Across many operations, conveyor safety systems have remained unchanged for year, even as plant environments, production demands and regulatory expectations have evolved. With sites looking for more reliable, connected safety solutions, this is where Smart Series shines.
If your conveyor system is showing signs of age, or your team is battling against recurring faults and nuisance trips it’s time to consider upgrading to Smart Series. Here’s what you need to consider about your current system, and the different ways it can be modernised.
Signs your existing conveyor safety system is falling behind
It’s not just nuisance trips that can give you intel suggesting it’s time to upgrade your conveyor safety system, complex wiring can also play a factor.
Here’s some of this biggest issues plagued by aging systems that can be remedied with an upgrade to Smart Series:
Frequent nuisance trips
Older or basic electronic devices can be prone to false alarms called nuisance trips. These trips slow product costing money, and causing increased operator frustration. Smart Series was specifically designed to solve this problem.
High maintenance labour requirements
Safety switches that require consistent adjustment, repairs, or resetting can indicate it’s time for an upgrade. The Smart Pull is built to reduce maintenance through improved reliability, saving your team time.
Repeated belt damage events
Systems that fail to detect belt rip or drift early can lead to unnecessary belt wear or damage. Modern devices like Smart Series can be integrated with diagnostics and enhanced sensors to mitigate recurring problems.
Lack of diagnostic ability
While traditional systems only offer a trip signal, the Smart Series connected system gives operators clearer fault identification and system status updates so that problems can be resolved more efficiently.
Difficulties maintaining compliance on legacy conveyors
Smart Series has been implemented at a number of sites to bring ageing conveyor systems up to contemporary safety and compliance expectations without a complete system overhaul. If there are any compliance gaps emerging at your site, it could be time for a retrofit.
Questions to ask Before planning a retrofit
Every site is different, as is every conveyor, but fortunately the Smart Series is built to be flexible and easy to deploy. Before deciding how to upgrade your current safety system, consider these factors:
What is the condition and layout of your existing conveyors?
Longer conveyors, harsh environments and outdated wiring routes can make older systems unstable or hard to maintain.
Are dust, heat or vibration affecting your current devices?
Harsh operating environments accelerate wear on older mechanical safety systems. The Smart Series boasts improved durability for Australian mining environments addressing real-world issues.
What level of monitoring do you actually need?
Some sites only require reliable pull-write protection, while others will benefit from integrated drift, rip, and slip detection. Smart Series offers these functions as part of a unified, connected system.
Do you have wiring or electrical constraints?
One of the recurring benefits mentioned is simplified installation and reduced wiring complexity, vital for brownfield conveyors where full rewiring is impractical.
How easily can your team identify and respond to faults today?
If your operators regularly troubleshoot blind, a more modern system with clearer diagnostics can significantly improve response time and reduce downtime.
Choosing the right upgrade strategy
The Smart Series coverage outlines a range of retrofit pathways suited to different operational needs. Depending on the condition of your conveyors and safety priorities, you may choose either a partial upgrade or a complete system modernisation.
Option 1: Partial upgrade
Ideal when:
• Your main issue is unreliable or aging emergency stop systems
• You want to eliminate nuisance trips caused by old pull-wire switches
• The conveyor already has functioning drift or rip detection systems that don’t require replacement
Option 2: Full safety system upgrade
Ideal when:
• You’re dealing with multiple conveyor faults across pull-wire, drift, rip, slip or blockage
• You want a unified and connected system rather than standalone devices
• You’re upgrading brownfield conveyors that need a modern, compliant safety platform
• Maintenance teams need clearer diagnostics and faster fault isolation
The Smart Series consistently reinforces one message: modern conveyor safety systems don’t just improve safety, they simplify operations, reduce downtime and make brownfield upgrades far easier than they used to be.
If your site is facing frequent trips, unclear diagnostics, or mounting maintenance demand, it may be time to consider whether your current system is holding you back. Whether through a targeted pull-write switch upgrade, or a complete system overhaul, Smart Series is the answer.
Contact Pacific Automation to find out how Smart Series can work for you.