Kinder Australia’s primary belt cleaner is keeping belts free of meddlesome carryback.
When moisture is present on a conveyor belt, it can lead to the maintenance team’s nightmare – carryback.
Carryback is an all-too-common occurrence in the bulk handling space, the result of material sticking to the underside of the return belt beyond the discharge point.
Over time, it begins to build up and often requires extensive manual labour to remove it, exposing staff to risks like higher likelihoods of slips and falls and proximity to heavy industrial machinery.
Carryback can also cause damage to the belt and surrounding conveyor structure, as more fugitive material builds up on idlers, conveyor components, and structural supports. This exacerbates the problem even further and can lead to expensive repairs and lengthy downtimes.
Kinder Australia field application specialist Peter Laskey said carryback also shortens the life of equipment.
“Carryback causes all sorts of problems for our clients, which is why we want to take away as much of the manual handling and cleanup by installing a primary cleaner,” he told ABHR.
“Primary belt cleaners, like Kinder’s Micro Eraser primary belt cleaner can play a vital role in reducing carryback and keeping conveyor belts running smoothly and efficiently.”
Kinder’s Micro Eraser primary belt cleaning system is designed to be lightweight yet provide strength and durability with a 6 mm thick, 51 mm x 51 mm tube stock steel mainframe and corrosion-resistant, galvanised Schedule 80 pipe stub ends.
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The compact mounting footprint makes it ideal for applications where space is limited – it only protrudes 114mm from the mounting structure.
Laskey said what sets it apart is its central tensioning system, which is adjustable from 7–27Nm.
“This central system gives even tension across the entire belt,” he said. “That’s vital, because if a belt cleaner only has tension on one side, it may only clean one side effectively.”
It also features a single pin blade attachment, which makes change out quick and easy, with no springs, bolts, or hoses.
The Micro Eraser system is available in a vast array of different sizes to suit all belt widths. It has undergone a recent upgrade and now uses universal mounting plates that are designed to retrofit existing layouts, allowing easy mounting onto conveyors designed for use with other cleaners. It also features an improved spring-loaded bolt ratchet tensioning system.
Laskey said the Micro Eraser conveyor belt cleaner represents a significant advancement in the field of bulk material handling.
“Its innovative design and ease of use make it an ideal choice for any operation looking to enhance efficiency and reduce carryback,” he said.
“By choosing the Micro Eraser cleaner, you’re investing in a solution that offers superior performance and long-term reliability.”
Keeping belts clean
Kinder Australia’s team of field application specialists work closely with bulk material handling sites around the country to find the right tool for the job.
One such site was a supplier of asphalt and road base aggregate materials.
For many years, the company’s production plant had used an old primary belt cleaning system. Normal wear and tear resulted in weakened tensioning and pressure on the conveyor belt. The uneven pressure significantly reduced the overall cleaning effectiveness of the belt cleaning system which required rectification.
Carryback and the buildup of material on the conveyor belt return side was also a major concern as it could cause excessive material spillage, production downtime and escalated safety hazards.
Kinder Australia’s team of field application specialists conducted a comprehensive review of the operations existing conveyor system. The review addressed key areas of belt cleaning and included the recommendation of a solution to improve operational productivity and minimise safety hazards on site.
The small diameter of the head pulley was identified as a key factor in recommending Kinder Australia’s Micro Eraser primary belt cleaning solution. Lightweight, durable and high strength, this compact primary belt cleaning system delivers a highly powerful and proven cleaning performance. The single pin blade attachment means quick and simple blade change out with minimal production down time.
Laskey said this process of visiting clients to learn more about the issues they are facing means Kinder can provide the ideal solution.
“Our field application specialists will find out what belt scraper is best suited to the conditions of a specific site. They’ll consider things like belt speed, the material being conveyed, and pulley diameters to find the best scraper for that environment,” he said.
“Kinder’s engineers are looking to get out and about, servicing our customers and anyone who needs assistance with conveyors.
“We’re a solutions-based company and are excited to help solve any problem our customers are facing.”