Cove’s conveyor Idler Management Program at QME

The program, designed to reduce idler failures and unplanned conveyor stoppages and which is customised for each site, includes:

•    Thermographic inspections of all conveyors using a Flir infrared camera

•    Installation and management of software which records information from idler defect tags

•    Testing to identify idlers with high shell wear.

Cove says it developed the program after it discovered that many of the conveyor performance problems experienced by clients were directly related to idler failures and typically resulted in unplanned belt stoppages of one to two hours.

According to Cove’s Queensland sales manager, Craig Hodgson, failed idlers had also caused belt damage at some sites and represented a significant fire risk if bearings overheated.

“Apart from the regular deputies’ inspections, nobody was focussing on inspecting the conveyor idlers and very little was being done to record the idler failure modes and locations,” Hodgson said.

The program has been used at Anglo Coal’s Moranbah North and Grasstree mines as well as Vale’s Carborough Downs Mine.

“Since it was initiated, all sites have had a dramatic decrease in idler failures and unplanned conveyor stoppages,” Hodgson said.

Having detailed information available for the idler failure mode and locations also allowed for analysis and trending to be done for each conveyor, he said.

“This helps to identify potential problem areas and represents a more effective means of idler risk management.”

Additionally, the use of an infrared camera meant areas of heating, normally invisible to the naked eye, could be easily located, Hodgson said.
Contact: Craig Hodgson: craigh@coveng.com