OEMS, Technology

Switching under extreme conditions

Kinder Australia places a premium on supplying the country’s resources industry with efficient, robust and safe conveyor system equipment.

Safety and electrical conveyor technology, including belt alignment and pull-wire switches, is usually required to operate under a wide range of harsh operational environments.

As a leading independent supplier of conveyor products around the world, Kinder Australia supplies new and robust conveyer system switchgears to the resources sector. The ZS 92 S / KST switchgear series, manufactured in Germany by Steute, is a prime example of equipment that has been especially developed for extreme conditions.

The series is available in two tough, corrosion-proof and shockproof material options: aluminium diecast enclosures and thermoset plastic enclosures.

This makes them suitable for multiple applications, including surface mining operations, quarries and sand pits, as well as in the heavy manufacturing industry.

“The emergency pull-wire and belt alignment switch Extreme series have been tested according to Australian standards and satisfy all operational requirements,” Kinder Australia design engineer David Zhungu told Safe to Work.

The new mechanics embedded in the ZS 92 S / KST series facilitate a wire length of up to 2x100m and can significantly reduced release forces and paths when actuating the emergency stop function.

Installation accessories specific to each pull-wire switch are available in the form of compensation springs, tensioners and wire clamps. Visual indication of a tripped switch is made easier with the choice of LED lamp switch versions.

Safely mounting the pull-wire switches is critical to have them operate according to stipulated standards and, as such, back and base mounting of the switchgear is possible. Wire breakage detection is an important feature of the ZS 92 S / KST to help ensure a conveyor is stopped immediately in the event a pull-wire breaks.

Kinder’s ZS 80 KST Extreme pull-wire switch has also been developed for severe operating conditions. This unit represents a robust switchgear solution designed to guarantee a reliable emergency stop function, along with wire-break monitoring. The ZS 80 KST series facilitates a wire length of up to 75m while maintaining a maximum pull force of 70N required to actuate the emergency stop function.

Another key product in Kinder’s safety and electrical conveyor technology range is the ZS 92 SR / KST Extreme series belt alignment switch.

This switch is designed to closely monitor conveyor belt alignment, ensuring uneven loads or some other adverse process is not causing belt misalignment.

A new feature of the belt alignment switch ZS 92 SR / KST Extreme series is the use of staggered contacts with individually adjustable switching points. The switching points for advanced warning and switching off can be individually set within a range of 5–35°, which is made possible via a simple unlocking, shifting and latching of the switching inserts. The switch first generates a warning and stops the belt at further actuation.

“These pre-warning contacts reduce the downtime of the conveyor system; however, the operator still has the ability to react to events before the belt stops,” Zhungu said.

Belt and machinery damage due to a continually mis-tracking belt is averted with the application of such a belt alignment switch.

Similar to the ZS 92 S / KST Extreme series, the Steute belt alignment Extreme series are resistant to severe temperatures, retain a high enclosure protection rating of IP 66 and IP 67, and are available in a tough, corrosion-resistant aluminium diecast or thermoset enclosure to resist harsh operating environments.

Options for the switches include a belt alignment lever that is adjustable in 12° steps using a self-locking mechanism, plus an indicator lamp on a toothed shaft P or a continuously adjustable belt alignment lever using a clamp mechanism. It is also available with an indicator lamp L.

Kinder also supplies the K-MotorShield, which the company describes as a simple, safe and durable product that protects electric motors against dust, debris and water ingress.

The K-MotorShield is designed to ensure adequate covering of motors to prevent an acceleration in the wear of bearings, brushes and windings, therefore lowering maintenance-related costs and extending motor life.

This feature appeared in the May 2023 issue of Safe to Work.

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