A
Screw Conveyor Corporation Product
Heavy Duty Industrial Conveyor Belt Cleaners
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Will the cleaning
segments (blades) wear my belts?
A: No! Polyurethane has a low coefficient of
friction. As a result, the segment
wears; not the belt.
Q: How effective is the
unit cleaning a wet surface?
A: The action of the cleaning segments
against the belt creates a "squeegee"
effect and will wipe the belt surface more effectively than a
scraper or brush.
Q: Will heat affect the
urethane cleaning segments?
A: High temperatures will affect urethane.
Generally, we do not recommend
using the segments in air temperature that exceeds the 250 degree
range.
Due to the high velocity of the segments, hot carryback will
cause very
little wear to the cleaning elements.
Q: Will cold affect the
urethane cleaning segments?
A: Our urethane cleaning segments perform
very well in sub- zero temperatures.
Some customers have used our cleaners to remove ice on their
belts, and
eliminated the cost of chemicals. In extremely cold climates,
special motors
may be required.
Q: How long does it take
to install a Cleaner?
A: A standard model will take 2 men two to
four hours.
Q: What kinds of aggregate
can be removed with this type of Cleaner?
A: Our industrial cleaners can be used on
belts carrying coal, coke breeze,
wood pulp, ore, taconite, glass cullet, oil shale, tar sand,
cement, limestone,
stone, products and fertilizer.
Q: Does the aggregate
stick to the cleaning segments and build up between the blades?
A: Unlike a brush, the spaces between the
blades do not clog, and unlike a scraper,
there is no "dam" effect and the material is not
smeared on the belt. Depending on
the type of aggregate, there may be some material which sticks to
the segments.
However, most of the aggregate is thrown 1 to 3 feet due to the
high rotation speed
of the cleaning segments. Depending on belt speed, our Cleaner
will clean the belt
surface 5 or 6 times on each pass compared to a one time wipe
with a stationary
scraper. At 1750 RPM and 12 Power Blades, the COMMAND Cleaner
wipes the
belt 21,000 times per minute.
Q: Will the belt splices
create a problem for the Cleaner?
A: Splices should be flat with a minimum, if
any, protrusion above the belt line.
The ideal splice is one that is vulcanized. Commercial mechanical
type splices
properly installed will not damage the cleaning segments. The
shaft on the
COMMAND Cleaner works on a pivot mechanism. When the segments hit
a
splice, they bounce out of the way. The spring feature then
returns the segment to
its original position. Mechanical splices not flush with the belt
could affect
segment wear.
Q: I have a dust problem.
Will the high speed of this unit create more of a problem?
A: Any facility with a dust problem should
utilize a dust collection system designed
for their specific needs. Our cleaners will not cure a dust
problem. However,
these cleaners will reduce the amount of dust because they will
do a better job
of cleaning the belt than a brush or scraper.
Q: Where is the Cleaner
mounted in relation to the head pulley?
A: The cleaners are normally mounted on the
return side of the belt behind the
head pulley and ahead of any idler or snubber pulley. If there
are space
limitations at the head pulley or other reasons to install the
Cleaner elsewhere,
the Cleaner will work equally well at that location. In most
applications the
cleaning segments turn in the opposite direction of the belt
travel.
Q: How big are the
cleaning segments?
A: The standard industrial size is 6 inches
long with a 7 inch diameter and weigh
approximately 3 1/2 pounds. Other sizes, durometers and material
compositions
are available if there are space limitations or less aggressive
cleaning
action is needed.
Q: What belt widths are
available?
A: Our standard units are 18" to
60" belt widths.
Q: What kind of motor is
used with the COMMAND cleaners?
A: The standard motor on the industrial
units will be a 5 HP TEFC 3 phase
230/460 volt 60HZ 1750 RPM. Some applications may require a lower
RPM
and HP rating. Direct drive motors require a heavy duty coupler.
