Condition Monitoring of Conveyor Belts as a Tool for Proper Selection of Their Replacement Time

Condition monitoring of steel cord belts using magnetic scanners is known since late 70s however it has not been widely used in Polish mines due to difficult interpretation of signals and cost of services and diagnostic devices. Recent integrated diagnostic tool developed in Machinery Systems Division at Wroclaw University of Technology showing 2D/3D state of belts core and calculating aggregated measures (e.g. wear density of belt segments) allows on better interpretations and prediction of remaining belt life and optimal selection of their time for replacement. Proposed approach utilise experience and models of belt wear developed and verified statistically on belts durability data. Now addition of new dimension (current belt condition) allows on observation of increasing belt degradation process (belt wear density trajectory) which extrapolation allows on prediction of remaining life and replacement time.