential to achieve carbon reduction targets.
“With potentially 800km of new conveying projects and existing retrofit in WA alone, the potential impact of Big Roller’s designs are substantial.”
“These insights will guide the next generation of conveyor design.”
