Martin Engineering
Improves Operational Efficiency and Safety
Conveyors have been intended to make production and bulk material handling faster and safer with less work since the day they had been designed. Modern operations can involve a number of conveyors that carry millions of tons of load for many kilometers in a labyrinth. Physical monitoring of such systems is essential, yet can be time-consuming. The need for further automation will naturally become a requirement as access to a running conveyor is restricted due to safety considerations.
Load sensors, automatic shut-off switches and fire detection systems were defined as automated monitoring systems in the last century. Still being in use, such systems are legacy systems that are triggered by indicators when a potential issue reaches to a critical stage, for instance, in case of belt slip or risk of fire. Although these can improve workplace safety and prevent major disasters, they cannot eliminate downtime periods or diagnose the problems.
Preventive and Predictive Maintenance
Modern remote monitoring systems provide real-time data required for preventive maintenance and predictive maintenance. Such data is beneficial for eliminating unexpected downtime in order to improve system efficiency and minimize the labor requirement. Monitoring systems are important elements for a more effective preventive maintenance and predictive maintenance.
Preventive maintenance is maintenance task performed regularly according to a schedule in order to minimize the likelihood of equipment failure and injuries at workplace. This includes cleaning of debris, replacement of dust filters and replacement of worn rollers. Predictive maintenance makes use of worn equipment that falls short of service life, abnormal changes in temperature, material build-up in passageways as data.
Preventive maintenance and predictive maintenance can fall behind the schedules frequently as a matter of busy work schedules or personnel issues. Bad weather or labor difficulties can disrupt even the most well-planned maintenance schedule. However, operators can ensure a sustainable workflow by making use of cutting edge technology solutions to improve production and workplace safety.
Safer Monitoring
All sensory aspects such as looking, listening, smelling and touching (vibration, shaking, etc.) are beneficial for the experienced operators in diagnosing the problems when they walk around a conveyor system and around a transfer point. Such control mechanism is a labor-intensive process and as well, there is always a possibility that being present around a moving system can lead to safety problems at workplace.
Aspects such as smell of rubber, presence of smoke, abnormal rattling noises, etc. makes the operator concerned. In such case the operator needs to carry out further inspection. Inspections that are needed to be carried out can cause accidental contact with the belt. Opening an inspection hatch can leave the inspector vulnerable to airborne debris. The list of potential hazards is very extensive.
Remote monitoring supports the smooth operation of schedules by providing data through logistics software or an online application which provides notification to the inspectors and executives regarding the potential problems that may occur. Predictive maintenance will become the standard approach with the help of remote monitoring through incorporation of preventive maintenance tasks into a program.
Heat sensors, dust sensors and load sensors can detect the problem indications within the system immediately even before the clues are revealed through senses. Automated monitoring is far more accurate and reliable than inspection carried out by a person. It enables detecting potential problem indications before they are revealed by humans. Indeed, the preventive factor is also in question. Sensors generate great amounts of data and provide information to operators to let them prevent major issues. Wearing parts such as belt scraper blades and aged rollers can suffer from jamming of the roller or kinking of the scraper blade. This can lead to belt damage, belt slippage or fires. Wearing parts such as belt scraper blades and aged rollers can be replaced before occurrence of any of these problems.
Increasing Productivity
Any operator shall consider safety as paramount. Investing in the monitoring technology will also have a positive impact on production and efficiency. The most common conveyor-specific monitoring devices feature cameras that provide an overview of conditions. Operational sensors can also monitor conditions of the equipment and flow sensors provide substantial data on volume and efficiency.
Mobile tracking system of the belt scrapers are intuitive sensors that remotely monitor belt scraper position and remaining blade life in order to improve cleaning efficiency and minimize maintenance labor. Resorting to predictions for the timing of blade replacements is a guessing game that can lead to costly belt damages. These systems also help prevent failures by providing warning also when the blade is not in contact with the belt due to wear, overheating, dislocation or retraction.
Notifications are automatically provided via the Mobile Tracking System in the following cases:
- Blade replacement required
- Retensioning required
- Loss of contact between the scraper and the belt
- An abnormal situation has occurred
- Overheating detected
Load sensors monitor whether the belt carries a load and appro[1]ximately how much load is present. An unloaded belt is an indication of ongoing maintenance, unwanted production downtime or flow problems. They also in communication with automatic tensioner systems so that the unit can retract the blade off the belt in case of absence of load. Running the blade on an unloaded belt can reduce lifespan of the blade, cause degradation of the belt surface and generate potentially hazardous heat and static charge due to friction.
Flow indicators or “jammed duct detectors” can provide alert to the operators for maintenance need. They can automatically activate the flow devices such as vibrators or air cannons in order to dislocate the stuck material and maintain normal flow by using machine learning and logistics software. This avoids common but unsafe work practices such as battering the sides of chutes, poking the jamming from below using a tool, or getting inside the chamber for the removal of accumulated material.
Getting Beyond Remote Monitoring
Cutting edge technologies are now getting beyond monitoring tasks and evolving towards performing changes in the system without manual intervention such as an autonomous belt scraper tensioning system which continuously monitors and adjusts the appropriate scraper tension.
Applications that are specifically developed provide performance data and also status updates and alerts addressed to the operators according to specific data-driven criteria. Also, reviewing the capacity of sensors using remote monitoring equipment facilitates identification of other options that may become necessary for the prevention of problems.
Remote monitoring is not a new thing. But, it is in a process of constant change and innovation with the goal of improving efficiency and safety at work. Although manpower will always be needed to a certain extent, interaction with the system should be limited as necessary. Remote monitoring is the best solution for achieving this goal.