--- title: Spillage = Spooky Story description: This plant experienced a spooky situation as fugitive material was taking over their operation. See how they improved things! image: https://blog.martin-eng.com/hubfs/Halloween%20PSP%202022%20copy.jpg --- [![martin-sig-logo](https://blog.martin-eng.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Martin_Engineering_December2018/Image/martin-sig-logo.png?width=310&name=martin-sig-logo.png "martin-sig-logo")](https://blog.martin-eng.com/) ## visit us at [www.martin-eng.com](http://www.martin-eng.com) / [800-544-2947](tel:+8005442947) ## [< ![](https://blog.martin-eng.com/hs-fs/hubfs/ChelseaHeadshot.jpg?width=35&name=ChelseaHeadshot.jpg) By Chelsea Blake on Oct 28, 2022 12:22:16 PM If your conveyor belt spills material and your crew spends time cleaning up fugitive material, you have a *terrifying* situation on your hands. This operation was experiencing some of the same *spooky* issues. Keep reading to see how they improved their operation.  *Since Halloween is next week, I interrupt our normal blog-style posts to bring you this spooky story. Enjoy...or else! 👻* ### Problem  A large quarry in Michigan processes about 2,000 tons of limestone per day, producing high-calcium quicklime to serve the upper Midwestern states and Central Canada. The plant's incline belt was *dangerously* spilling product at the transfer point, particularly where the trough angle increased from 20° to 35°. Cleanup required approximately six *scary* hours of labor time per ton, at an estimated cost of more than a *terrifying* $200,000 annually when including labor and lost productivity. Lost material added another *spine-chilling* $50,000 to that figure. Further, personnel was *threatened* when *eerily* introduced to potential injury from working around the moving conveyor - a potential *villain*. [![Keep conveyor systems precisely aligned and in the load zone, resulting in better efficiency and preventing fugitive material](https://blog.martin-eng.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Spookyspillage.jpg?width=463&height=353&name=Spookyspillage.jpg)](https://www.martin-eng.com/content/product_category/469/conveyor-transfer-point-solutions) [![No TRICKS, Just TREATS! Visit Learning Center.](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/5156573/e594bff7-6aa2-4cfc-b37b-db11cba6428d.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/5156573/e594bff7-6aa2-4cfc-b37b-db11cba6428d)   ### Solution Martin Engineering technicians *bravely* evaluated the *treacherous *situation and determined that the belt lacked adequate support and effective sealing as it traveled a short distance through the 12-foot transfer point. The transition to 35° disrupted the load and created fugitive material. To address the issue, they removed the existing chute wall, skirting, and idlers, and lengthened the transfer point by four feet. The techs then installed three [![Martin Trac-Mount Idlers](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/5156573/9cade0ef-2131-409b-bd8e-a3841a6bded2.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/5156573/9cade0ef-2131-409b-bd8e-a3841a6bded2) as well as one [![Martin Impact Cradle](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/5156573/c934ff9b-ea1c-4118-98c5-05f2788e21ea.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/5156573/c934ff9b-ea1c-4118-98c5-05f2788e21ea), and two [![Martin Slider Cradles](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/5156573/63b796ba-71da-413a-b834-49a4d8234498.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/5156573/63b796ba-71da-413a-b834-49a4d8234498). These were followed by a modular chute wall assembly with a [![Tail Sealing Box](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/5156573/a24cd7e8-1706-4e64-9fbd-94b5ee89a7c7.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/5156573/a24cd7e8-1706-4e64-9fbd-94b5ee89a7c7), [![Wear Liner](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/5156573/daceaf23-3f01-45d4-94ac-525895dd2c03.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/5156573/daceaf23-3f01-45d4-94ac-525895dd2c03) , and [![Martin ApronSeal Skirting](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/5156573/6af37a82-1205-48a3-8667-3a7c06aa3dab.