Oscillating Systems Technology-Africa (OST-Africa) has expanded its conveyor belt cleaning solutions with the introduction of a new economical ECO belt scraper range that includes economical primary and secondary cleaners, as well as a new curved ARC secondary scraper, designed to maintain consistent belt contact, extend blade service life and reduce maintenance requirements.

OST-Africa is a specialist in the design and manufacture of screen, transmission and materials handling products.

OST-Africa’s new belt scraper range has been developed for conveyor applications where effective carryback removal needs to be balanced with operating and maintenance costs, giving users a choice of primary and secondary cleaning configurations for belt widths from 450 mm to 1 500 mm.

Carryback is a persistent challenge in bulk materials handling applications, where material adhering to the conveyor belt after discharge, can be carried onto the return strand. If not effectively controlled, this residual material can accumulate beneath conveyors and around conveyor structures and components, requiring clean-up and regular maintenance.

The new ECO scraper range is suited to belt conveyor installations in industries including mining and minerals processing, coal handling, quarrying and aggregates, cement production and other bulk materials handling operations.

Typical applications include conveyors transporting mineral ores, coal, crushed stone, aggregates, limestone and similar bulk materials where effective primary and secondary belt cleaning is required.

OST-Africa’s three scraper configurations give conveyor operators the flexibility to match the cleaning arrangement to the specific task required.

The primary ECO scraper performs the initial bulk removal of carryback, while the secondary ECO unit provides finer cleaning.

The ARC secondary ECO scraper offers an alternative secondary cleaning solution where consistent belt contact, blade use and reduced maintenance are priorities.

An important feature of the primary design is its ability to accommodate obstacles passing through the cleaning point, making it splice-friendly. This is particularly relevant in conveyor installations where mechanical belt splices or irregularities in the belt surface must pass the scraper without compromising operation.

OST-Africa’s secondary ECO scraper, which is installed in the secondary position, provides the next cleaning stage, removing finer material that passes the primary cleaner. These secondary scraper blades can also be manufactured from harder materials where necessary, to withstand heat generated by friction against the moving belt.

The secondary scraper operates with belt contact over a relatively short distance of about 50 mm to 100 mm, providing concentrated cleaning of the belt surface.

Depending on the required level of cleanliness and the characteristics of the conveyed material, more than one secondary scraper can be installed.

“An important addition to our belt scraper range is the new ARC secondary ECO scraper. Unlike the straight blade arrangement of the conventional secondary unit, the ARC version incorporates a curved blade profile,” explains OST-Africa marketing manager Chantelle Scheepers.

She adds that the new cleaner’s blade bows across the belt-cleaning area, rather than presenting a straight cleaning edge like conventional belt scrapers. This advanced configuration maintains consistent contact with the conveyor belt for effective carryback removal, while applying even cleaning pressure across the belt.

This design not only achieves efficient cleaning, but also limits unnecessary belt wear and minimises unnecessary downtime.

“Another practical feature of the ARC scraper is its reversible blade. The blade can be flipped and rotated as it wears, allowing more of the available blade material to be used before replacement is necessary. This extends usable blade life and reduces replacement requirements and associated costs. The ARC design is also self-adjusting, helping to maintain the required cleaning pressure, with minimal modification.”

The introduction of the ECO range broadens OST-Africa’s belt-cleaning offering with a more economical range of primary and secondary scrapers, while the curved ARC configuration adds a further option for applications where effective cleaning, blade life and reduced maintenance requirements are important considerations.

By offering a broad size range of primary, conventional secondary and ARC secondary configurations, OST-Africa can match the cleaning system to the requirements of individual conveyor installations, rather than relying on a single scraper arrangement.