The CleanScrape® primary cleaner takes up less room and requires less maintenance than standard cleaners.
SERVICING THE CONVEYOR CLEANING BLADE
all cleaner maintenance must be conducted following lockout, tagout, blockout, and test-out (LO/ TO/BO/TO) procedures. Reputable manufacturers design their cleaners and tension- ers to achieve optimal cleaning performance relative to blade wear. It may seem counterintuitive, but if the cleaner isn’t performing well, increasing cleaning pressure can actually exacerbate the prob- lem. Maintenance personnel must understand these phenomena and know how and when to adjust each style of cleaner, adjusting blade materials and cleaning pressures for different seasons or ROM (run of mine) conditions. One primary cleaner design called Cleanscrape® requires only initial tensioning and virtually no mainte- nance after installation. It features a matrix of tungsten carbide scrap- ers installed diagonally to create a 3-dimensional curve around the head pulley and typically provides up to four times the service life of urethane cleaners. Inspection and monitoring Monitoring systems can track component wear and notify the service technician and/or oper-
The need for conveyor belt cleaning is well established. Excessive fugitive material can reduce component and belt life by as much as 30%. A multiple belt cleaner system accounts for less than 5% of overall belt wear, providing a significant benefit. By Chris Schmelzer - Director of Conveyor
Products - Martin Engineering E ffective monitoring and maintenance are crucial to conveyor safety. The buildup of carryback from inadequate belt cleaning can elevate the likelihood of workers accidentally getting injured by a moving belt during cleaning. It may sound simple, but tuning a belt cleaning system to operate safely and effectively requires a significant amount of knowledge and skill. Some manufacturers offer factory-trained personnel and replacement parts to provide expert maintenance for optimal performance and longer compo- nent life.
Safe service Regardless of the application, experts recommend two or more cleaners per discharge (primary, secondary, tertiary). In addition to providing better cleaning with multiple cleaners, redundancy can extend the service window. However, the blade composition must match the needs of the application. A trained service technician understands the hazards associ- ated with maintaining belt cleaners. Maintenance includes tensioner adjustments, removing buildup on the blade, cleaning spillage under the system, and replacing the worn blade. With only a few exceptions,
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