Do not use Micke ceramic lagging. I am talking about cat tongue rough sand paper ceramic. Very bad wear on belts. Can destroy a good belt in less than a year. It is very unforgiving when the belt wants to slip as you suggest.

Modern porclain type lagging gets its grip from the larger than mm variations in surface geometry , not from the sub mm sand surface of the Micke. Its actual coef., I believe is lower with a smooth surface.

I have not noticed the wear on the belt bottom cover. Maybe its relevant to the level of stress - big torque?

Ceramic tiles can debond with age or overtress. I thinki this isi a work in progress. Others have posted discussions on this point. Maybe it was that Graham Spriggs guy that discussed direct epoxy bonding the ceramic to the steel shell. I think your search will turn up some dialog. ■

Hi Axel

This has actually been the topic in a previous thread. But anyway the conclusions that I have drawn after years and years of working with rubber lagging, ceramic lagging, and ceramic tiles bonded into rubber lagging is:

- use ceramic tiles bonded straight onto the shell

- make sure you use the correct epoxy tile adhesive-VERY IMPORTANT

- correct shell surface preparation is also very important

- none of my belts have worn abnormally due to any ceramic lagging

- never use tiles bonded into the rubber, the lagging does not last as the tiles come out and the rubber comes off

- ensure you never get material between the belts and the pulleys it ruins ceramic laging

- use at least 92% alumina type ceramic tiles

- plain tiles also work very well on drive pulleys

- trowel on type ceramic beads in epoxy also works well, and I have seen this lagging last for many many years, but then again, I have also seen failures with trowel on type

Regards

LSL Tekpro ■

I agree that ceramic lagged pulleys are becoming more and more popular as they increase lagging life and with the proviso that the design has been done correctly and the system installed correctly, there is no problems in using ceramics as has been asserted. The reality however is that most ceramic lagged pulleys are being installed retrospectively to address lagging wear issues and in these instances they usually only move the problem from the lagging to the belt. There has been previous discussions on this Forum re ceramic lagging but in essence, it is not a solution to a problem but an option that can be looked at in certain instances. If it is to be used then slip and the consequences of any slip are a lot more serious with ceramics than with rubber lagged pulleys as any slip will wear or damage the conveyor belt. As Larry asserts, if slip occurs, it is more of an issue with the ceramics lagging that has a rough finish as compared to the dimpled finish. Finally the issue of bonding ceramics to a pulley depends on the applicators but if you bond ceramics direct to the pulley face using epoxies then you have to realise that any repair of the pulley face lagging or any replacement is very difficult. Frankly the rubber backed ceramics have and do work well in OZ

Col Benjamin

Gulf Conveyor Systems P/L ■

Colin

Replacing ceramic lagging epoxied to the shell is actually easy.

All you do is heat them up a bit and prize them off.

You do this if the surface prep wasn't done properly, or the wrong grade of epoxy has been used.

Otherwise why take them off if they have been correctly installed?

As for rubber backed ceramics being a success in Oz, I must have seen different applications from yours.

Whenever I've been there in Oz, and wherever I have ventured, the lagging has looked like a smiling old witch with several teeth missing..not very attractive at all.

Cheers

LSL Tekpro ■

We are looking at introducing direct bond (Not rubber encased) ceramic tile lagged pulleys onto our sites. Before this introduction, site have been asked to comment on the suitability of this type of lagging.

The initial site feedback indicated concern on possible premature splice failures and belt damage due the lagging being too rigid compared to rubber backed products. Has anyone had any experience of this type of failure?

Will the likelihood of premature splice failure occur with central wear of the conveyor belt?

Cheers

Heinrich ■

Dear Heinrich,

The first question you need to ask is why? If it is because of lagging wear then it I would suggest the issue is that the transitions from trough to the pulleys and vice versa are either too short or installed incorrectly.

If it is because of drive friction then fine providing the conditions are not wet.

In a well installed and designed system rubber lagging lasts as long as ceramics. The only time I recommend it is if I want to have a higher friction factor during start

Cheers

Col Benjamin

Gulf Conveyor Systems P/L

www.conveyorsystemstechnology.com ■

Hi Heinrich

Ceramic tiles epoxied directly onto the steel shell is our standard now. No rubber intermediate layer. Only smooth tiles (drives too).

Have not had any belt problems this way

Cheers

Taggart LSL Tekpro ■

Wear resistant ceramic lining – Alumina, zirconia & ZTA

Ceramic grinding media – alumina & zirconia

Steel & rubber backed ceramic plate

Pulley lagging

https://aluminaceramics.wordpress.com/ ■