The South African subsidiary of US engineering giant Martin Engineering is hoping to make an impact on the local mining industry with its two newly launched materials handling products.

Martin Engineering South Africa MD Hannes Kotze reports that the first such product is the company’s range of belt cleaners.

“Although the product is not new to the industry, the company has carried out extensive research and development to improve its belt-cleaner offering to the industry. “This was done on mines in the copper-intensive South American mining industry,” says Kotze.

A new addition to the product is the tungsten blade embedded in a polytetrafluoroethylene exterior shell.

“In the past, the company would install belt cleaners on the mines and be called back within three weeks to replace the blades. “This was because the high acid content of the ore on some mines is extremely corrosive and was eating the blades away after only a few uses. “Martin Engineering has tested its new range of belt cleaners in high acidic conditions and is satisfied that it has found a blade that will not be corroded by acid,” says Kotze.

The new design also incorporates a linchpin, which makes installation quicker and less labour intensive. With the previous model, it would take a technician 15 minutes to disassemble a row of belt cleaners and a further 15 minutes to reassemble the new ones. Under testing conditions, Martin Engineering reports, it took a factory shop worker, who had no previous work experience with belt cleaners, 20 seconds to disassemble a row of belt cleaners.

“These two factors provide mines with a significant cost saving option, which the company is confident will garner significant interest,” says Kotze.

The second new product that the company plans to introduce to the local industry is its new range of air cannons.

Martin Engineering South Africa reports that, under testing conditions, the new air cannon can release 1 500 lb of pressure in 0,02 seconds, enough to move a sinter block, which is commonly used in the construction industry, with a single short blast.

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