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System monitors condition of conveyor belts in real time

09 June, 2021

ABB has launched a digital condition-monitoring technology for conveyor belts that allows users to track speed, misalignment, damage, thickness and wear, slippage and the temperature of their belts in real time. The ABB Ability condition-monitoring service, which is aimed mainly at installations at mines and processing plants, helps to anticipate maintenance, avoid unplanned downtime, and improve belt reliability and lifetime.

Damage to conveyor belts can cause significant losses in production time. In-person inspections are usually needed to determine the condition of the belts. The new service offers an overview of a belt’s condition by monitoring its health continuously, and generating warnings and alarms if it detects any deterioration. By moving from preventative to predictive maintenance, it allows operators to avoid the costly failures that can occur between physical inspections. It also allows personnel to be removed from dangerous areas.

The technology is based on a series of sensors installed at strategic points of the conveyor belt equipment. It is designed to withstand harsh environments.

The results of the analysis are shown on dashboards that display fault trends, event alarms, data logs and reports, for single or multiple conveyors. The KPIs (key performance indicators) can be customised, based on customer's needs. The data can be viewed remotely and warnings sent via text messages and emails.

“Real-time monitoring of the actual belt performance prompts the necessary corrective actions ahead of failure or further and more costly damage,” explains Eduardo Botelho, product manager with ABB’s global material-handling service. “With equipment condition continuously assessed, operators can plan necessary maintenance only when certain indicators give the signal that the equipment is deteriorating, and the probability of failure is increasing.

ABB’s condition monitoring system for conveyor belts displays key parameters and alarms on a dashboard

“It will consistently catch misalignment or speed issues online, long before failure, and pre-empt issues such as falling material, energy waste, excessive belt wear, rupture or fire,” he adds.

The system can operate independently or can be integrated into a control system. It is interoperable with existing maintenance tools and infrastructure.

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