Advanced Conveyor Monitoring Technologies
The relentless drive to cut downtime and improve operational insight has reached a new milestone with the introduction of RIP Prevent+ and the AccuTrac AI Belt Scale. Both these advanced conveyor monitoring technologies have been brought to African markets by Tru-Trac.
Originally designed by SHG for belt rip detection, RIP Prevent+ has evolved into a predictive conveyor health monitoring platform that is reshaping how plants manage safety, performance and maintenance. Tru-Trac, as SHG’s exclusive distribution partner in Africa, is now deploying this world class technology across mining operations in the region.
Real time
Tinus Ludik, Sales Manager for Belt Scales and Conveyor Monitoring Solutions at Tru-Trac, explains, “RIP Prevent+ continuously monitors conveyor belts in real time, detecting abnormal behaviour and structural stress before failure occurs. This proactive approach provides early warnings and allows targeted maintenance before disruptions take place – not after.”
Using AI, the RIP Prevent+ analyses complex data sets to predict potential failures, improving predictive maintenance and plant reliability. “The system helps operators plan interventions more effectively, boosting productivity and reducing unexpected downtime,” he adds.
Joint development
Another breakthrough is the AccuTrac AI Belt Scale which is the result of a joint development programme between Tru-Trac and SHG. Unlike conventional belt scales that rely on periodic manual recalibration, AccuTrac is self-calibrating. “Instead of reactive calibration, this scale continuously verifies its accuracy in real time,” Tinus explains. “The result is unmatched reliability and confidence in mass flow measurement.”
At its core, AccuTrac constantly cross-checks actual mass flow readings against theoretical conveyor parameters generated from two independent system inputs. This continuous self-calibration eliminates the need for frequent manual intervention, reduces human error and ensures that accuracy is maintained automatically, even under changing operating conditions.
Multi-layered
Dustin Schiller, CEO of SHG Germany, adds, “In addition, the enhanced RIP Prevent+ system introduces multi-layered monitoring capabilities covering belt behaviour, vibration analysis, energy usage patterns and the condition of critical components such as gearboxes and bearings.
“By integrating vibration sensors with conveyor monitoring data, the system enables the early detection of subtle anomalies. Cross-correlating these data points in real time allows plant teams to act before small issues escalate into major failures.”
Flexibility and impact
The system’s flexibility is another key differentiator. Each RIP Prevent+ installation is customised to the specific conditions of a plant, ensuring optimal sensitivity levels and effective monitoring. “A recent European client avoided US$1.3 million in downtime when a belt rip was caught early,” notes Tinus.
RIP Prevent+ has already prevented severe rips across multiple 500 m to 1 500 m conveyors, with potential savings of up to US$60 million in avoided belt damage. “At 4 m/s, a belt can rip 160 m in just 40 seconds – often too late for conventional detection,” Dustin warns.
Closer to home, South African mines are now adopting the technology, with installations underway in the manganese sector and successful trials completed in gold and chrome operations. “Beyond cost savings, reducing the need for emergency repairs also safeguards workers and extends asset life – a safer, smarter way to run,” Tinus concludes.
