US bulk materials handling equipment com- pany Martin Engineering reports that its new high-speed impact cradle has been designed to reduce roller and frame damage caused by heavy conveyor loading conditions in mining, coal handling, aggregates and other applications involving dense materials and/or high volumes.
The rugged EVO High Speed Impact Cradle is engineered to withstand brutal operating conditions, reducing roller failures and service requirements. “One of our customers estimated that the new cradle paid for itself in the first week of service at its copper handling facility, owing to the savings in maintenance and downtime,” the company states.
“Under high-volume conditions, standard impact idlers in the load zone cannot withstand heavy loads and lengthy drops, costing downtime for repairs as well as the expense of replacement components,” says Martin Engineering service technician Doug Brown.
The new cradles use Martin Engineering’s Trac-mount technology to slide in and out, easily, for maintenance. The modular components are light enough to be removed by one person by hand, without using a crane or other heavy equipment to handle them. “The biggest problem solved is the downtime,” says Brown.
Martin Engineering notes that in the past, when customers needed to change rollers or frames, they had to shut down the conveyor for an extended amount of time. “Old-style frames can be difficult to remove, requiring maintenance personnel to pull the frame arms down, then jack up the assembly to pull the roller out,” says Brown.
“We wanted something that was slide-in, slide-out,” says Martin Engineering global product manager Chris Schmelzer.
The new cradles were designed using finite element analysis so that the company could confirm that they would be strong enough without having to overbuild them.
The load zone design uses an elastomer bar suspension system, which absorbs and distributes the material load being transferred, greatly reducing the stress on the idlers’ rolling components and support structure.
One patent-pending design innovation is the use of connecting brackets near the top of the idler frame to hold the three rollers together. These special brackets are designed to allow multiple modular cradles to be tied together, enabling the idlers, throughout the entire load zone, to work together as a system.
“This cradle is simple to install, and has easy access to the centre roller,” says Brown, adding that in addition to greater durability, it is intentionally designed to facilitate service, making the task of changing rollers safer and easier.
Founded in 1944, Martin Engineering is a world leader in making bulk materials handling cleaner, safer and more productive. The company supplies flow aids and conveyor products around the world for a variety of bulk material applications, including coal, cement/clinker, rock/aggregate, biomass, grain, pharmaceuticals, food and other materials.
The company is headquartered in the village of Neponset, Illinois, in the US, and offers manufacturing, sales and service from factory-owned business units in Brazil, China, France, Germany, Indonesia, Mexico, South Africa, Turkey, India and the UK, and is under exclusive licence with conveyor sealing and cleaning equipment installing and services company ESS Australia.