The Art of Material Handling: Back to Basics
Ever come across a conveyor circuit with massive spillage and dusting ? I did recently. It wasn’t surprising, but it was disappointing. The problem? A wrongly designed discharge chute, leading to inefficiencies that should have been avoided in the first place. So, why do such issues still exist? I’ve said this before: Most plant problems are rooted in material handling inefficiencies. Let’s break it down: Why inefficiencies? Poor workmanship. Why poor workmanship? Lack of attention to basics. This morning, while discussing the issue with my team, I laid down some simple yet effective criteria for designing discharge chutes. Here’s what I emphasized: Discharge direction matters: Material must flow in the direction of the belt’s movement. Stay centered: Material has to fall in the center of the belt. No contact with mother plates/skirt boards: Material should never touch these areas to prevent wear. To protect the mother plate from wear, I explained the importance of stone-boxes/st...