Veyance Technologies, the manufacturer of Goodyear Engineered Products, has introduced Cord Guard^TM XD with new technology to detect longitudinal rips in conveyor belts in addition to monitoring the integrity of steel cord reinforcements. Cord Guard XD incorporates new technology to reliably identify longitudinal rips in steel-reinforced conveyor belts and stops the operation of the conveyor system to minimise belt damage. At the same time, it monitors and tracks the condition of the steel cable reinforcements deep within a belt to identify any damage that may not be visible on the surface.

“Cord Guard XD uses patent-pending inserts to detect belt rips caused by an object that becomes stuck in the conveyor structure.” said Bret Hall, General Manager Conveyor Belt and Conveyor Belt Services for Veyance Technologies. “When an issue’s detected, the tool promptly stops belt operation to minimize rip damage, helping reduce a mine’s total cost of ownership for conveyor belts.”

Patented RFID technology is used to uniquely identify each of the rip inserts in the event that they are damaged, permitting Cord Guard XD to correlate its rip insert map with the physical conveyor belt to reduce nuisance alarms.

“Cord Guard XD helps miners prepare for the unexpected,” Hall said. “By monitoring the reinforcing cords inside steel cable belts, Cord Guard XD identifies and tracks any damage helping operators avoid a catastrophic event and providing vital information for planning belt repairs or replacements. Hall explained that it also has the capability to shut down the operation of the belt if significant damage is detected that requires immediate attention.

“Cord Guard XD’s control unit can be accessed via Ethernet connection to a computer or a plant’s operations network. The output includes an easy-to-understand display showing the full width and length of the conveyor belt,” said Hall. The location and identification of each rip insert is prominently displayed. When an insert is damaged, the image changes to reflect the location and extent of a rip. The same output also shows the location and severity of any damage to the reinforcing cords inside steel cable belts.

In addition to Cord Guard XD, attendees of the 2011 SME & Colorado Mining Association show in Denver this week learned about Goodyear’s longest, strongest conveyor belt, Flexsteel ST10,00, at the Goodyear Engineered Products booth.