The method of detection and the detectors location will determine system effectiveness and reliability.

Infrared or laser-based detectors require frequent maintenance, as their lenses must remain clean to be effective. This necessitates the installation of air filters and compressors to keep dust, mud, and other debris off the lenses, increasing the maintenance workload.

Different technologies have distinct advantages and disadvantages and not all technologies are suited for all environments.

Some factors to consider:

Infrared Lasers

For effective conveyor monitoring by infrared, detectors must be enclosed around a section of the conveyor belt to shield it from external infrared sources. This requires structural modifications and extended downtime for installation.

The enclosed infrared detectors, due to their proximity to the belt now become susceptible to damage by oversize material and belt mis-tracking or travel.

The housing entrance and exit through which the conveyor belt must pass for the detector to be effective becomes a probable point of impingement and edge wear.

Ultrasonic Detectors

Ultrasonic detectors do not function reliably when used in bulk material conveyor operations where material size is not consistent. They become particularly unreliable if the  size and relative density of the material being conveyed varies.

The Massasauga Rattler RipTech™

The Massasauga Rattler RipTech™ is effective and reliable for use in any environment, conveying any material of any size, density or type.