The motor for
the cleaning system should be tied electrically into the conveyor
system so that the
Cleaner operates only when the belt is moving. The user customer
is responsible
for insuring that the proper listed motor is used in hazardous
locations.
Q: How heavy are the
units?
A: Without motors, the Cleaners have a
weight range of 225 to 425 pounds.
Q: What is the difference
between the industrial and food grade models?
A: The industrial models are constructed of
steel and the segments are made
of industrial grade urethane. The good grade models are
constructed
of stainless steel, weigh less, utilize less space and the
segments are made
of FDA approved urethane.
Q: Can the cleaners be
customized for special needs?
A: Custom designed units are available and
are priced on a time and material basis.
Q: How much space do the
units occupy?
A: Model HCM
Side Plate 20" x 22"
Motor Scoop 22"
Width - Belt Width Plus 12"
Q: What is the speed of
the cleaning segments versus the belt speed?
A: Excluding special circumstances, the
minimum speed of the cleaning segments
should be 3 to 5 times the belt speed. Industrial applications
normally run at
1750 RPM regardless of belt speed because most applications are
severe and hard
to clean. If required, motors with speed reducers or belts and
sheaves can be used.
Q: Do these cleaners
require a lot of maintenance?
A: In addition to the segment adjustment
noted, the two bearings should be greased
on a regular basis. If desired, automatic grease cups can be
installed. Otherwise,
the units require only minimum attention.
Q: How long will the
segments last before needing replacement?
A: The blade edge on our cleaning segments
is maintained for the life of the segments.
The life of the segment will vary from a few months to more than
a year. Factors
which affect replacement time are the abrasive qualities of the
material carried
on the belt, the tonnage moved per shift, the number of operating
shifts, inside
or outdoor installation, condition of the belt, and the type and
quality of the
belt splice. Excessive pressure of the cleaning segments against
the belt will
also shorten the life. Urethane has an exceptionally high
resistance to abrasion,
solvents, cuts and gouges.
Q: Is replacing the
cleaning segments difficult?
A: The cleaning segments are easily replaced
without removing the Cleaner.
Although the shaft can be removed from either side, it is
normally removed
from the non- drive side. Once the shaft is out, remove the
locking collar, and
cut or slide the segments off the shaft. The new segments are
easily mounted by
lubricating the shaft with WD-40 and sliding the segments on. If
you want to
reduce your downtime, keep an extra shaft with segments in your
storeroom.
Then replace the old shaft when time permits, and install new
segments on
the old shaft.
Q: How often must the
surface of the cleaning segments be adjusted against the belt?
A: The spring loaded pivot action of the
shaft maintains the proper alignment of the
cleaning segments against the belt. As the segment wears, a minor
adjustment will
be required to maintain the correct pressure against the belt.
The hours of operation
and the type of aggregate will determine the frequency of
adjustment. The adjustment
is a simple, quick procedure of turning 1 nut on each side of the
unit.
Q: Will the Cleaner solve
my tracking problem?
A: No. The Cleaner should always be mounted
square to the frame and parallel to
the belt surface to avoid compounding any tracking problem you
may have.
Installing segments using a herring bone design will sometimes
improve tracking.
THE REAL COST OF DIRTY BELTS
I. How many production hours are lost because the conveyor system is stopped while the idlers, head pulley, and work area are cleaned? What is the market value of this product? How much profit does it represent?
II. How many man hours of clean-up labor are used per shift, per week, per year, etc? What does labor, including payroll taxes & benefits, cost per hour? Can the man hours saved be put to use on other critical maintenance projects?
III. How much is spent each year on replacing idlers or splicing belts? If the belts were Cleaner, would the repair costs drop 10%, 20%? How many production hours would be saved?
IV. Does the plant have environmental or safety problems? Is the carryback contaminating the soil and eventually the water table? Does the carryback create dust and thus a health hazardous for the worker?
Copyright © 1998 Command Belt Cleaning Systems.
All rights reserved. Revised:
March 20, 2007.
