BULK HANDLING TODAY June 2010 

 BULK HANDLING TODAY June 2010

 June 2010

Featured on the cover:

Roymec Materials Handling
Contents
Tel: (011) 804 5123
Cover Story Endorsing Bodies
Email:
5 Understanding is Key • CMA (Conveyor Manufacturers
rudip@roymec.co.za
Association)
Chutes and Liners
9 Dead Box Erosion • HCASA (Hydraulic Conveying
Association of SA)
Plant Hire • LEEASA (Lifting Equipment Engineering
11 Down to Earth Goodness Association of South Africa)
15 Reaching New Heights
• RFA (Road Freight Association)
Power Transmission • SAIMechE (SA Institution of Mechanical
19 To Vary Speed, or Not...? Engineering)
27 Fluid Power
• SAIMH (SA Institute of Materials Handling)
Haulage Technology
31 To a New Level
Copyright
All rights reserved. No editorial 33 Market Forum
matter published in “Bulk Han-
dling Today” may be reproduced
in any form or language without
written permission of the publish-
ers. While every effort is made
to ensure accurate reproduction,
the editor, authors, publishers
and their employees or agents
shall not be responsible or in
any way liable for any errors,
omissions or inaccuracies in the
publication, whether arising from
negligence or otherwise or for
any consequences arising there-
from. The inclusion or exclusion
of any product does not mean
that the publisher or editorial
board advocates or rejects its
use either generally or in any
particular field or fields.

The monthly circulation Proprietor and Publisher: Advertising Sales:

is 4 016 PROMECH PUBLISHING Surita Marx
Tel: (011) 781-1401 DTP: Zinobia Docrat and
Fax: (011) 781-1403 Sanette Lehanie
E-mail:
bulkhandling@promech.co.za Printed by:
Our e-mail address is
Website: www.promech.co.za Typo Colour Printing
bulkhandling@promech.co.za
Managing Editor: Tel: (011) 402-3468
Visit our website on www.promech.co.za Susan Custers
Joint Editor: Andrew Lanham

BULK HANDLING TODAY June 2010 

CONVEYOR MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION

From the Chairman’s Desk

This month it gives me great pleasure to tell you of the latest CMA highlight – the Annual Dinner. We
moved to a larger venue for this year’s event and were rewarded with a bumper turnout of 290 members
and their guests. All reports confirm that Abbott and Crabb were really appreciated without exception by
everyone. I’m sure many of us haven’t had such a great laugh in simply ages and it was just fantastic to
see all 290 people having such a good time! Thanks must also go to the Benoni Country Club, who made
a great effort to ensure that the evening was a success, as well as to all the member companies who sup-
ported the event.

W
ith a slight deviation from the pattern of Bell, Alan Exton
the last couple of years, it is again my and Max Schenck,
pleasure to announce that not one but who was succeeded
two award certificates were presented in 2003 by yours
at the Dinner. Highly deserving of the recognition truly!
that is recorded in the award certificate is Dave
Errata
Pitcher, whose lifelong dedication to promoting
An error in the
the excellence of belt conveying is widely known
worked example
in the industry. The second award, for assisting
at the end of the
in promoting the excellence of belt conveying, was
specification CMA
made to our long-serving Secretary, Chris Townsend.
MC01 Rev00 of
Well done to both
2004 “Clamps for
of you and may
Belt Conveyors”
we enjoy many
has been identi- Simon Curry
more years of your
fied. This has now
involvement in the
been corrected and Rev01 issued, which is avail-
belt conveying in-
able as a download from the CMA website www.
dustry.
cmasa.co.za. The error in the example was in the
Among the hon- incorrect calculation of force as 80% of the rated
oured guests at belt tension; the formulae in the specification itself
the Dinner, I was are correct.
very pleased to
And lastly, I would like to remind you that the IMHC
welcome an ex
committee has called for papers for Beltcon 16,
chairman of the
to be held on 3 and 4 August, 2011. If you are
CMA, Brian Bell
interested in presenting a paper, or would like a
and his wife Pat.
paper on a specific topic, please notify the IMHC
In fact, all past
Organising Secretary at ctr@beltcon.org.za.
Chairmen were
there going back Simon Curry
to 1993 with Brian CMA Chairman
Chris Townsend and Dave Pitcher

CMA Members List as at May 2010

All members subscribe to the CMA Code of Ethics Hosch - Fördertechnik Secrivest
ABB Industry Conveyor Watch M & J Engineering SENET
Afripp Projects CMG Electric Motors SA Martin Engineering SET Agencies
Actom CPI Technologies Melco Conveyor Equipment SEW Eurodrive
Atlanta Manufacturing CPM Engineering Moret Mining Shaft Engineering
Bateman Engineered Technologies CT Systems MS Conveyor Pulleys SA Shaw Almex Africa
Bauer a Division of Hudaco David Brown Gear Industries Nepean Conveyors Siemens Southern Africa
Transmission Delras Engineering OE Bearings SKF SA
BMG (Bearing Man Group) DRA Mineral Projects Osborn Engineered Products SA Technique Avant Garde
Bearings International Dunlop Belting Products Read Swatman & Voigt ThyssenKrupp Materials Handling
Belt Reco RSA Dymot Engineering Company Rema Tip Top SA Transmission Components
Bonfiglioli Power Transmissions ELB Engineering Services Renold Crofts Transvaal Rubber Company
Bosworth A Division of Hudaco Trading Facet Engineering Roymec Unitek Engineers
Brelko Conveyor Products Fenner Conveyor Belting SA RSV ENCO Consulting Veyance Technologies Africa
CKIT Conveyor Engineers Flexible Steel Lacing SA Sandvik Materials Handling SA Voith Turbo
Continental Crushing & Conveying Hansen Transmissions SA Schaeffler South Africa Zest Electric Motors

 BULK HANDLING TODAY June 2010

 COVER STORY

Understanding Is Key
First you understand the material fully, then
you design everything to facilitate flow. The
traditional approach of concentrating on
structural or mechanical design constraints,
has been turned on its head by Roymec. The
company holds by the maxim that flow comes
first. Understanding the nature and proper-
ties of the material being worked with is key.
Only then does Roymec proceed to an opti-
mised, flow-driven design.

R
udi Pieterse, Divisional Manager Marketing
& Proposals of Roymec, tells “Bulk Handling
Today” that having their own in-house plant
erection capability means that they not only
control all aspects of the design but the construction
as well. “In this way, we are ‘masters of our own
destiny’ and can ensure stringent quality criteria
and delivery deadlines are met at all points along
the value chain.”
Impressive array of engineering and
materials handling projects
Roymec’s national and international clients can
attest to an impressive array of engineering and
materials handling projects that have been success-
fully delivered to date. Rudi adds, “We have grown
significantly since Roymec’s inception in 1979.
Our core business is the delivery of innovative, op-
timised and reliable materials handling solutions to
the mining and industrial markets. We prefer to do
this on a lump sum turnkey basis as Every aspect
of project execution is performed and project-man-
aged in-house.

