Conveyor Wear Liner Protects Chutes, Extends Skirt Life

Jun 20, 2023

Powder Bulk Solids Staff | Mar 16, 2023

The Manufactured Canoe Liner from Martin Engineering is made from durable urethane molded around a rugged steel plate to absorb impact and abrasion from the punishing bulk handling environment.

With the protective plate integrated directly into the urethane liner, the design shields the skirt sealing system and chute wall from heavy, fast-moving cargo. The result is extended equipment life, longer periods of dust and spillage control, improved safety, and less maintenance, reducing the overall cost of operation.

"This is a shift in the engineering and role of wear liners," said Dave Mueller, manager of conveyor products for Martin Engineering. "Like most conveyor components, the design has evolved into a component that is more effective, safer to maintain, and more reliable."

Previously, most wear liners were sheets of steel welded onto the internal chute wall of the conveyor loading zone. These protected the wall from the punishing effects of splashing, shifting, and abrasive material. But since they are wear parts, periodic replacement of these early designs involved enclosed chute entry and hot work using a blow torch, which required certification and supervision, while running the risk of igniting explosive dust. The steel plates generally did not effectively protect the rubber skirt seal, leading to more frequent skirt replacements. Moreover, the wear liner's position often left a gap between the liner and the skirting, which captured small lumps of material that could damage the belt. These design issues resulted in excessive downtime, premature equipment replacement and extra labor to monitor and maintain.

The Martin Manufactured Canoe Liner is an engineered urethane strip molded directly around a protective steel plate. The approach avoids the bonding issues common to previous designs, preventing urethane separation from the plate that could damage the belt and enclosure.

Each section has a series of 2-in.-long bracket holes for vertical adjustment. The bottom "belt side" of the liner is cut to an optional 20º, 35º, or 45º angle to maximize belt sealing and protect the softer material of the skirt seal from premature wear. Depending on the weight and abrasiveness of the conveyed material, customers can choose a urethane thickness of 1.3-2 in.

Delivered in storable cartridges 48 in. long, the units can be cut on site to match the needs of the chute. The cartridges can also be installed vertically on top of one another to accommodate taller chute walls or raised enclosures. Like the lower sections, the upper units can be adjusted as well.

As material gradually erodes the Manufactured Canoe Liner, the bottom trough angle continues to protect the skirting. If there are significant gaps between the belt and liner, each individual cartridge can be adjusted by a single technician using a socket wrench. Replacement is easy by simply removing the worn units, mounting each new cartridge, and cutting the end piece to fit. This reduces what used to be a one or two day job to one to two hours.

Martin Engineering, Neponset, IL 309-852-2384 www.martin-eng.com

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