Cement manufacturer achieves significant savings with PTEZ Belt Trainer
Operators of belt conveyor systems can prevent material losses by correcting the belt tracking. Flexco offers a number of belt trainers for this purpose, one of which is the PTEZ. It detects belt misalignment and realigns the belt correctly, in this way also preventing damage to the belt edges. One cement manufacturer that opted for this system has not only cut back its material losses dramatically, it has also significantly reduced its costs for maintenance and spare parts.
Flexco is an internationally leading specialist for mechanical conveyor belt fastener systems, belt cleaners, belt trainers, impact beds and drum coatings. An application engineer at the company explains the situation: “Our customer, who operated a conveyor system for cement clinker, was constantly having problems with belt misalignment.” This was not only causing major losses of clinker, it was leading to premature wear. And that endangered the operation of the belt and the efficiency of the entire system. When material accumulates in the rollers of such systems, they jam, creating tension in the belt and at the fastening points. If the belt tears, the system comes to a stop. Production ceases until the conveyor is up and running again. That costs money, and the safety of the system cannot be guaranteed.
Expensive wear
The cement manufacturer’s service technicians had to perform frequent maintenance and repair the belts by means of vulcanization – usually after only four to six weeks. In vulcanization the ends of the belts first have to be prepared and afterwards the connection has to harden – a process that takes four to six hours. During this whole time the system cannot run. Another problem was that when the belt wandered it pressed against the supporting structure, which acted like a saw. Owing to this wear, the operator had to replace the belt every 14 to 16 months – an expensive matter.
The cement manufacturer tried out a number of belt trainers from different providers in order to reduce its costs. But none of the systems was able to correct the belt misalignment. Finally the company turned to Flexco. “We took a close look at the application and recommended our PTEZ series,” reports Flexco’s application engineer.
No more deviations
The PTEZ Belt Trainer is suitable for light to medium-duty applications and for reversible belts with widths of up to 1200 mm. The station is very quick and easy to install thanks to the simple design of its brackets and components. Operators can also use this system on belts with worn or damaged edges.
The PTEZ corrects belt misalignment on one or both sides. No sensor rollers are required as the tapered rollers initiate movement of the tracking system. The unit responds immediately to misalignment and corrects it. It also ensures that the belt does not touch the structure, thus reducing the risk of damage and significantly cutting maintenance costs.
A special feature of this solution is its pivot and tilt movement. Pivoting affects the direction while tilting increases the tension on the incorrectly guided side. These two forces therefore move the belt quickly back to the center. The belt trainer is suitable for belt speeds of up to five meters per second.
Big savings
“We installed the belt trainer on the clean side of the conveyer belt,” explains the technician. “And since the PTEZ is protected from dust, the pivot and tilt movement is very reliable. Fine material can’t get deposited in the guides and jam them.” Flexco’s solution reduced wear both at the edges and at the fastening points. “Our system has considerably extended the service life of the conveyor belt.” This has resulted in big savings for the operator. “Now that the belt can be used longer, we don’t have the expense of replacing it.” The belt trainer also reduces wear on other important components such as rollers and pulleys. This enhances the safety of the entire system and reduces maintenance expenditure.
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