BULK HANDLING TODAY June 2010 

COVER STORY
Variety of disciplines
“Our nine professional engineers look after a variety
of disciplines, which enables us to take on sizable
and challenging materials handling projects. Adding
to Roymec’s already impressive reference list, is the
This conveyor is the longest single flight overland
conveyor in Africa
 BULK HANDLING TODAY June 2010
Zibulo Overland Conveyor that was commissioned
in November last year,” says Rudi proudly.
Coal from Anglo Coal’s Zibulo Colliery is processed
at the Phola Processing Plant, an Anglo Coal, BHP
Billiton joint venture operation. The colliery is
connected to the Processing Plant by means of an
1 750 tph overland conveyor. At Zibulo Colliery,
coal is brought to surface with incline conveyor
CV001 and discharged into a
6000t buffer silo. From the buffer
silo, coal is fed into a crushing and
screening circuit with a second
conveyor CV002.
Longest in Africa
The material is then accelerated
to a predetermined speed with
acceleration conveyor CV003
and transferred to the Zibulo
overland conveyor CV004. This
configuration allows the overland
conveyor to operate at optimal
efficiency in conveying coal to
the Phola processing plant almost
16kms away.
This conveyor is the longest single
flight overland conveyor in Africa.
It is one of the longest single
 COVER STORY

flight overland conveyors

in the world and features
three horizontal curves and
several convex and concave
vertical curves. The high
vertical lift (176m) of
CV001 combined with the
very long length of 15.9km
for CV004 necessitated
comprehensive static and
dynamic analysis of the
entire system. The suc-
cessful commissioning of
this landmark conveyor
followed the completion
of the materials handling
system at Phola, also ex-
ecuted by Roymec.
Customers come first
Rudi says, “So far, we have
met or exceeded customer
As they say, the best publicity undoubtedly is ‘word of
expectations which probably accounts for the fact
that we have a lot of repeat business from custom- mouth’
ers. As they say, the best publicity undoubtedly is Ahead of the pack
‘word of mouth’. “While building on and establishing our core busi-
This has led to Roymec establishing a new Material ness, we also have to keep reinventing ourselves
Handling Services Division. Rudi elaborates, “Here to remain one step ahead of the pack. That is why
we provide our customers with comprehensive we have adopted a new logo signifying a renewed
post-commissioning material handling services and focus on our core business, while simultaneously
product support such as the outsourced operation expanding into new and exciting areas of opportu-
and maintenance of materials handling systems. We nity, never forgetting to ensure that our customers
also offer materials handling with mobile plant with come first,” says Rudi in conclusion.
a specific focus on waste material such as discard Rudi Pieterse, Divisional Manager Marketing & Proposals,
and product stockpiles as well as the management Roymec Materials Handling. Tel (011) 804 5123, Cell: 082
and operation of tailings systems. 388 2843. Email: rudip@roymec.co.za

BULK HANDLING TODAY June 2010 

 RFA
Convention 2010
Shift into Overdrive
Sunday 22 August to Tuesday 24 August 2010
Wild Coast Sun

 WITHOUTJuneTRUCKS,
BULK HANDLING TODAY 2010
SOUTH AFRICA STOPS!
 CHUTES AND LINERS

Dead Box Erosion

Polyurethane sheets and liners offer an inventive solution to mining and industrial applications where abrasive
materials and volumes cause extensive wear and product loss, costing companies in both equipment
replacement and downtime.

U
retech managing director George
Hoffmann says, “Overall material
and maintenance costs have risen
due to resource increases and mon-
etary fluctuations. With polyurethane products
that are more economical than steel-based
lining solutions, our customers have seen the
benefit of implementing our products - not
only to ensure equipment longevity, but to
actually refurbish a piece of equipment in
the shortest possible time.”
In 2008, Uretech introduced dead box lin-

This enabled the liner to be installed in a chute

already in use

ers to the mining market, the first of their kind.

This enabled the liner to be installed in a chute
already in use. Until then, the only alternative was
replacing the entire application with a customised
steel structure.
Low downtime
George explains that the design of the dead box liner
allows for intense material-on-material wear, with
a compartment structure that causes the material
to flow in an application without wearing out the
liner - ideal for extremely heavy flow mining, such
as the iron ore industry.
“Being lightweight, our dead box liner is easy to
install, extremely cost effective, and allows for high
wear liners to be replaced with low downtime.”

BULK HANDLING TODAY June 2010 

CHUTES AND LINERS
The compartment
structure of the dead box
liner creates material on material
flow and; therefore, there is little or no
wear on the liner or the structure itself, making it
ideal for high volume areas.
As a sacrificial surface, dead box liners should be easily
removable
For the task
Adds George, “The patented fibre-reinforced back-
ing ensures that the liner is lighter than traditional
wear liners, while still being sturdy enough for the
task. Easy installation means less time taken for
the replacement, which translates to further cost
savings.”
10 BULK HANDLING TODAY June 2010
In tests conducted at various plants, many ap-
plications show polyurethanes outperform
rubber, plastics and even metals. “As a
sacrificial surface, dead box liners should
be easily removable, which is an area that
Uretech has focused on. We can remove
damaged liners and replace them with fully
customisable fibre-backed polyurethane liners
with little interruption to productivity.”
Valid solutions
Flexible and durable, polyurethane formulations
are possible in a wide range of resilience. For high
shock-absorbing uses, polyurethane can be made
with rebound values of 10% - 25%. For applications
requiring quick recovery, or where high-frequency
vibrations are a factor, they can be made with
rebound values from 40% - 70%.
Having built a reputation for providing cost-effective
and valid solutions across a variety of applications,
Uretech’s client base has grown to include many
of the large mines and industrial companies. By
continuing to seek innovative solutions for protec-
tion, abrasion and even corrosion of equipment, the
company is part of its client’s solutions in cutting
down on day-to-day costs.
George Hoffman, Uretech, Tel: (011) 268-8860, Fax: (011)
447-2212, Website: www.uretech.co.za

Down to Earth Goodness
To pin Richard Bila down for an interview proved to be very
challenging, but when “Bulk Handling Today” eventually meets
him we understand why. It’s because he’s not behind a desk in
his office talking to nosey journalists. In fact, we meet Richard
on site. He’s not bothered by the dust covering his shoes as he
gets behind the controls of a brand new excavator, the fourth
of a series of new excavators he’s just bought.
R
ichard is a director of a family business,
Bila Civil Contractors. His brother, wife and
sisters all actively participate in running the
various business units such as the plant
hire section under the wing of the main company
based at Ivory Park near Midrand.
Richard Bila of Bila Civil Contractors in one of his new excavators
Handling the machine swiftly and precisely, yet gently
and with great care
That he’s a down-to-earth man shows immediately
as he starts pointing out the features of the brand
new equipment they’re busy testing. “We’re also
checking out a new operator,” he says with a warm
smile. “You can see he’s a professional, handling
the machine swiftly and precisely, yet gently and
with great care.”
PLANT HIRE
Equipment
This turns out to be at the core of Bila’s success in
hiring out bulk earthmoving equipment over the last
six years. Certified professional operators deliver
the optimum, cost effective operational time on
a machine that’s being billed by the hour. “Four
new excavators add to our pool of front-end load-
ers, graders, TLBs and a fleet of trucks so that we
can offer the full complement of rental equipment
needed for bulk earth- moving,” Richard says. “Our
philosophy is to buy new equipment, so that we
never let the client down.
“Experience has taught us that you can’t wait
until the demand is high before investing in new
equipment. You have to have machines readily
available all the time because people don’t like
to wait around while you run around sourcing
equipment,’ he adds. “Having our workshop is
also a great help in ensuring that all equipment is
serviced and ready to go out at a moment’s notice.
The machinery goes out to all the other provinces,
which are some distance from us, so we have to
ensure that it arrives on site to start working im-
mediately without any hitches.”
BULK HANDLING TODAY June 2010 11
PLANT HIRE

