Kinder Australia takes a unique approach to the design and manufacturing process of its critical conveyor pulleys.
In many cases, when conveyor components malfunction, operations can continue until replacements are installed at a convenient time. However, this is not the case with pulleys.
When a pulley fails before the next scheduled shutdown, the entire system grinds to a halt as staff scramble to replace it. All the while, productivity goes up in smoke and the site begins losing money.
Kinder Australia’s project engineer Peter Wei told ABHR why reliability is everything when it comes to conveyor pulleys.
“There are many factors that can lead to pulley failure – whether it’s a poorly designed or constructed pulley, an increase in conveyor capacity, or flood belt scenarios that put extra stress on end discs, locking elements, and bearings. Issues like belt misalignment, inadequate maintenance, pulley location, and belt conditions can also contribute to lagging wear, potentially worsening the situation or causing belt slippage,” he said.
“That’s why when Kinder talks to our clients, we take all these factors into account to ensure the pulley is designed for optimal performance and longevity”.
No two bulk handling sites are the same, and neither are Kinder’s K-conveyor pulleys. They are engineered and manufactured for maximum service, tailored to each specific application.
To achieve this, Kinder works closely with its clients to assess all aspects of the Kinder pulley application worksheet, including how and where the pulley will operate.
Using this information, the engineering department conducts detailed design checks, finite element analysis (FEA), and modelling using proprietary in-house software to ensure each pulley is built to withstand the demands of its application while meeting both Australian and international standards.
Wei said Kinder invests significant time and resources upfront, particularly during the quotation stage.
“We dedicate a lot of effort – often at our own expense – before a project is awarded. This approach not only helps engineering firms streamline their designs at no additional cost but also strengthens trust and confidence in Kinder as a reliable partner,” he said.
Kinder’s engineering team has access to an extensive pulley database from previous projects, allowing it to quickly reference similar applications. This enables the company to provide detailed preliminary drawings and budgeting considerations efficiently, ensuring a fast and informed response to clients.
Kinder has five full-time engineers who are consistently working on different projects.
They are all highly trained in conveyor design and well-versed in the fundamentals of pulley design and manufacturing. This expertise provides clients with confidence and certainty throughout the process.
For large projects, Kinder uses finite element analysis alongside classical stress calculations to determine the stresses and deflections in the conveyor pulley components. Minimising stress at critical locations, such as different types of weld between the shell-end disc connection, helps prevent fatigue cracking and extends the pulley’s working life.
However, Wei said it’s not just quality and engineering services that set Kinder’s pulleys apart.
“We are flexible,” he said. “We always work around what is the best outcome for the customer, rather than simply offering what we have available. If they need a shorter lead time, we can accommodate that. If they want a longer lead time, we can offer a better price.”
“We have integrated numerous additional processes in our system, going beyond the standard procedures of a typical pulley manufacturer. While this increases the workload for our teams, it ensures we maintain 100 per cent control over the quality of every pulley we produce. These processes also give us greater leverage in managing our stock levels, reducing costs, and adding value to our products. Ultimately, this allows us to pass on the savings to our customers, offering them more competitive pricing.”
Kinder has built a close relationship with its own suppliers to streamline the manufacturing process and ensure accountability at every stage. Each key component of the pulley undergoes quality assurance tests before progressing to the next step, guaranteeing that the final product meets exact specifications.
Wei said customers are even invited to visit Kinder Australia to meet with key suppliers. The company hosts an annual supplier and customer conference to foster collaboration and transparency.
“When customers choose Kinder, they can trust that we are always at the forefront of innovation and have end-to-end support from our suppliers. We train our suppliers on exactly how things need to be built so that anything with the Kinder sticker on it has that guarantee,” he said.
Related stories:
- Kinder’s K-Commander getting conveyors on track
- Attalis Capital and Victorian Business Growth Fund acquire Kinder
- Cleaning dust with Kinder’s AIR Seal Dust Containment Combo
“We maintain a large inventory of key components – such as sheet steel for pipe rolling, shafts, locking elements, and pulley laggings – at our fabrication workshop. This enables us to fast-track production. All our parts suppliers regularly visit the fabrication shop to verify compliance with their procedures, ensuring every component is stored and handled according to their specifications and within valid dates.”
As part of the pulley package, Kinder also provides installation and maintenance support. If the customer requires it, the company’s team can visit the site during the commissioning process to oversee the installation and perform inspections, ensuring that not only the pulley but the entire system is functioning optimally. This helps identify and address any potential issues early on.
Wei said the Kinder team likes to visit clients annually to verify that the supplied items are performing as expected and remain within their service life. This proactive approach underscores the company’s commitment to long-term reliability and customer satisfaction.
Pulley specialists
Kinder can also provide specialised pulleys made for difficult applications where material build-up occurs on the pulley face, causing mistracking and belt damage.
K-conveyor spiral pulleys are designed to be used for dry and free-flowing materials. The rotation of the pulley engages the self-cleaning action, therefore releasing foreign material through and onto the inner tapered cone then to the outside of the conveyor.
K-conveyor wing pulleys are suitable for large lump, sharp and sticky materials. They are designed to be used in adverse, very abrasive and dirty applications, especially where there is material build-up on a solid conveyor pulley shell. It also provides a heavy-duty version, for situations where the standard wing design may be inadequate.
Wei said the company can provide a suite of supplemental products to ensure the entire conveyor system is working effectively.
“Wing and spiral pulleys are used to address a common conveyor issue: spillage”, he said.
“When a conveyor belt goes off track, then the material can fall inside the conveyor and get stuck between the tail pulley – potentially damaging the lagging or the belt. While specialised pulleys are an excellent solution, addressing all other conveyor-related issues is equally important for achieving a permanent solution.”
“The K-warning conveyor belt tracking sign creates awareness of a common issue where the maintenance team adjust pulley alignment to track the belt. This action goes against the best practice for belt tracking, which emphasises that all pulleys should remain parallel to each other for optimal performance.”
Kinder plans to continue growing in this space, and not just in Australia. The company has ambitions to grow its customer base worldwide, with distributors in various countries supplying products for the bulk material industries.
“We are expecting a great future for the business in 2025 and beyond,” Wei said.