Smart Splice Watch — Conveyor Belt Vulcanization Controller
- Client
- Mining & cement industry
- Year
- 2024
- Category
- Industrial Automation
In mining and heavy industry, the conveyor-belt splice is the most critical and failure-prone point in material transport; a failed splice can halt an entire line for hours or days. The traditional method relies on an operator manually watching a thermometer and a clock, and any lapse produces a weak joint and a future shutdown. NELSco built an STM32F4-based controller designed for the harshest real-world conditions: underground mines, cement and steel plants, with extreme dust, vibration, heat, and electrical noise.
Two fully independent PID loops controlling each heating platen separately for a uniform cure under load; PT100 sensors for accuracy and stability in the hot, high-vibration environment, and 3-phase power output via solid-state relays (SSR) with no wearing mechanical contacts.
A controlled ramp-up slope to prevent thermal shock, and an automatic curing timer that starts only when both platens simultaneously reach the target temperature, eliminating the most common human error.
All process data (temperature curves, time, curing profile) stored in the MCU's internal flash with no SD card, a 5-inch color touch TFT with a live heating curve, and a verifiable digital record produced as a quality certificate for every splice.
The Challenge
Splice curing requires uniform temperature on both press platens (heating irons) and tight time control. The two platens can behave differently under load, an uncontrolled heating ramp causes thermal shock and a weak rubber bond, and human error in timing is the most common source of a faulty splice, all in an environment where cheap sensors and storage easily fail.
Our Approach
Two fully independent PID loops control each heating platen separately, keeping the cure uniform even when the platens behave differently under load. PT100 industrial sensors were chosen for stability and accuracy in the hot, high-vibration environment, and 3-phase power output is switched by solid-state relays (SSR), with no mechanical contacts to arc or wear out. A controlled ramp-up slope prevents thermal shock, and the automatic curing timer starts only when both platens simultaneously reach the target temperature, eliminating the most common human error. All process data is stored in the MCU's internal flash (no SD card to jam or get contaminated), and a 5-inch color touch TFT shows the live heating curve.
The Result
The system removes human judgment from the most critical point in conveyor-belt maintenance: every splice is made to the same precise standard regardless of operator experience, fatigue, or conditions. Each completed splice produces a verifiable digital record that acts as a quality certificate for maintenance logs and compliance audits, directly eliminating the root cause of unplanned stoppages in mining and heavy industry.
Results
- Removes human error from the most critical point in conveyor maintenance
- Every splice produces a verifiable digital quality certificate for compliance audits
- Eliminates the root cause of unplanned stoppages in mining and heavy industry
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