The new addition to Bila’s pool of plant hire equipment

Construction
In addition to the equipment rental business, Bila
has the staff and infrastructure to handle construc-
tion work on a project basis. The company’s track
record shows work done for government departments
and private entities in all provinces in South Africa.
This includes work like embankment protection,
storm water management systems, road surfacing
and the building of schools, police stations, housing
and commercial properties.
“We even have a stockyard where we keep all
the basic building materials you might need for
construction projects,” Richard adds.
Rentals
For the convenience of clients, Bila offers two rates
for the hire of earthmoving machinery; a dry rate and
a wet rate. “The dry rate, which most people opt
for, does not include diesel and the client therefore
provide his own fuel while we provides fuel at a
flat rate when they hire at the wet rate charge,”
says Richard. “The wet rate is really for those with
a short-term requirement. It’s not unusual to hire
out a machine just for a couple of hours, so we
cater for these clients as well.”
Marginalised
The ideal for any company is the long-term rental
market and in this respect, Richard has some
machines working on the Medupi power station
project. “However, even though we continuously
tender for project work and we certainly have the
capability to do it well, we still feel we’re being
marginalised,” he says.

12 BULK HANDLING TODAY June 2010

 PLANT HIRE

The workshop
“Despite the fact that we’re an entirely black-owned ing companies, not only in plant hire, but also in where equipment
company with 30% of the shares owned by females, civil construction.” is serviced and
this does not seem to count in our favour when it checked before it
Richard Bila, Bila Civil Contractors, Tel: (011) 261-0241, goes out
comes to projects,” Richard adds. We regularly get Email: info@bila.co.za, Website: www.bila.co.za
promises, but it never materialises and I simply
don’t know why. Our prices
are competitive and we have
a good track record of not
just finishing all our work on
time, but often before time in
some cases.”
We still feel we’re
being marginalised

The future
But Richard’s spirit is not
dampened and entrepreneurial
flare is kept alight. “We’re
always at the ready to take
off at full speed, all we need
is a chance to prove that
we’re better than most,” he
says in conclusion, smiling
broadly. “So we’ll just keep on
tendering, and because we’re
a law-abiding company that
plays by the book in terms of
safety, financial management
and providing opportunities for
our people, we’re determined
to grow into one of the lead-
A TLB form Bila at work

BULK HANDLING TODAY June 2010 13

Tough demands have
met their match.

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JHWFRPSDFWGXUDEOHSRZHUZLWKRXWIRXQGDWLRQVRU
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FRPSOHWHVROXWLRQVIRUPRQLWRULQJDQGFRQWUROJLYH\RX
WRWDODVVXUDQFHHYHQLQWKHPRVWGHPDQGLQJDSSOLFDWLRQV
Let us know your demands.

Hägglunds Drives South Africa (Pty) Ltd

P.O.Box 2851, 1610 Edenvale, Johannesburg
Phone: + 27 (0)11 454 4933, Fax: +27 (0)11 454 5088
E-mail: info@za.hagglunds.com, www.hagglunds.com

Our drive is your performance.

14 BULK HANDLING TODAY June 2010
 PLANT HIRE

Reaching New Heights

Steinmüller Plant and Equipment Hire, a division of Steinmüller Engineering Services, has built up a pool of
plant hire equipment ranging from electric drills to some of the largest cranes available in South Africa. “Bulk
Handling Today” speaks to a representative of Steinmüller Plant Hire, Marcelino Da Costa, to hear more about
this highly competitive industry.

“
Steinmüller’s Plant Hire’s key differentia-
tors are a personal interface with experts,
customisation of solutions for client needs
through detailed studies, well trained crane
operators and its superior safety record. In addi-
tion, the company has a wide service offering of
equipment for hire, which spans 24 000 items,”
he says.
Marketing tool
The highly professional and personalised service,

Marcelino Da Costa, the representative of Steinmüller

Plant Hire

in conjunction with high quality and reliable equip-

ment sets Steinmüller’s Plant Hire apart from other
companies.
“I personally interface with our clients,” Marcelino
says. “The responsibility in terms of on-time deliv-
ery as well as the service and maintenance of our
equipment lies with me directly, 24/7.”

With clients often requesting an

operator by name

After 25 years in the business, Marcelino has

Considering that it takes about 30 trucks to move a large crane and all its
components to site, it’s crucial to pre-plan all possible operations
also learnt the merit of having good, reliable and
communicative equipment operators for complex
equipment such as cranes. “Our crane operators
are recognised as key to customer satisfaction
and retention, therefore we spend a lot of effort in
training them properly,” he says.
“This effort certainly pays off with clients often
requesting an operator by name, because the op-
erator understands what he does and works within
the set safety limits.”
The scope
The 24 000 items for hire from the Plant Hire
division comprise cranes, tractors, transformers,
generators, welding plant, compressors, winches,
trailers and hydraulic pumps and jacks, for use in the
construction and plant maintenance industries.

BULK HANDLING TODAY June 2010 15

PLANT HIRE

“Our crane and lifting

equipment ranges from
five tonne mobile hydraulic
cranes to 500 tonne cranes,
including lattice boom
cranes and all sizes of
mobile cranes in between,”
says Marcelino. “Today we
not only supply equipment
for mechanical construc-
tion and refurbishment to
projects in the power gen-
eration, petrochemical, and
mining industry, but also
to the general industrial
sector,” he adds.
How it works
“Our knowledge and ex-
tensive experience in the
erection of plant enables
us to carry out detailed
rigging studies to help the
client in choosing the right
equipment, but also to as-
sist in solving challenging
problems on site.”
You have to consider the width of the outriggers, how big the crane is, how stable the ground is and if
there are other structures in the vicinity which could interfere with crane movements A transaction starts off
with just a few simple
questions.
“In the case of cranes, for instance, we find out the
weight as well as the height and radius required,”
Marcelino explains.
“If it is a regular client, I sit down with them to
personally work out his or her needs. If it’s a new
client I prefer to go out to site because there are
many other factors to take into consideration.
“You have to consider the width of the outriggers,
how big the crane is, how stable the ground is and
if there are other structures in the vicinity which
could interfere with crane movements.”
Lifting
On his computer screen Marcelino demonstrates
exactly what he means. “In this case, for example,
a client wants to build an 8000 tonne bunker for
coal storage in an established bulk materials han-
dling operation,” he explains.
“I go out and study the ground conditions where
the crane will work, check all the existing structures
as well as the materials they want to lift. Then I
draw up a graphic for the specific crane that will
be able to handle everything they need to lift, to
build the bunker.
“And we don’t charge for site visits,” adds Mar-
celino.
He continues explaining: “In our experience it’s
not always a case of people underestimating the
size of the crane they need. I often find they can
comfortably do with a smaller crane than the

