Conveyors are valuable assets that operate in tough environments.
They operate at low speeds, contain rolling element bearings and gearboxes, and have the potential for failure that cannot be predicted by traditional vibration. As an arterial system in your process, your bulk conveyors are the lifeblood of mine productivity and any disruption in their service has the potential to bring your process rolling to a stop.
Mines with long, overland conveyors are especially susceptible to long periods of unplanned downtime when conveyor components fail. Determining failure mode can be time consuming and obtaining replacement parts can take days for miners in remote locations. Along with regular cleaning and inspections, your staff may perform periodic data collection on conveyor pulleys and gears. However, this practice of capturing data that may not expose emerging machinery faults frequently places staff in harm’s way.
