Rock Products' Quarry & Aggregates Forum
Each year, Rock Products reaches out to indsutry thought leaders to get their take on the aggregaetes industry. In this, the second of a two-part series, manufacturers comment on equipment and technology and how it is impacting aggregates producers.
An excerpt from the forum:
What are the big problems you are solving for aggregates producers? Give an example of how your equipment has made or can make a difference at an aggregates operation.
From Alex Kanaris, President of VDG:
Our new generation of drum motors designed for aggregates producers have focused primarily on reliability, reducing downtime, increasing worker safety and reducing energy costs. Open-pit aggregates and underground mines operate in dusty and abrasive environments, which impacts belt conveyor drives, and is a main issue for aggregates producers. The performance of the conveyor drive motor and gear reducer is subject to the environment and is a maintenance challenge.
The head conveyor drum bearings need to be greased regularly. Because of the extreme dusty environment, the life of exposed conveyor drive components is relatively short. The VDG conveyor drive solution addresses and eliminates the shortcomings that exist with standard exposed motor and gear box conveyor drives. In a VDG drum motor, all vital components like the electric motor, gear reducer, and all bearings operate in an oil bath inside the head drive drum and are protected from the environment. There are no chains and sprockets or V belts to cause bodily harm to the maintenance personnel, and there are no external bearings to be greased. The benefits to aggregates producers by using the VDG drum motor are increased efficiency, safety and a longer lasting conveyor drive with no maintenance requirements.
Take a minute to plug your products and services. What products manufactured by your company are you focusing on these days?
From Alex Kanaris, President of VDG:
VDG specializes exclusively in the design and manufacture of drum motors for belt conveyors used in many other industries besides aggregates, including food processing, airport baggage systems, warehousing, postal/parcel, and others. VDG manufactures drum motors from 4-in. diameter to 42-in. diameter, and 0.25 hp to 500 hp. VDG invests in design improvements through in-house research and development to solve current industry challenges. The latest design improvement VDG introduced is our patented IronGrip™ lagging available on VDG drum motors. The IronGrip™ provides a much higher belt pulling force, improves belt tracking, and four times longer lagging life over standard rubber lagging.
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