16 BULK HANDLING TODAY June 2010

 PLANT HIRE

one they originally asked

for. It’s not always about
money, ours is a scientific
approach to deliver a pro-
fessional service to ensure
the client always comes
back to us.”
Pre-plan
Considering that it takes
about 30 trucks to move
a large crane and all its
components to site, it’s cru-
cial to pre-plan all possible
operations that the crane
may be used for. “This is
particularly important in
the case of a static crane
or one mounted on tracks,”
adds Marcelino.
“We have a long term rig
on a site at Secunda right
now where we planned
around the full extent of
the project in anticipa- One of the cranes out the 24 000 items for hire from the Plant Hire division

tion of all future lifts that may

be required to get components
into position. In addition, we
constantly liaise with the client for
the most suitable times to carry
out maintenance and service on
the equipment.

Go to great lengths to keep our safety

record untarnished
Safety
“In conclusion, in plant hire,
safety is crucial,” says Marcelino.
“At Steinmüller we take safety
very seriously. Our record is a
great source of pride and we
go to great lengths to keep our
safety record untarnished. Lifting
is a dangerous activity, so our
operators will never take chances.
They’ve been trained to operate
within the specified limits and
if anything is outside the scope
of the equipment they operate,
they stop immediately and phone
me, so I can discuss the matter
with the client.”
Marcelino Da Costa, Steinmül-
ler Plant & Equipment Hire, Tel:
082 9044 568, Email: marcelino.
da.costa@steinmuller.co.za . Visit
www.steinmuller.co.za for more
information.

Cranes are crucial to plant construction

BULK HANDLING TODAY June 2010 17

18 BULK HANDLING TODAY June 2010
 POWER TRANSMISSION

To Vary Speed, or Not...?

For some time now variable speed has been the buzz word in the bulk conveying industry, but there seems to
be a degree of misinterpretation of the actual consequence of summarily varying the speed of the belt without
considering the system as a whole, especially when upgrading an existing system. Studies worldwide have
now revealed that the phenomenon of variable belt speed, haphazardly applied, results in excessive wear on
belts, gearboxes and bearings in conveyor systems.

Fig. 1: a) Constant filling level due to adapting belt

speed

Stephan Obser

“
Bulk Handling Today” speaks to Stephan
Obser, regional sales manager of Voith Turbo,
about his findings garnered from experience
in conveyor installations across the globe.
“There are many different drive solutions, but people
tend to forget what happens further down the line
when the speed of the belt constantly changes,” he
says. “A common mistake is that they only focus
on one section, varying the belt speed, while the
rest of the system simply isn’t designed for higher
speeds, resulting in increased wear and higher
Fig. 1: b) variable filling level due to constant belt
energy costs.” speed
Stephan compiled a paper from the studies he the belt circulation around the drums. It has been
conducted worldwide. In this paper he concludes; erroneously assumed that such a measure would
“The general statement that speed regulation increase the service life of the belt connections
on belt conveyors results in energy savings, has and hence the entire belt. Stephan’s paper shows
clearly been disproved,” he says. “Arguments in that this assumption is incorrect.
favour of varying speed in order to prevent wear
have been negated. Arguments in favour of wear Influence of speed adaptation on belt
prevention through variable speed have equally drive components
been negated.” Stephan’s paper focused on the individual com-
ponents of the belt conveyor and highlights their
General observations on speed adaptation relevance on the belt speed.
Adapting the belt speed serves the purpose of
ensuring that the average material filling level on Fig. 2 shows a simplified scheme of the belt con-
the belt is always at maximum capacity. veyor and its key components.
This measure is intended to reduce the frequency of The belt conveyor consists primarily of the two

BULK HANDLING TODAY June 2010 19

POWER TRANSMISSION
Fig. 2: Schematic drawing of belt conveyor
1. Material loading
2. Material drop
3. Head drum (drive drum)
4. Bend pulley/deflecting drum
5. End drum or guide drum (tensioning drum)
6. Loaded section of belt
7. Return section of belt
8. Support rolls for loaded section of belt
9. Support rolls for return section of belt
return drums (head and tail); long belt conveyors
have, of course, further drums. For reasons of
space, the drive is consequently not at the head of
the system, but installed further back with further
drums. In order to introduce higher torque, the
wrap-around angle of the belt around the drum
is increased.
The Eytelwein formula applies: , where
μ represents the adhesive value between belt and
drum, while α denotes the wrap-around angle.
20 BULK HANDLING TODAY June 2010
10. Feeding rolls
11. Inward bend
12. Outward bend
13. Chute
14. Belt cleaner (horizontal scraper)
15. Belt cleaner (v-scraper)
16. Drive unit
17. Tensioning weight
The belt is supported by rolls, arranged at regular
intervals across the entire length of the conveyor,
either as garlands or staggered.
Material loading / Material release
The design of the material release system depends
on several factors. First of all, there are the flow
characteristics of the material. Depending on the
flow characteristics, the release station is designed
either as a chute or a box, in order to prevent mate-
rial from sticking to the surface or piling up. At the
same time, the material should be released in the
direction of the follow-on belt, ideally at the same
 POWER TRANSMISSION

speed, in order to prevent the

material from slipping on the
belt and causing wear.
Special aspects, for example,
variable moisture levels of the
material must also be taken
into account. Again, these
must be considered in order
to ensure a material release
that is satisfactory in view of
the existing conditions.
Other aspects to be taken into
consideration are the specific
weight and the grain size of
the material, as well as the
distribution of grain sizes.
These characteristics de-
termine the ensuing release
parabola of the material:
light, fine-grain material will
end up more compact at the
release drum than coarse, Fig. 3: Load cycle diagram
heavy material. The loading
table must be designed accordingly. order to prevent the material from sticking or piling
up – a challenge for any design engineer.
It is therefore quite obvious that aspects like those
mentioned above have a significant influence on the Idlers / Pulleys
design of the release point. If the speed of the belt With conventional belt conveyor systems, idlers
conveyor is to be variable, the release point must and pulleys are unlikely to wear out at the mantle,
be adapted to these changing release parabolas, in as long as the system has been aligned properly.

Fig. 4: Comparison of specific energy requirements at variable belt speed vs variable filling level.

