Martin Engineering welcomes powered conveyor belt tracker

Able to centre the belt regardless of the travel direction, the unit has demonstrated greater durability and longer service life than previous designs, translating to a reduced cost of ownership. Versatile enough to run on 110V/220V power or a plant’s existing compressed air, the Martin^® Tracker^TM Reversing can be specified with the company’s unique Roll Gen^TM System, which uses the kinetic energy of the moving belt to produce a supply of electricity that is sufficient to power sensors, scales, lights and other devices when no power is readily available.

“Most reversing belt trackers use a paddle wheel or roller of some kind to move the actuator,” explained Martin Engineering Product Development Engineer Andrew Timmerman. “Like anything mechanical, the more moving parts there are, the more opportunity for something to wear out. In comparison, this unit reduces the number of parts in a rugged design, using either an air or electric actuator to reverse the working direction.” Engineered for reliability and longevity, the unit gives conveyor operators a new option for powering the tracker, allowing them to suit their individual circumstances.

The sensors communicate the pulley direction, sending a signal either to an electrical relay or a pneumatic solenoid to extend or retract the cylinder as needed, depending on which version is specified.

For locations where no electricity or plant air is available, Martin Engineering designed the Roll Generator to serve as a self-contained mini power station. In those cases, the tracker uses an electric actuator to move the rolls and correct the belt’s position.

Read the article online at: https://www.worldfertilizer.com/product-news/18082017/martin-engineering-welcomes-powered-conveyor-belt-tracker/