Latest generation scraping conveyor
When a leading glass container producer in the Netherlands needed a replacement cullet return system, the company turned to Forglass, the furnace and batch plant technology expert from Poland, whose engineers have designed a latest generation scraping conveyor, equipped with ‘smart’ technology. The design has already been dubbed SmartScraper, due to the machine’s built-in intelligence.
One of the key elements of this intelligence is the overload protection system (OPS).
Rather than mechanical protection, this system uses electronic sensors to continually monitor the working conditions of the SmartScraper conveyor, diagnose problems and react instantly to changes in operation. Unlike previous solutions, it is possible to slow down or stop the machine at an appropriate moment, before any of its elements, including the protection system itself, are damaged.
Additionally, when connected to a comprehensive array of sensors (eg temperature, working speed or efficiency), OPS facilitates detailed analysis of the machine’s performance.
Thanks to this system, most damage can be avoided, which means that the life expectancy of a SmartScraper is longer than other conveyors, while its operational costs associated with maintenance are reduced, both of which contribute to increasing the overall return on investment.
Furthermore, the functioning of the conveyor is continuously monitored in real-time and can be controlled remotely. The system stores event history data, allowing its analysis, so that conclusions can be drawn and changes made to prevent hazardous situations in the future.
OPS is also connected to IS machines and cullet reject system – a configuration consistent with Industry 4.0 concepts, which allows the system to predict the loads on the conveyor and to adjust its functioning accordingly.
One of the requirements of modern glass factories – this particular project being no exception – is compliance with stringent anti-dust regulations.
Forglass SmartScraper’s design ensures extremely low levels of dust generated by the conveyor, which not only satisfied the client’s requirements but will also protect sensitive parts of the machine and makes its upkeep easier for the rest of its life.
The project was particularly challenging due to the fact that the entire plant was undergoing a major modernisation project and Forglass engineers had to work at night so as not to collide with the multitude of workers during the day.
Despite these challenges, many positive comments were received from the customer on several aspects of the project, including high safety standards, precise engineering that eliminated collisions, timeliness and good communication with the Forglass team.