MATERIALS HANDLING
Keeping on top of maintenance at an ageing plant can be a never-ending challenge
eeping conveyor belts running at their best is critical to safe, efficient production – something that’s long been recognised by Singleton Birch at its flagship UK lime works, where almost 100 belts move more than 1.3 million metric tonnes of lime products each year. Feeding all of the site’s industrial
K
processes at more than 100 tonnes per hour for 12 hours a day, seven days a week, is a six-conveyor system stretching almost 1.2 miles from the primary crusher at the chalk quarry through to the start of the manufacturing process.
Chalk is notoriously dusty when it’s
dry, and when there’s moisture present the fines are sticky, eventually becoming slurry when things get too wet. Tat’s one reason why the feed conveyors at Singleton Birch are among the most demanding when it comes to maintenance. Exposed to everything the British
weather can throw at them, material carryback and spillage had historically resulted in slippage on drive pulleys and build-up around return rollers. Tat led to belt mistracking and damage, extra wear on motors and bearings, and even structural issues – a sure-fire route to unscheduled downtime.
REMOTE REVOLUTION
Bringing a major industrial plant into the 21st century may seem like a daunting challenge. Yet one team has found that early adoption of new technologies can be a fast-track to efficiency, explains Dave Harasym
However, for several years Singleton
Birch has been on a mission to upgrade the plant using a variety of digital technologies – part of the much-touted fourth industrial revolution, ‘Industry 4.0’. Initially brought on board to train
employees on maintaining clean, safe, productive belt conveyors, Martin Engineering has been supporting Singleton Birch to address carryback, spillage and dust issues at the most troublesome transfer points. Today many of the biggest problems have been resolved and the majority of the belts are fitted with Martin’s primary cleaners, with many also benefitting from tungsten carbide secondary cleaners.
“We couldn’t run without belt cleaners throughout our operation,” says Stuart Howden, Engineering Manager at Singleton Birch. “Tey’re our most important defence against carryback, spillage and material build- up, but they also need regular servicing and retensioning, and wear parts need replacing. Yet the design of many areas of the site doesn’t always allow for easy inspection or maintenance of belt cleaners.” Nonetheless, Martin’s belt cleaner
servicing plan Mr Blade – where a technician makes regular visits to inspect, service and replace belt cleaners – had been helping Singleton Birch to stay on top of belt cleaner performance. However, as more and more conveyors were fitted
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