Problem
A supplier of high-quality frac sand in Texas struggles to hire and retain good employees, which sometimes means the production crews have to operate short-handed. This forces some sacrifices, and belt cleaner maintenance tends to take a back seat to servicing gear boxes, drives, and other critical assemblies. As a result, the conveyor belt cleaner blades were not being tensioned regularly or replaced as soon as the entire wear surface was consumed. Carryback and fugitive material were contributing to unnecessary abrasion of rollers and other moving parts. When the accumulation became severe enough, valuable manpower had to be committed to cleanup. Further, the spillage became lost cargo that was a drain on the company's profit.
Solution
Mr. Blade® technicians outfitted both production plants with N2® Position Indicators, which monitor the condition of 54 primary belt cleaners at each site. All units were installed free of charge, and Mr. Blade® now handles all monitoring and service, ensuring that the cleaners are properly tensioned and maintained for optimum performance and service life. As part of the Mr. Blade® agreement, Martin will also repair or replace mainframes and tensioners as needed, at no cost to the customer. Data can be reviewed remotely via cell phone by the Mr. Blade® technicians and plant management. There are no annual maintenance fees or add-on charges for access.
Results
The Mr. Blade® program has reduced the amount of time that plant personnel and Martin Service Technicians spend interacting with the conveyors, thereby reducing the possibility of injury. Before the N2® Position Indicators and access doors were installed, the technician would typically spend two full days at each plant, physically checking the condition of each cleaner and servicing them as needed. With the N2® Position Indicators in place, he already knows the condition of each cleaner via remote monitoring when he arrives, and he can now go directly to the ones needing attention. With cleanup time virtually eliminated, customer manpower can be directed elsewhere.