90% Less Carryback. 3 Cleaners. Installed in One Shift.
OVERVIEW
A Queensland waste and recycling facility handling timber, concrete, tiles, steel, electrical goods and building textiles faced significant conveyor carryback and labour-intensive clean-up. Its 1,200 mm belt operated at 2 m/s, processing approximately 200 tonnes of mixed construction and household waste per hour.
Installing three K-Cleatscrape® Secondary Belt Cleaners achieved a customer-reported 90% reduction in carryback, reducing manual clean-up costs across all three installation areas.
CHALLENGE
- Significant carryback beyond discharge.
- Unwanted material accumulating beneath conveyors.
- Repeated manual clean-up demands.
- Labour costs across three conveyor areas.
Carryback was creating an ongoing housekeeping burden. Material remaining on the belt after discharge travelled onto the return run, where it could fall beneath the conveyor and require manual removal.
The facility’s varied waste stream added complexity to the cleaning task. Different material sizes, shapes and characteristics demanded a cleaning solution suited to recycling conditions.
The priority was to remove more residual material from the belt before it accumulated around the conveyors. Reducing carryback at its source would help cut the recurring labour required to manage its consequences.
SOLUTION
The customer was first introduced to Kinder at Waste Expo 2025, where discussions about belt cleaning prompted a request for a site productivity consultation. Kinder subsequently assessed the application and prepared a proposal for K-Cleatscrape® Belt Cleaners.
Designed for cleated conveyor belts, K-Cleatscrape® uses flexible polyurethane fingers to remove residual material while accommodating the raised belt profile. The fingers deflect as cleats pass, allowing the cleaner to work around a surface that presents challenges for conventional straight-blade cleaning systems.
The range offers different blade hardness options to balance cleaning effectiveness and flexibility. Its design also accommodates mechanically fastened splices and belt surface imperfections, while replaceable blades simplify ongoing servicing.
Three cleaners were installed by the site’s Plant Maintenance Supervisor, with the entire installation completed within one eight-hour day shift.
RESULTS
- 90% reduction in carryback reported.
- Lower clean-up labour costs in all three areas.
- Three cleaners installed in one eight-hour shift.
- Performance met expectations and earned customer endorsement.
The customer reported a 90% reduction in carryback following installation. By removing more residual material from the belts, the K-Cleatscrape® cleaners reduced the amount carried along the return runs and deposited around the conveyors.
The improvement translated into identified labour cost savings across all three installation areas, with less manual effort required for clean-up. The customer confirmed that performance met expectations and was impressed enough with the cleaners’ effectiveness to highly recommend the product.
The facility has also implemented Kinder’s K-Rotabrush® Belt Cleaner for a further cleaning application, with installation pending at the time of reporting.
Three cleaners. One shift to install. A measurable reduction in carryback and clean-up labour.