Bunting and Smiley Monroe collaborate to extend belt life of metal separators
The new ToughFlex Belt for Bunting’s ElectroMax Overband Magnet is more resistant to excessive wear from sharp metal
Overband magnets are suspended over conveyors to separate disruptive tramp ferrous metal, they are available as permanent and electromagnetic designs. Overband Magnets have a permanent or electromagnetic block mounted between two pulleys over which continuously runs a cleaning belt. In operation, the Overband Magnet is suspended over a conveyor transporting material such as waste, both industrial and household, and quarried rock.
Recyclers using Bunting's ultra-strong but lightweight ElectroMax Overband Magnet are achieving high levels of metal separation, but they have reported that this has also resulted in a higher rate of belt wear. The separated metal is often angular with sharp edges, which can damage the rubber cleaning belt. In certain applications, such as when handling industrial and commercial waste, there is a high content of metal in a form that commonly causes belt damage.
While assessing methods to extend belt life in difficult applications, Bunting approached Smiley Monroe, a leading producer of endless conveyor belts, cut rubber, and plastic parts for the materials processing equipment manufacturing sector. Smiley Monroe routinely tests the abrasion resistance, tensile strength, and adhesion levels of both the cover rubber and fabric plies of Bunting's raw materials and finished products in their well-equipped labs, to ensure conformity to DIN, ISO, and company standards.
A belt with better wear characteristics
"We are continually looking to make improvements that help our customers," says Adrian Coleman, Bunting's technical director. "An increasing number of our customers are turning to the ElectroMax Overband Magnet because of the increased magnetic power but compact design. However, for certain applications we identified a benefit of using a belt with better wear characteristics and contacted Smiley Monroe."
After considering several options, Smiley Monroe recommended the ‘ToughFlex Belt'. ToughFlex conveyor belts are designed to handle the toughest conveying applications, from bulk handling to mobile crushing. The belts are constructed with a special weave of two fabric plies and an additional binder warp. The plies are reinforced to resist puncturing and are protected with heavy duty, wear resistant top and bottom covers.
Once the belt material was selected, the engineering design teams of Bunting and Smiley Monroe worked together to modify the belt for use on an Overband Magnet, adding integrally moulded cleats for the transfer of captured ferrous metal.
The belt material and design met the criteria for less damage from ferrous metal piercing and tearing the belt, even when extremely angular with multiple sharp edges. This meant less maintenance and extended production hours between replacing belts.
