Correct alignment of idlers to the belt is a prerequisite for trouble-free operation of troughed conveyor belts. Misalignment of the idlers can impair the performance of the system or even cause failure and damage to the belt and other components, resulting in increased operating costs and emissions. Currently, the idlers are inspected visually, which has some disadvantages.
Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg has developed an improved method for detecting and localising misalignments, which has the following advantages:
- Measurement method can replace trial and error.
- Possibility to analyse potential friction losses, resulting in advantages such as:
- Increasing the service life of the system
- Increase of the conveying capacity
- Reduction of the energy consumption
- Measuring method can also be used in the sale of maintenance contracts.
- The measuring system is suitable for all types of idler stations.
- In principle, all sensors can be used that are capable of measuring contact pressure to an idler (foil switch, foil potentiometers, strain gauges, pressure sensors such as a force sensing resistor (FSR)).
- Due to the mobility of the measuring system, it can be used flexibly if required and is not limited to one conveyor system.
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