Belt cleaners and cleaning blades that can stand the test of time are crucial for conveyor producer Richwood.
Over forty years ago, a new concept in belt cleaning, simply called the 1C, was introduced by Richwood.
Since inception, Richwood has focused exclusively on their proprietary engineered equipment designs. Each belt cleaning system is manufactured at their facilities in Huntington, West Virginia, for guaranteed quality control. According to COO Kevin Maloy, “The successful performance results delivered by the 1C system have never been matched by other equipment designs, leading to being ‘often copied, never duplicated’.”
For the Richwood 1C, several factors have contributed to this success.
First, each cleaner is designed specifically for the application in which it will be installed. The adaptability of design makes it a great choice for the variety of conditions and configurations in the material handling industry. When specifying belt cleaners, each location is surveyed and a recommendation is made based on belt speed, belt width, moisture content, severity of the application and other factors.
Next, a tensioning system that is self-adjusting and delivers the right cleaning pressure. When the pressure is auto-regulated, maintenance and adjustments are kept at a minimum. More providers are seeing the advantages of such a system and discovering it is complex engineering that makes it seem simple. According to Richwood, “The Richwood cleaner and its unique components have evolved and improved over time. The expertise required to have a reliable tensioning system has been earned through years of experience.” The value of a reliable tensioning system is proven through clean and dry return belts. This translates into equipment that is spared the wear and tear of carryback, product kept in its place and work areas that are kept safe and clear of debris.
Another feature of Richwood cleaners is engineering and technical support. Every cleaner includes an engineered application blueprint with the mounting arrangement and is furnished complete, ready for installation.
The belt cleaning blade material manufactured by Richwood is also unique. They use specifically blended rubber for cleaner blade media compounded for high level performance and long service life. Each specific media is recommended to suit the severity of the application. Although many attempts are made to replicate Richwood replacement cleaner blades, some claiming to be a “retrofit” for Richwood cleaning systems, none can duplicate the belt-friendly cleaning and wear properties of Richwood rubber compounds. None are recommended or authorized by Richwood.
Lastly, Maloy continued, “Richwood cleaners provide a great return on investment. When you don’t have to worry about carryback, you can focus on other aspects of productivity.” Recently a customer in the eastern coal industry agreed: “The verdict is in on your belt cleaners, this is the first winter we have run a new belt installation on top of our gob pile and had zero downtime that I can recall for slippage. Kind of unheard of up there, no build up on our return rolls, either. Your belt cleaner set up is exactly what you promised.”
Richwood guarantees the performance of their products and seeks to partner with their clients through relationships built on mutual respect and trust.
Following their own path of equipment design and manufacture, Richwood does not make replacement parts or cleaner blades for any other brands of equipment, nor does it authorize other companies to make its cleaning blades or manufacture under any other name.