Conveyor Belt Monitoring Model Attracts Significant Notice

By CART, Inc.

(Bluefield)—A demonstration model conveyor belt monitoring system developed by the Center for Applied Research & Technology (CART) at Bluefield State College and Fenner Dunlop (F-D) attracted significant interest during the recent MINExpo quadrennial exhibition in Las Vegas.

The Fenner Dunlop exhibit featured a conveyor belt model developed and built by a team of Bluefield State College students and CART research faculty, working for the Fenner Dunlop Research and Development team. Fenner Dunlop Conveyor Belting, the world’s largest manufacturer of conveyer belting for mining and industrial applications, has built a research center adjacent to the 680 acre Bluestone Technology Park in Tazewell County. This facility features a large scale 65-foot test conveyor system.

“The monitoring system applies sensor technologies that detect potential belt rips and tears and monitor its overall condition,” explained Bruce Mutter, CART President and the College’s Associate Dean for Applied Research, “and it can help to prevent significant operating losses.” These systems are based on the principle of magnetic flux leakage, and monitoring the belts’ magnetic signature yields information essential to determine when the belt’s strength and integrity are compromised.

“The automated monitoring system helps to optimize the efficiency of the process and can provide information that identifies when preventive maintenance needs to take place,” Mutter continued. The Fenner Dunlop facility’s test belt conveyor system is designed to replicate the system used at a longwall mine. “Our experiences with autonomous vehicle robotics has been very helpful as we apply the lessons learned to an industrial process, looking at current state-of-the-art measurement methods and considering refinements that measure belt wear and tear,” he added.

MINExpo 2008 is one of the world’s premier exhibitions of mining equipment, technology and services.

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