Innovative conveyor technologies showcased at 2017 SME Conference
A global leader in bulk material handling technologies will be exhibiting a broad range of innovative products and services for safer and more productive conveyor operation at the 2017 SME Annual Conference & Expo, to be held February 19-22 at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver. Booth #2104 will feature new and improved component designs from Martin Engineering for conveyor belt cleaning, safety guarding and power generation. Experts will also be on hand from the company’s Engineered Projects Sales & Support Group (EPSS), which assists engineers and procurement professionals during the design, bid and procurement phases of new construction and/or upgrade projects.
“We’ve worked with customers on capital projects spread across the globe in a wide range of industries for more than 70 years, and our expertise in conveyor systems and material flow is truly unique,” said Business Development Manager Tim O’Harran, Sr. “The purpose of the EPSS Group is to provide design consultation, sharing our extensive system-level knowledge and experience, and recommending the optimum conveying and material flow technologies.”
A highlight of the company’s booth will be the industry’s first-ever reference book dedicated to reducing conveyor risk and injuries. Foundations™ for Conveyor Safety is the collaboration of experts with vast experience in bulk material handling from around the world, written and published with the simple mission of improving conveyor safety.
Designed to educate readers by identifying hazards, danger zones and unsafe work practices around conveyors, the volume helps raise awareness and provide guidance to management, operators and maintenance personnel. The content delivers a detailed overview of hardware solutions, global best practices, risk assessment and safer conveyor construction, with a summary discussion of the return on safety investment and how to measure the payback.
Among the featured components at the expo will be the Martin® Roll Gen™ System, a patent-pending design to create a self-contained mini power station that allows operators to run a wide variety of electrical systems, including monitoring devices, safety mechanisms and pneumatic belt cleaner tensioners. The Roll Gen System can also be used to power tracking devices, industrial lighting and solenoids for air cannons or dust control in areas without convenient access to an electrical source. Suitable for retrofitting on existing idler support structures, the device is considered a first step toward eliminating power production obstacles, as conveyors move into the next generation of “smart systems” that are predicted to be more sustainable and autonomous.
New belt cleaners will also be on display, including the company’s patented CleanScrape® design. The unique system has been recognized by the Australian Bulk Handling Award in the "Innovative Technology" category for its engineering and benefits, which include low belt wear, extended service life, reduced maintenance and low cost of ownership.
As part of the booth’s focus on conveyor safety, the Martin® Return Roller Guard is engineered to prevent a worker from being drawn into a return roller, an economical way to improve safety awareness and reduce worker injuries. The guards are designed to be installed on return rollers that are less than 7 feet high or within reach of workers. For return rollers that are higher than 7 feet and out of reach of workers, Martin® Return Roller Baskets can be used. The combina¬tion of guards and baskets provides a systematic approach to conveyor guarding that is easy to use and safety compliant.
The 2017 SME Annual Conference & Expo and CMA 119th National Western Mining Conference provides a forum for more than 6,500 industry professionals from across the world to share innovative ideas, best practices and cutting-edge research in more than 120 sessions, along with an expansive marketplace of more than 650 exhibiting companies.
“This is the one event where successful leaders from around the world share their vision, expertise and experience,” said an SME spokesperson. “Attendees will learn from the mining professionals who have been able to quickly and efficiently deploy resources when and where they are needed, growing shareholder value and securing profits.”