CONVEYOR TECHNOLOGY
in the belt . At the same time , the REMAREP ULTRA 10 can also be used to fill joints in rubber linings and for cosmetic repairs to PU , PVC and elastomer components .
The most important step in repairing a damaged conveyor belt is to assess the damage : the length and depth of the belt damage is not limited in most cases . However , if the fabric carcass needs to be repaired , the repair must not exceed 20 % of the belt width to ensure stability . For an optimal repair , the belt damage must first be cleaned , prepared with a grinding machine and thinly coated with Cement SC4000 . After the adhesive has hardened , the repair material is directly applied to the damaged area using a dispensing device and can be ground smooth with a grinder or angle polisher after about 20 to 30 minutes , depending on the temperature . The repair can be carried out either by trained REMA-TIP-TOP service staff or by qualified staff at the customer ' s premises .
Other solutions in the market include Henkel ’ s Loctite PC 7350 Conveyor Belt Repair which is a premium rubber repair compound that is fast curing and self-levelling , making it suitable for on-site conveyor belt repairs . “ With high levels of adhesion and abrasion resistance , repairs made with Loctite PC 7350 have the same durability and flexibility as the conveyor belt , increasing reliability and overall efficiency , as well as providing excellent protection and longevity of clips , splices , and belt scraper blades and devices .” The product is a two-part , black , 100 % solid , room temperature-curing polyurethane resin and isocyanate compound kit which cures to a tough , resilient adhesive .
Sika offers SikaBond ® R & B-100 , a fast curing , high performance elastomer designed for fast and clean repair of the rubber substrate of conveyor belts and industrial rubber elements . The product is available as a ready to be used repair kit that can be applied right in the field . SikaBond R & B-200 / 210 is an adhesive for rubber to rubber or rubber to steel bonding . The company says it offers unbeatable adhesion to different rubber substrates and is designed for repair on rubber conveyor belts that are textile or steel reinforced . The products come as a two-component cartridge that is applied using a two component application gun ( either manual or pneumatic ). Besides the bonding properties , the product cures very fast and allows fast recommissioning of the conveyor belt once repaired .
Underground conveyor infrastructure refurbishment
NEPEAN Conveyors South Africa General Manager Willem Niemandt recently provided an insight into the innovative solutions the team are providing to customers in Africa . NEPEAN is renowned for its rugged and proven underground conveyor systems and components . “ In the current economic climate , we have really seen the term ‘ sweating your assets ’ in practice where clients have had to push every piece of equipment to the limits to ensure survival . It has also become necessary to seriously look at the refurbishment of equipment instead of replacement . Conveyors and conveyor components are not often equipment that is considered for refurbishment largely due to the design and construction of these systems . The NEPEAN underground equipment is specifically designed for the harsh realities of underground mining operations and therefore lends itself perfectly to refurbishment during its life cycle . Our modular design concept further supports the possibilities and viability of extending the life of the equipment . The added advantages related to the environmental impact of being able to refurbish and to re-cycle items that has been damaged beyond repair goes without saying .”
NEPEAN Conveyors South Africa recently successfully refurbished three underground trunk conveyors for one of its coal clients . These conveyors have been in operation for approximately 10 years in harsh underground coal mining operations . The refurbishment restored these structures and mechanical items back to its original OEM specification .
The capital saving to refurbish the conveyors versus the replacement is significant considering the current market conditions and struggles to secure capital . Clients further benefit from quicker delivery of a refurbished component versus new and installation time is reduced as the mine crew is already familiar with the equipment and structures .
Niemandt says : “ Defining the refurbishment scope upfront is critical and will determine the life extension of the equipment . In this case the client requirement was to reinstate the equipment back to its original OEM standard . All steel structures were inspected , and unfit parts replaced with new sections . Once an entire system component such as a drive or loading point had been refurbished the entire structure was assembled and checked in the NEPEAN workshop . The structural components were then sent for corrosion protection where the old galvanising was chemically stripped and re-galvanised to SANS 121:2011 . Mechanical components were similarly assessed to determine if it is fit for refurbishment . New equipment was installed where equipment was uneconomical to repair . In every case the refurbish VS replace decisions were made in close collaboration with the client .”
Once back from the galvanising process the structures were fully assembled and all mechanical components installed for final inspection . Fully assembled modules were then shipped to the mine –
NEPEAN Conveyors South Africa recently successfully refurbished three underground trunk conveyors for one of its coal clients
ready to go underground and restart the life cycle .
The case for cleaners
ASGCO recently announced the latest addition to its line of Secondary Belt Cleaner products for bulk material handling applications . The U-Scrape™ Secondary Cleaner ’ s , unique ‘ U ’ shape design conforms to the return side of the belt , which allows the blade to maintain the maximum pressure in the centre of the belt where the majority of the carryback material builds up , according to the company .
The blade is offered in two options : solid urethane , or with tungsten carbide tips embedded in urethane . With its curved U-shape blade , the U-Scrape blade tips are in constant contact with the belt to provide the highest cleaning efficiency , especially in tough applications .
The U-Scrape belt cleaner is primarily intended for use in conveyor bulk material handling applications in the following industries : aggregates , recycling , wastewater treatment , pulp & paper , coal , coal-fired power plants , chemical processing among others where carryback and spillage needs to be eliminated .
Remote monitoring is even being applied today to belt cleaners . Flexco ’ s Elevate™ Belt Conveyor Intelligence™ is described as an innovative , real-time monitoring system that harnesses the power of predictive analytics so mining , aggregate , and cement operations can remotely gather critical insights that optimise belt conveyor productivity and heighten operational efficiencies . “ Flexco Elevate is a wireless platform that transfers data insights to an intuitive cloud-based dashboard via edge technology , allowing remote monitoring of belt cleaners . With intelligence that grows over time , this easy-to-use platform is designed to simplify and accelerate belt maintenance using its powerful , data-driven engine .”
“ Flexco has a 110-year history of innovation , working alongside our customers to deliver solutions that are in alignment with their operational goals ,” said Chip Winiarski , Vice President of Marketing at
42 International Mining | FEBRUARY 2021