Industry
Ports and Terminals
Application
Coal Reclaimer Conveyor
Product
Flexco Polyurethane Skirting
Objective
Reduce spillage
Decrease wear rate of skirting
Contain product
Eliminate product build up on conveyor structure
Eliminate idler failure
Conveyor Details
1800mm wide belt running at 6m/sec
Problem:
The coal port’s existing skirting was failing to keep up with the speed of the belts and tonnages conveyed. The skirting was prone to rips and tears because of the poor quality of the polyurethane. After only a few weeks, the skirting began to wear extremely thin, eventually causing it to deflect from a 90° angle as shown below. Because of the defectiveness of the skirting, the site also had product build up on the idler frames, stringers, and conveyor pathway.
Existing Skirting
Solution:
The port agreed to an 8-week trial of Flexco polyurethane skirting and recorded results for a period of 24 weeks. The initial goal was to ensure the skirting could outlast the previous product installed by a leading competitor. The current skirting would last no more than 8 weeks before beginning to tear and become ineffective.
Flexco Polyurethane Skirting on Week 1 of trial
Result:
At the end of the initial trial period, the skirting showed no signs of wear – apart from the fading of the bright purple colour. The site decided to challenge the product, pushing the trial period out to 24 weeks. At the end of this period, the skirting still showed no signs of ripping, tearing, or deterioration. The skirting was also able to deliver on the initial goals set by site – all spillage was contained and the idler frames, stringers, and pathway were clear of build-up. This allowed the site to save money from not only having to replace the skirting far less often, but also on the labour needed to constantly clean around the conveyor to ensure the safety of all staff. The site also experienced less idler failures due to the lack of build-up.
Flexco Skirting after 24 weeks of service