BULK HANDLING TODAY June 2010 21

POWER TRANSMISSION

In fact, the element limiting the service life of the stretched on its outer radius.
idlers are actually the bearings. The load changes also take the straightening of
the belt prior to release into account, as well as
the length of the straightening (ie, the distance
The bearing life is calculated as: with between a sagging and a re-straightened belt). Fig.
C: load rating, P: equivalent load (in radial and axial 3 shows such a load diagram; stress is projected
direction) and p = 3 for grooved ball bearings. above the load cycle.
With load collectives, the load equivalent arises The diagram shows that the load cycle, ie, the
from: number of cycles of a belt connection, rises with
decreasing load. It is noticeable that a load reduc-
tion of just 10% corresponds to almost a doubling
of the stress cycles. In other words: a reduction
of the load and/or the filling level leads to a
longer service life of the belt connections. These
This illustrates that the service life of the bear- findings suggest that speed adaptation would be
ings depends much more on the load (directly disadvantageous.
proportional) than on the speed (proportional to
the third root).
It is noticeable that a load reduction of just 10%
corresponds to almost a doubling of the stress cycles
The service life of the bearings is therefore nega-
tively affected if the average filling level on the
belt conveyor is kept high as a result of speed
adaptation.
Material
The revised German standard DIN 22 101 takes
the long-time rupture strength of the belt connec-
tion into account. The long-time rupture strength
represents the lifetime of the belt connection in
dependence on pulling forces and the varying levels
of load cycles. Load cycles are periods during which
the belt is subjected to high stresses. An example
is the moment when the belt runs around a drum,
as the belt is compressed directly at the drum and Fig. 5: Resistance coefficient

Fig. 6: Roll deformation resistance of various belt materials

22 BULK HANDLING TODAY June 2010

 POWER TRANSMISSION

definitely less favourable than varying the filing

Fig. 7: Forces between belt and support roll
level at nominal speed.
Fig. 5 (ContiTech “Conveyor Belt Calculations”)
confirms this trend. With decreasing material load,
the resistance coefficient drops and reaches its
minimum at 10% material load.
In this context it should also be considered how
energy can be saved generally at the belt conveyor.
Hintz at Hanover University, Germany, has carried
out a study at various belts. The most important
parameter is the roll deformation resistance, ie,
the flexing resistance that the belt has to overcome
at each support roll (Fig. 6).
Fig. 7 shows the forces at the belt in the sup-
port roll area. At point A in front of the support
roll, the belt is compressed, at point B the belt
is compressed and finally at point C it is back to
its normal elongation. UII is the roll deformation

Fig. 8: Percentage of individual resistances in the total resistance of a belt conveyor

U’: Idler resistance U’’G: Flexing resistance

U’’: Belt flexing resistances U’’L: Material flexing resistance
U’’E: Roll deformation resistance

Lauhoff, a publicly appointed sworn

expert has carried out some research
looking into the issue of energy sav-
ings as a result of speed control. The
specific energy, ie, the actual effort
per metre of belt length and weight,
allows a comparative statement.
The following two scenarios were
calculated:
1. Full filling level vs varying belt
speed,
2. Variable filling level vs constant
belt speed,
Fig. 4 shows specific outputs for
different belt speeds (blue) with dif-
ferent filling levels (red). The specific
energy requirement rises above the
efficiency of the rated speed only
for one speed. An adaptation of the
belt speed towards lower figures is

BULK HANDLING TODAY June 2010 23

POWER TRANSMISSION
Fig. 9: Vibration measurements in drives
resistance, ie, the effort to be made for the belt to
overcome the support roll.
According to Lauhoff, the roll deformation resistance
amounts to 61% of all resistances (see Fig. 8). This
statement is based on a horizontally running belt
conveyor without any additional lifting effort.
The roll deformation resistance depends largely on
the belt pre-tension and the material load on the
Fig. 10: Frequency analysis of a transmission of the 1000 kW class
24 BULK HANDLING TODAY June 2010
belt. The higher the belt pre-tension, the
lower the roll deformation resistance.
The higher the material load, the higher
the roll deformation resistance
The belt pre-tension can be influenced
only to a degree; on the one hand it is
undesirable to have a slacking belt, on
the other hand, tractive efforts should
be as low as possible. What can be
modified is the material load. Provided
the belt speed remains unchanged while
the material load (average filling level)
varies, the roll deformation resistance will
decrease in line with the lighter load.
According to Hintz it also appears advan-
tageous to use rubber mixtures that are
suitable for the ambient conditions and
the material to be transported, in order
to achieve genuine energy savings.
Transmissions
RWE Power AG in Germany reported
increasing numbers of transmission failures. B. van
den Heuvel (RWE Power) carried out an analysis
to find the cause of these breakdowns. At the end
of the analysis were recordings of vibrations in the
drive (Fig. 9).
It was established that transmission bearings and
transmission shafts have different natural frequen-
cies, which are not critical at short-time operation

(ie, during conventional start-up procedures), but
become highly critical and cause damage to the
transmissions during longer operation times (when
they reach critical bending frequencies).
This investigation has been theoretically backed up
with a frequency analysis (Fig. 10). It was found
that there are certain speed ranges where the belt
conveyor must not be operated, in order to prevent
damage to the transmissions. In Fig. 10, the affected
areas are shown in red. There is a narrow speed
window between 400 and 500 1/min, another
one between 650 and 900 1/min, as well as the
nominal speed of 1,200 1/min.
Yet it must be pointed out that the affected speed
ranges can be positively influenced by different
ratios, different materials and different material
strengths.
Control
It has been shown that, during highly fluctuating
loading and unloading situations, for example via
a bucket wheel excavator, a down control of the
belt speed is possible only to a certain degree, as
the fluctuations might result in material overflow
at the release points. It must also be borne in mind
that speed control with associated monitoring of
the filling level is highly labour-intensive. Increas-
ing or decreasing the belt speed does not result in
instant response, but requires a certain amount of
time. In view of the situation at the release point
outlined earlier, the control system must also be
POWER TRANSMISSION
able to adapt the transfer within this period, if
necessary.
Conclusion
The statement that speed regulation at belt con-
veyors would result in energy savings has been
clearly disproved. The advantages that result from
constant belt speeds and variable filling levels have
been examined.
Arguments in favour of variable speeds in order to
prevent wear have been negated
Arguments in favour of variable speeds in order
to prevent wear have been negated. Arguments in
favour of wear prevention through variable speeds
have equally been negated. Problems that might
occur as a result of belt speed control measures,
have also been mentioned.
The conclusion is that operators should try to
eliminate bottlenecks at the belt conveyor, so that it
can always be operated with full material load and
hence bring in maximum profit, instead of searching
for solutions aimed at reduced belt speeds.
Stephan Obser, Voith Turbo, Tel: +49 7951 32 1986 (Ger-
many), Email: stephan.obser@voith.com or Roy Webster at
Tel: (011) 418-4036, Email: roy.webster@voith.com
BULK HANDLING TODAY June 2010 25
26 BULK HANDLING TODAY June 2010
 POWER TRANSMISSION

Fluid
Power
A fundamental feature of a hydraulic
drive is the high torque that can be
obtained from a dimensionally small
unit when it drives heavy rotational
equipment at speeds below one
revolution per minute to above 320
revolutions per minute without the
need for mechanical gears. This
powerful mechanical force makes it
possible to optimise the design of
large heavy machinery.