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/5156573/6af37a82-1205-48a3-8667-3a7c06aa3dab). [![Protect Belt Conveyor Equipment By Absorbing the Force of Falling Material at Transfer Points](https://blog.martin-eng.com/hs-fs/hubfs/spookystorybeltsupportsealing.jpg?width=468&height=345&name=spookystorybeltsupportsealing.jpg)](https://www.martin-eng.com/content/product_subcategory/475/conveyor-belt-support-products) ### Results Having proper belt support has greatly stabilized the load, and the new chute wall, wear liner, and apron seal are able to fully contain the material flow throughout the longer transfer point. The load is centered and transitions smoothly to the deep trough angle. Spillage has been *slashed*, improving the operation's cost-effectiveness and safety. Maintenance staff can now concentrate on other activities. "There's no more spillage to clean up at this transfer point," said a spokesperson. "We are planning on having Martin Engineering install a similar system on our west belt." [![A centered load will help the conveyor belt run straight,](https://blog.martin-eng.com/hs-fs/hubfs/spookycenteredload.jpg?width=471&height=342&name=spookycenteredload.jpg)](https://www.martin-eng.com/content/product_category/469/conveyor-transfer-point-solutions)If you see frightening warning signs, don't hesitate to take steps toward a  [CLEANER, SAFER, & MORE PRODUCTIVE](https://blog.martin-eng.com/cs/c/?cta_guid=ed986b4c-d268-416c-a3dd-ea27811fb7a9&signature=AAH58kEJiOAUxJvFq7aO9gZ0hfC09unIgQ&pageId=58474985542&placement_guid=3129bcaf-d7e9-4eb9-91fd-78d744c55b31&click=85813f43-7c6d-40ee-b34b-c5222a882a8c&hsutk=ddfbb8022f021a197744c84e1fdda628&canon=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.martin-eng.com%2Fconveyorbeltnightmare&utm_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.martin-eng.com%2Fauthor%2Fchelsea-blake%2Fpage%2F2&portal_id=5156573&redirect_url=APefjpG1zmHyaRia7kbh3AUbbqb3xvPiQ1aHQ9rpVO-lq9d3dkW7om8w5RUhDJZxB8IBCcuJ8fqYNqQXRfnvVTL3DSuuIcr_asp-RHmQGGZk0CPyYkm4wE99C5TnbwHrb4rXRYJLQ7KISE0cG42PnO80vKdiYVj2JtYlOA_avRRG3_XtT4bmXi0ALVT53YyHkvjnxogjGkMne8Q3FfwXPi4oev2Nx5nY1CcCWZ8xznPuBK8bHLcgShI-buMW1uPIJakh6k3tRdw5vUBlqNGzbO5mZzHPPZ9h6l36wpcKtIVeMt-Qwi0SXYUkL5idKMP4zbyHFQcPf-M_N7I3WRYpsoSUNzJLfF5jJ23swDOiblAuQdm_YG2ZHZnV8o7c9XxGmv26qD7twKg-2Uof6AoXMYb6nIA6CvehtF1aNYU0qOSWJOd2-YELHVbq-0NxM4hVWyY9eJe7mk06Kiu-weywJdPxayzixUd1p0_9WY_Z6RDj0WcU1V87Fgc&__hstc=38276860.ddfbb8022f021a197744c84e1fdda628.1665686438406.1666896558071.1666964392873.21&__hssc=38276860.4.1666964392873&__hsfp=2478973190&contentType=blog-post) operation.  Share this with a friend: [![Share on Facebook](https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/522195/SphereOne/SVGLogoNew/icon-fb.svg)](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.martin-eng.com%2Fspillage-spooky-story%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dfacebook) [![Share on LinkedIn](https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/522195/SphereOne/SVGLogoNew/icon-linkedin.svg)](http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.martin-eng.com%2Fspillage-spooky-story%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dlinkedin) [![Share on Twitter](https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/522195/SphereOne/SVGLogoNew/icon-twitter.svg)](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.martin-eng.com%2Fspillage-spooky-story%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&url=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.martin-eng.com%2Fspillage-spooky-story%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&source=tweetbutton&text=Spillage%20%3D%20Spooky%20Story) [![Share on Pinterest](https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/522195/SphereOne/SVGLogoNew/icon-pinterest.svg)](http://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fblog.martin-eng.com%2Fspillage-spooky-story%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dpinterest&media=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn2.hubspot.net%2Fhubfs%2F522195%2FSphereOne%2FSVGLogoNew%2Ficon-pinterest.svg) [![Share on Email](https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/522195/SphereOne/SVGLogoNew/icon-mail.svg)](mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fblog.martin-eng.com%2Fspillage-spooky-story%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail%20&body=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fblog.martin-eng.com%2Fspillage-spooky-story%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail) ##### comments 0 ## BLOG CATEGORIES --- - [Air Cannons (38)](https://blog.martin-eng.com/tag/air-cannons) - [Conveyor Products (141)](https://blog.martin-eng.com/tag/conveyor-products) - [Dust Control (32)](https://blog.martin-eng.com/tag/dust-control) - [Railcar Unloading (17)](https://blog.martin-eng.com/tag/railcar-unloading) - [Safety (78)](https://blog.martin-eng.com/tag/safety) **[All](https://blog.martin-eng.com/)**