Belt damage can cause significant production time loss in mines and processing plants, as in-person inspections are typically carried out to determine the condition of conveyor belts. The ABB Ability Condition Monitoring solution collects and tracks data from conveyor belts to provide real-time information about the health of the equipment, enabling planned and timely maintenance and avoiding unplanned downtime.

The continuous monitoring of belt health allows a complete overview of the assets' condition, generating alarms and warnings in the event of deterioration. ABB said that by moving from preventative to predictive maintenance, it can enable operators to avoid the costly failures that can occur between physical inspections and personnel can be removed from dangerous areas. This can also improve belt reliability and lifetime.

The technology is based on sensors which are installed in strategic points of the conveyor belt equipment. It is also specifically designed to withstand harsh mining environments while monitoring asset health and condition.

ABB said that its Ability Condition Monitoring for belts provides easy access to informative dashboards. Fault trend analysis, event alarms, data logs and reports can be monitored for single or multiple conveyors and by remote connection, SMS text message and email.

Eduardo Botelho, global material handling service product manager at ABB, said: "Real-time monitoring of the actual belt performance prompts the necessary corrective actions ahead of failure or further and more costly damage. With equipment condition continuously assessed, operators can plan necessary maintenance only when certain indicators give the signal that the equipment is deteriorating, and the probability of failure is increasing. It will consistently catch misalignment or speed issues online, long before failure, and pre-empt issues such as falling material, energy waste, excessive belt wear, rupture or fire."

The solution can work as a stand-alone option; it can also be integrated into any control system, as it is interoperable with existing maintenance tools and infrastructure. Key performance indicators (KPIs) can be customised, based on the user's needs or pain points.

ABB Ability digital solutions are designed to help organisations automate, optimise and future-proof their businesses. Some of other solutions in ABB's Ability portfolio for the mining industry include the ABB Ability Performance Optimisation system for hoist systems, ABB Ability Asset Vista Condition Monitoring software, ABB Ability Safety Plus suite for mine hoists, ABB Ability System 800xA, ABB Ability Stockyard Management System and ABB Ability Smart Sensor for Dodge mounted bearings.