Coal Age

MAR 2017

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38 www.coalage.com March 2017 conveyor technology continued "One of the most common problems we see in the field is primary cleaners installed in the wrong position," said Se- nior Product Specialist Dave Mueller. "This cleaner was engineered for easy, ac- curate installation." This product announcement comes on the heels of Martin Engineering's intro- duction of the company's "Forever Guar- antee," which ensures lifetime no-cost re- placement of tensioners and mainframes for any belt cleaner assemblies that are exclusively fitted with the company's re- placement blades. The Martin QB1 Cleaner HD is engi- neered to represent the next generation of belt cleaning technology, delivering the cleanest belt and longest blade life — at the lowest cost. It can be retrofitted onto any existing Martin Engineering tensioners, as well as most competitive systems. In addition to its cost advantages, the QB1 HD design features a square main- frame positioned to shed dust and spill- age. The urethane blade formulation can accommodate belt speeds of up to 900 feet per minute (fpm) and service temperatures of -40° to 160°F. The QB1 HD is available in lengths of 18 to 96 inches (and can also be ordered in 10-ft sections, allowing distributors or customers to cut to length for increased versatility. The new design is one of the many belt cleaners covered by the compa- ny's new Mr. Blade program, under which Martin Engineering's mobile technicians provide fresh, factory-direct replacement blades, delivered and custom-fitted on-site — installed free of charge. Expanded Training Program Based on the company's highly success- ful conveyor training series that has been educating operations, maintenance and management personnel for more than 20 years, the new FOUNDATIONS Plus sem- inar begins with the complete Operations and Maintenance Seminar on day one. Content is focused on practical solutions to the problems commonly experienced with controlling dust, spillage and carryback. The new module adds a full day to the program and includes a complete walking inspection, action plan and proposal for upgrades. "FOUNDATIONS Plus takes the Operations and Maintenance module to the next step," said Training Manager Jerad Heitzler. "It's been developed for plant and mine managers who not only want a highly skilled conveyor workforce, but also want to maximize the benefits of improved sys- tem performance." The new class offering also includes multiple copies of FOUNDATIONS for Con- veyor Safety, the newly published reference volume from Martin Engineering that offers wide-ranging collection of information as- sembled specifically to help conveyor sys- tem operators achieve safer production. To assess the true value of system upgrades, the book includes ground-breaking methodolo- gy for calculating the payback from safety in- vestments, sometimes referred to as ROCST for Return On Conveyor Safety. It's believed to be the world's first aggregation of global best practices dedicated to reducing convey- or risk and injuries. "The book is really a global roundup of best practices to keep safe those who must work on or around belt conveyors," observed lead author Todd Swinderman. "Part of that is recognizing the hazards, hardware systems and work practices that will improve safety. But it also includes content on how to design conveyors to be safer, and how to justify the expenses for those improved systems." The company's original FOUNDA- TIONS Training Program includes cus- tomizable seminars on the design and development of more productive belt con- veyors, as well as an advanced module for managers, engineers, and health, safety and environmental personnel. Training is available to suit individuals with varied levels of experience and responsibility, from new hire to senior engineer. The ses- sions are designed as a primary education on conveyor operations, risks and perfor- mance, helping attendees enhance capaci- ty and reduce downtime. Together, the reference book and train- ing modules serve as components of a powerful educational tool. "We believe that industry education is critical to continued advancements in safety and productivity, and it's more true now than ever," Heitzler said. "As experienced employees across a wide range of industries are retiring, it cre- ates an acute need to pass on knowledge to a new generation of workers." Foundations for Conveyor Safety is a global roundup of best pratices. The QB1 Cleaner HD has an alignment system for precise installation.

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