Conveyor Belt Cleaner - Design

Background

A client produced basic conceptual sketches of his patented concepts.   A meeting was set up to understand the client’s requirement and function of the product.  The product would be used by a variety of conveyor belt users typically in the mining industry.  Different calculations were required for the various applications.  Material selection was made to suit the application as well as the product’s functionality.

Conclusion:

The product featured mainly structural steel framework, a electrical motor, shafts, cams and rockers.  I calculated the forces applied to the shafts and recommended hollow shafts that would be strong enough to maintain the load.  Next was the redesign of the rocker system.  3D CAD model was made to feature the assembled product.  After determining the angle of rotation, rotational velocity of the cams, the angular acceleration and moments were calculated.

It was recommended to the client that he in fact should not change the material, steel, to a glass filled polymer in order to reduce the product’s weight.  The rocker system featured an elastomer inner section.  The energy stored in the elastomer is then transferred to the rocker and distributed on the conveyor belt, inducing a vibration in the belt resulting in the cleaning action.  My calculations showed that the weight of the rocker system is crucial for the functionality of this product.

The interaction of the cam and the rocker was improved.  A simple harmonic motion lifting cycle and a constant velocity drop was selected for the cam.  Improved interaction between cam and rocker would reduce wear.