Driving a bucket wheel excavator

O
ver the past 50 years, Hägglunds Drives
in Sweden has worked on the develop-
ment of hydraulic drive technology to
bring the world an alternative for high
torque applications, particularly the bulk handling
industry. “Bulk Handling Today” speaks to Michael
Gullick of Hägglunds Drives South Africa about this
technology now available in South Africa.

We now do it all in-house as a complete drive solution

“Today you’ll find our reliable drive systems in all
types of materials handling applications, includ-
ing conveyor drive and conveyor belt tensioning
systems,” he says. “We have recently developed
a new powerful motor range, the Compact CB, a
motor ideal for use on apron feeders and bucket
wheel reclaimers, for instance.”
New facility
The South African office has only been active for
four to five years and started off just doing sales,
but since 2008 the local company has grown in
leaps and bounds. “Because of the high demand,
we’ve just launched a new service facility which was
only planned for about five years’ hence,” Michael
says. “Where we previously sourced out the service
requirements for drives sold here, we now do it all
in-house as a complete drive solution.”
At the new facility, the company’s existing warehouse
has been upgraded from 300 m² to 675m² and
features a clean room, a ten tonne ton overhead
crane, spray booth and a showcase test unit. “This
new section is focused specifically on customer
service and after sales support with additional
Michael Gullick of Hägglunds Drives South Africa
stockholding capacity and improved efficiency on
repairs and projects,” Michael adds.
Same warranty
“We’re supporting our high quality product range
with a range of back up services to ensure that
our customers enjoy the best possible turnaround
times and quality of service. In addition, we now
offer full repair services on motors and pumps,
whereas we had a limited capacity before.”
Additional services include system diagnostic
checks, preventive maintenance, emergency re-
pairs, service contracts and agreements as well
as customer training. “The repairs we undertake
carry the same warranty as new equipment, and
the field service is available on-site and round the
clock,” Michael elaborates.
“The quality of our service is guaranteed through

BULK HANDLING TODAY June 2010 27

POWER TRANSMISSION
The hydraulic drive on conveyor application
The new service centre in South Africa
our innovative new equipment and professional
staff who have been trained by Hagglunds Drives
industry specific experts. Our global organisa-
tion has skilled and knowledgeable service staff
across the globe who have a solid understanding
of hydraulics and are often specialists in specific
applications.”
Reclaimers
On bucket wheel reclaimers, the Hägglunds hydraulic
direct drives offer many important features resulting
in vast improvements in performance, because the
28 BULK HANDLING TODAY June 2010
hydraulic motor is installed directly on
the wheel shaft and has built-in overload
protection, eliminating trip outs. This,
in case of a stalling, minimises valuable
production losses.
“The drives, having extremely low inertia
and weight, reduce the stresses on the
boom and slewing gear,” adds Michael.
“They also provide full torque throughout
the infinitely variable speed, thereby
optimising performance for different
materials and conditions.
Excavators and bucket feeders
High shock loads, vibration and dusty
environments are some of the conditions
a bucket wheel excavator drive has to
contend with. “Hydraulic drives are
ideal for this type of heavy-duty shock
load application,” says Michael. “The
motor can be mounted directly to the
bucket wheel shaft without the need for
a gearbox or any foundation.
To optimise the production rate on belt
feeders, the speed has to vary continu-
ously, which is a very demanding require-
ment for any drive system. “Without
effort or excessive strain, the speed on
a hydraulic drive can be altered as often
as required,” Michael explains.
Hydraulic drives are ideal for
this type of heavy-duty shock
load application
“The drive can even stop and start without
any limitations and under the roughest
conditions. Feeders are usually installed
in areas where space is limited, but
hydraulic motors in general, compared
with an electro-mechanical drive train,
are very small and require minimum
space at the drive pulley. Our Compact
series was developed specifically with
this in mind, bringing maximum power
but requiring minimum space.”
Apron Feeders
“These benefits also apply to apron feed-
ers where you need a robust drive with
variable speed that has to start up in
any load condition,” adds Michael. “Our
hydraulic motors have the ability to provide full
starting torque without time restrictions. Usually
electro-mechanical drives in this application have
to be over-specified to cope with the load, which
requires more electricity.”
Belt conveyors
Hägglunds also has conveyor belt tensioning
capabilities whereby a hydraulic winch assembly
is coupled to a closed circuit hydraulic system.
Michael elaborates, “In this way, a set pressure
 POWER TRANSMISSION

is maintained and, therefore, constant

belt tension without the need for load
cells, accumulators or limit switches,
while gearboxes are eliminated. The
result is a reliable, compact and fast
responding heavy duty winch assembly
with a low inertia.
The time to ramp up to full
speed can be set to whatever is
required
“In a belt conveyor drive configuration,
our hydraulic drives offer a high starting
torque which can be achieved without
any time restriction, which allows clients
to cater for unusual conveyor loading,”
adds Michael. “The time to ramp up
to full speed can be set to whatever is
required. Soft starts and stops reduce
the stresses in the belt to a minimum The test bay at the new service centre in South Africa
and the pressure control protects the
belt from any overloads. If you need to inspect the power, speed and torque are easily controlled,”
the belt, the drive can be set at very low speeds says Michael in conclusion. “The hydraulic closed
and inched forwards or backward to enable easy loop system provides a highly dynamic four-quad-
inspection.” rant drive with driving and braking in forward and
reverse. Most importantly, quick pump pressure
Less stress control minimises unwanted transients of stresses
In essence, a complete hydraulic drive systems has
and strains on the driven machinery.”
no need for reduction gearing at all because the
speed of the drive is directly related to the flow from Michael Gullick, Hägglunds Drives, Tel: (011) 454-4933,
the hydraulic pump in the system and therefore Email: michael.gullick@za.hagglunds.com

BULK HANDLING TODAY June 2010 29

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To a New Level
There has been a breakthrough in underground wheeled haul-
age technology with the development of the “next generation”
in shuttle car suspension—Joyride, the industry’s most ad-
vanced four-wheel independent suspension system.
“
We have taken shuttle car suspension technol-
ogy to the next level,” says Adam Peterson,
Group Leader Haulage Hydraulics of Joy’s
Haulage Engineering Department.
Taken up a notch
“Joy Mining Machinery has offered a four-wheel
independent suspension system as an optional
feature on shuttle cars for more than ten years,”
Adam adds. “What has taken this system up a
notch is the new Joyride strut incorporated into
the suspension system.”
Reduces forces on the suspension and offers the
best-in-class ride today
A standard Joy shuttle car without four-wheel
suspension uses a pivoting axle supporting the
machine’s discharge end wheels, and fixed axles on
the loading end. The optional four-wheel suspension
system, introduced a decade ago, is a passive strut
system incorporating internal elastomeric pucks
and spacer plates designed to last until the next
JOY 10SC32 shuttle car with the Joyride shuttle car suspension system
HAULAGE TECHNOLOGY
machine rebuild, then to be discarded.
Full year of testing
The new Joyride strut system, with its patented
technology significantly reduces forces on the
suspension and offers the best-in-class ride today.
“The strut is a product of one-and-a-half years of
design, component testing, and underground ma-
chine testing,” says Adam, “including a full year
of testing at Foundation Coal’s Emerald Mine in
Waynesburg, Pennsylvania, USA.
“The timing for the project was right,” he adds. “Our
customers had been asking if we could improve the
current strut system to facilitate rebuilding, and Joy’s
haulage engineering group was strategically driving
the need to optimise the design characteristics to
enable improved performance.
Can be retrofitted
“The new struts can be retrofitted to suspension
machines in the field today and a new chassis is
not required to do so,” Adam explains.
While productivity and performance were the main
focus of the new strut development, the goal was
to have the best-in-class ride and to “separate Joy
from the competition” by using technology that
would provide real value to the customer.
BULK HANDLING TODAY June 2010 31
 HAULAGE TECHNOLOGY

