MATERIALS HANDLING
Are your skirts rubbing you the wrong way? By T
odd Swinderman
SKIRTING AROUND THE ISSUE
A
ny discussion around the best practices of “skirtboards as a system” must include elements of the entire loading zone as each
element impacts the eff ectiveness of the skirtboards to perform well as a system. T e term skirtboard is derived from the early practice of using wooden boards to confi ne the load on conveyors. Due to the punishing environment and modern production demands, a skirtboard sealing system today consists of equipment – some permanent, some wear parts –
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that work in tandem to seal the conveyor loading area from dust emissions and fugitive fi nes. T ese innovative designs are engineered to improve workplace safety, reduce labour for cleanup and ensure effi cient production.
DESIGN APPROACH Conveyor design is an iterative process where initial selections are made for the belt width and speed based on the desired capacity and the path of the conveyor. T e design approach depends upon the
purchasing philosophy, lowest purchase price versus lowest cost of operation. It is unusual to fi nd a conveyor
purchased on price alone meeting the specifi ed throughput. Almost every conveyor is “upgraded” at some point, so provisions for the eventual increase in throughput and to address potential operating issues such as dust and spillage should be built into the design. Note that, one of the most common design shortcomings is lack of access for cleaning and maintenance.
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