The program provides regularly scheduled examinations of belts, cleaners, tracking, chutes, dust control and other components from specialists to maximise productivity and reduce downtime.
Martin Engineering said the reviews allowed the immediate transfer of data and photos to facility managers, the program established an evolving record of each belt for current analysis and future reference.
“Every conveyor is different, even within the same facility” said Martin Engineering global market development manager Mark Stern.
“So we create a specific inspection plan based on the design, capacity, throughput requirements and the desired level of fugitive material abatement.”
While it’s common for conveyor owners to perform services on their systems when a component fails, it can be less expensive in the long run to include continuous maintenance into a plant’s operational plan.
However, ME says: “Conducting conveyor inspections and maintenance can create significant risks to employees, as these activities bring workers into close proximity with the conveyor system under potentially dangerous conditions.
“Staff members are exposed to moving belts, rolling components and pinch points, all in an environment that is commonly dirty, distracting and noisy.”
Outsourcing those functions to trained professionals can minimise the onsite risk.
An advantage of the Walk the Belt program is that it relieves plant personnel from a duty for which they may not be well-trained, allowing them to remain focused on core business activities.
Maintenance and repair tasks can also be included in the program and performed routinely, or scheduled upon request.