According to Adam, “Joyride’s added value includes

superior dampening characteristics that reduce forces
on the machine chassis resulting in increased opera-
tor comfort, reduced loss of material and less rutting
in roadways. This results in greater utilisation of Joy
Optidrive’s speed capabilities and allows increased
productivity and an improved bottom line, as has been
proven in cars already operating underground.
More trips per shift
“A good analogy would be if you were driving on a
bumpy road and the suspension system on your ve-
hicle performed well. The impact of the bumpy road
would be minimised and the speed of the vehicle
could be increased. With shuttle cars, that means
more trips per shift, which means more coal per day
at a reduced cost to the operator.”
The company first offered this suspension system
on its 10SC32B model, recently extending it world-
wide to most mid and high-seam models. In total,
the company offers eight different shuttle car model
variations ranging in capacity from 8 tons (7 tonnes)
to the industry’s only 33 ton (30 tonnes) machine.
The 21SC shuttle car series is designed for low coal
and the 10SC series for medium and high-seam.
Nothing comparable
While there are others who offer shuttle cars with
suspensions, Adam says none of them utilise any-
thing comparable to their patented strut design. “A
key goal in the development of the new strut was to
provide the best-in-class ride design,” he adds. “We
hit our desired target. Additionally, our customers also
have the capability to retrofit their existing suspen-
sion machines at rebuild and underground with our
suspension strut technology without having to make
chassis design changes.”
The first Joyride equipped shuttle car was shipped in
January 2009 to Consol Energy’s Enlow Fork Mine
in West Finley, Pennsylvania, USA.
“More than 30 shuttle cars with the Joyride strut have
been sold since its introduction,” Adam elaborates,
“and hundreds of these struts have been manufactured
to date, more than half of them being purchased for
retrofitting existing four-wheel suspension machines
in the field.
Many firsts
“We excel in both innovation, and the development
and implementation of new technology,” Adam says
proudly. “Take shuttle cars alone—of which there are
more than 2 500 operating worldwide, two-thirds
of them are Joy’s. We were the first to apply AC/DC
drives and the first AC Variable Frequency Drive (Op-
tidrive); the first to have remote control capabilities,
the first modulating valve braking system, the first
ergonomic form-molded foam operator’s seat, the first
passive four-wheel suspension system and, now, the
most advanced four-wheel independent suspension
system, Joyride.”
Joy, Tel: (011) 406-6100, Website: www.joy.com

32 BULK HANDLING TODAY June 2010

Market Forum
and regional crane makers around
the world and I am confident that
the relationship will prove mutu-
ally beneficial to our companies
and to our end-user customers in
South Africa.”
GMTS has a long association
with DSE, the largest fabricator
of structural steelwork in South
Africa. Several large cranes have
been supplied over a number of
years. The first two Street branded
cranes, units of 10 tonnes SWL,
were shipped to DSE in April.
George Mackenzie, Tel: (016) 428-
1462, Fax: (016) 428-1072, GM Tech-
nical Services, Web: www.streetcrane.
co.uk, E-mail: sales@gmts.co.za

Concluding the crane deal, left to right, is Andrew Pimblett managing director of Street Crane
Company with Mark Mackenzie and Hannes Steenberg of GM Technical Services.

Overhead crane deal Tyre pressure-monitoring device

Crane specialist GM Technical Services (GMTS), based in A heavy vehicle accessory which monitors tyre pressures
Vereeniging in the Vaal Triangle, has concluded an agreement on trucks, trailers and buses is playing a significant role in
with Street Crane Company of the United Kingdom to bring improving safety on roads in South Africa.
advanced overhead crane and hoist technology to South Africa. Marketed under the brand name P-Eye, the state-of-the-art
The deal underpins employment, gives GMTS an opportunity device replaces the tyre valve cap monitoring preset mini-
for further growth and the capability to offer a complete range mum tyre pressure – if the pressure drops more than 5%
of cranes up to 50 tonnes safe working load. below the required setting, an LED lamp starts blinking. This
George Mackenzie, founder and managing member of GMTS makes it a relatively simple task for commercial operators to
comments, “We are pleased to announce our association with establish tyre pressures on their fleet, as a visual check on
Street Crane, the largest factory crane manufacturer in the any vehicle fitted with the device quickly reveals whether
UK. The deal allows us to tap into 60 years of expertise in tyres are all correctly inflated.
all branches of industry and access their class leading ZX The system is thus both safer and more cost efficient than
series hoists. Paired with locally engineered crane
beams, the ZX hoists will enable GMTS to offer
customers high performance cranes for greater
productivity.
As the main distributor for Street Crane products in
South Africa, GMTS will not only be supplying end
users but will also be able to supply crane service
and repair companies throughout the country with
Street hoists or cranes that have been fabricated
locally. Hoist components will be held in kit form
for rapid assembly to meet local needs.
Street Crane has invested heavily to develop the
advanced ZX series hoists for world markets.
Modular in construction, the ZX is easily custom-
ised to meet differing end user requirements and
national standards.
Commenting on the deal, Street Crane’s managing
director Andrew Pimblett notes, “South Africa is
a huge potential market. GMTS is a partner with
in-depth engineering experience and capability. We
have similar arrangements with over 50 national Preggie Govender & Phumlani Bayeni of Serco with a newly fitted p-eye tyre
pressure monitor

