A PATENTED Australian development in transom technology has given bulk handling industries a means to increase conveyor productivity for a low cost with minimal downtime.
The K-Idler Transom Adapter from Kinder & Co gives substantial increases to trough angles on most conveyors to allow greater product carriage at existing belt speeds.
And, because it requires only a hammer rather than a welder to affix each unit, conveyor operators can increase productivity almost instantly.
Efficiency gains are illustrated by the ship loading industry, which could be loading woodchip one day, mineral sands the next and grain the day after and it is cutting costs through the more reliable bulk handling power of a 45° trough angle.
"Many Australian plants were built closer to the 1960s than the present, hence they operate with old era technology with conveyor trough angles of around 20°, but this was standard at the time," managing director Neil Kinder said.
"Most, if not all, of these plants would like conveyor systems with a greater trough angle for greater spillage reduction and carriage capacity but have only had options to weld additions to existing transoms - or worse still, replace entire conveyors.
"We have come up with an adapter system that changes the trough angle to 45° with virtually no major downtime."
K-Idler Transom Adapter works using a special bracket (left and right handed) that fits any existing conveyor transom roller slots.
To gain secure and even attachment, only a hammer is needed rather than fasteners or welding.
The outcome sees the belt raised to 45° from the centre to each edge of the belt, with the roller idler also raised in unison to retain natural contact with the belt.