The reliable operation of belt conveyors is a central component for the productivity of raw material mines. Even small deviations from the optimum alignment increase energy consumption and lead to severe belt misalignment with significant conveying losses. In addition, inaccurate alignment increases wear on the rollers. This in turn results in unplanned downtime and high spare parts costs.

With the Beltgenius Alex developed by Voith, mine operators can avoid such costs and production losses. The sensors are attached to both sides of the belt edges for measurement by a Voith service employee. The sensors measure the alignment of each individual idler. The Beltgenius Alex digitally records all data and stores it on the integrated SD card. The sensors detect which idlers and roller frames are affected and automatically analyze the cause of the problem. Every single roller frame is recorded.

Protocol with work instructions
The analysis data is listed in a protocol containing specific work instructions. These include information on which rollers are critical, in which direction and by what distance they need to be adjusted. The result of the alignment work is verified by means of a control measurement. The operator then receives the current values of the system with a direct comparison, including an evaluation of the potentially achievable improvements. Alex has been developed for all conveyor systems whose belts have a thickness of more than 30 millimetres.

The first practical test has already confirmed the high savings potential, according to the manufacturer. Thanks to the sensor-based, precise measurement campaign on the belt conveyor, there were significantly fewer unplanned downtimes. At the same time, energy consumption was reduced by more than ten percent. After optimizing the alignment, wear on the support rollers also decreased significantly, which in this case extended their service life by a fifth. as