BULK HANDLING TODAY June 2010 33

34 BULK HANDLING TODAY June 2010
Market Forum
manual checks as it is not necessary to check every single
tyre, with action necessary only when the LED’s are blinking.
Research has shown that about a quarter of all commercial
vehicle tyres are not sufficiently inflated, increasing wear by
about 15% to 20% and fuel up to 7%. It is also commonly
known that many blow–outs and tyre stripping are caused
by under inflated tyres, sometimes with devastating and
fatal consequences.
Add to that the fact that under-inflated tyres have a greater
rolling resistance and hence burn more fuel and money and
emit more carbon emissions into the atmosphere, and P-Eye’s
road safety, cost-saving and environment-friendly qualities
become abundantly clear. South African truck and trailer
manufacturer, Serco Industries, has been awarded the sole
agency to market P-Eye in Southern Africa.
Serco, Clinton Holcroft, Tel: (031) 508-1000, Cell: 082 453 4436
Largest in the world!
KEW Foundries, a Kimberley-based engineering works, has a
rich heritage in the manufacture of steel works for the mines.
The first truck to bear the Freightliner nameplate appeared
in 1942. Due to the extensive use of aluminium the early
Freightliners could carry almost a metric tonne more than
any other truck on the road.
“It is thus fitting that Kew Foundries has selected the Freight-
liner Argosy Cummins 500 as their ‘abnormal load’ truck of
choice,” says Duncan Prince, Product Manager, Freightliner/
FUSO – division of Mercedes-Benz South Africa.
KEW Foundries are delivering the largest cast sheave wheels
in Africa to their mining customers. The sheave wheels,
with a root diameter of 6.5 m, will be installed as deflector
sheaves on mining shafts, and will enable personnel and ore
to be lifted from a depth of 1602 m below bank.
“As mines get deeper, larger sheave wheels are required to
achieve a greater payload for each winding cycle. Tradition-
ally sheave wheels of this size are fabricated from welded
steel sections.
KEW Foundries, however, is the only company in the world
with the capabilities to cast and machine sheave wheels of
this size. Cast sheave wheels offer significant cost savings
to clients over their fabricated counterparts,” says Jaime
Goncalves, Technical Director, KEW Foundries.
The Freightliner Argosy Cummins 500 is an ideal vehicle
to accommodate our purpose built sheave wheel 33-tonne
trailer and allows the company to transport these monolithic
sheave wheels into Africa without an escort. In compliance
with the road act, we do however, obtain special abnormal
load permits, which allow us to travel in daylight hours
only,” Jaime concludes
Shirle Greig, Tel: (012) 677-1904, Fax: (012) 677-1682, E-mail:
shirle.greig@daimler.com
Outstanding innovations
HBC-radiomatic, the world’s leading manufacturer of radio
controls for industrial applications, is now presenting numer-
ous innovations.
The new version of the HBC-radiomatic micron 5 hand-held
transmitter for the control of cranes and other machinery
BULK HANDLING TODAY June 2010 35
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36 BULK HANDLING TODAY June 2010 Advanced Materials Today September 2007 39
Market Forum
will now offer numerous new features, less downtime equal less cost!
allowing for even more applica- Varma Parag, SKF Platform Manager, Power Transmission,
tion possibilities. Along with 10 explains the advantages, “The Xtra power belts are homoge-
two-step push buttons, the new neous and have a coordinated integration of the belt, flank
version comes with a rotary and the pulley groove. They reduce pulley groove wear due to
switch. Radiomatic iLOG is also optimized cover fabric and offer up to 97% drive efficiency.
standard. The electronic key They are also oil and heat resistant and have an antistatic
enables the quick activation of cover. You only have to worry about one-shot tensioning,
a spare transmitter if the radio and there is no need to re-tension the belts after the initial
control is damaged. A further run in period. They also have improved smooth running
benefit is the powerful NiMH behaviour, low vibration levels and offer good resistance to
rechargeable battery with approx. shock loads”.
30 hours of continuous operating
time (standard version). Tension members for the Xtra power belts are polyester
and specially treated providing high tension loads and low
Another major highlight of the elongation. A fibre filled compound above and below the
new micron 5 is the approval for tension members allows the belts to carry higher dynamic
use in hazardous environments, loadings with no compromise of flexibility and full support
such as Ex zones 1, 2, 21 and of tension cords. The cover fabric provides excellent wear
22. Adding the hand-held trans- and abrasion resistance while also providing excellent bend-
mitter to the impressive line ing strength.
of controls
for hazard-
ous envi-
ronments
s h o w s
why HBC-
radiomatic
is the world-
wide leader in wireless safety. Further
new options are the vibration alarm and
the user identification.
An outstanding innovation for crane con-
trol, is the new spectrum D transmitter.
In addition to the numerous functions
of the spectrum series, this powerful
device comes with a 3.5” color TFT
screen. The display is non-reflective,
allowing for perfect clarity, even in
sunny conditions. In addition, the TFT
is equipped with QVGA technology and
boasts a color depth of 18 Bits including
an extensive internal memory, enabling
the display of various graphics, image
files and language versions.
Bexl Control Systems cc, Tel: (011) 421-
0004/25, Fax: (011) 422-2571,Email: fanie@
bexl.co.za, Web: www.bexl.co.za

The SKF Xtra power belts further supplement the existing

Belt series
SKF are proud to introduce the newest additions to their
power transmission family of high quality products.
SKF Xtra power belts are designed to deliver up to 40%
more power than standard wrapped belts. These belts will
not only cut costs but more importantly extend the service
life of existing applications. An increased service life and
Power transmission range and support SKF’s strategy to offer
value added products to its customers.
SKF South Africa (Pty) Ltd,Samantha Joubert, Tel: (011) 821-3500,
Fax: (011) 821-3501, Email: samantha.joubert@skf.com, Web: www.
skf.co.za
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back issues of ‘Bulk Handling Today’

BULK HANDLING TODAY June 2010 37

Market Forum
Beam loadcell
Instrotech offers a new miniature double ended beam load- Subscription
cell for application in truck/rail scales and silo/hopper/tank
weighing. Please fax us if you wish to subscribe to “Bulk Handling Today” at
R400,00 (incl postage and VAT) per year; R945,00 per year for Af-
rica/Overseas. We will post you an invoice on receipt of your fax.

PROMECH PUBLISHING Fax No: (011) 781-1403

Email: editorial@promech.co.za

From:.........................................................................................

(insert your name)

Title: ..........................................................................................

The MDB is designed for high capacities of 10t to 50t and Company: .................................................................................
is insensitive to side load. Constructed of nickel plated alloy
steel, the unit is fully potted and sealed with special chemical
Address: ..................................................................................
compounds to IP67 providing excellent protection against
the ingress of water and moisture.
....................................................................................................
The model MDB can be supplied optionally hermetically
sealed to IP68 to protect in corrosive environments and
......................................................................Code: ..................
under washdown conditions. Another available option is FM
approval: intrinsic safety in Class I, II, III Div I Groups A-G
or non-incendive in Class I Div 2 Groups A-D. Telephone: (.......) ....................................................................

Instrotech (Pty) Ltd, Tel No: (011) 462-1920, Fax: (011) 462-1958,
Fax: (.......) ................................................................................
E-mail: info@instrotech.co.za, Pieter Deysel

Email: .......................................................................................

Index to Advertisers
Afzelia 34
AST Inside Front Cover
Bearings International 18
Bonfiglioli Inside Back Cover
Brelko 23
Dymot 20
Engineer Placements 32
Hägglunds 14
LMI Academy 12
Rema Tip Top Outside Back Cover
RFA 8
Roymec Outside Front Cover
SAID 36
Sapics 30
SEW 26
Short-term Stay 38
Silver A 16
SKF 10
ThyssenKrupp 25
Voith 6

38 BULK HANDLING TODAY June 2010

BULK HANDLING TODAY June 2010 39
40 BULK HANDLING TODAY June 2010