SOURCE: Equipment World | October 30, 2026
MARTIN Engineering have published new guidance on the positioning of primary, secondary and tertiary belt cleaners on high-volume conveyors.
The company says structural design, limited space and poor maintenance access can all reduce the effectiveness of belt-cleaning systems, increasing carryback, clean-up requirements and downtime.
The guidance draws on Conveyor Equipment Manufacturers Association (CEMA) recommendations, which place the secondary cleaner between the head pulley and snub pulley on the return run. Martin Engineering notes that this area is often too restricted by pulley geometry and structural design to allow effective installation or maintenance.
Among the design considerations highlighted are reviewing pulley wrap angle, increasing head pulley diameter where appropriate and improving ergonomic access for inspection and maintenance.
Martin Engineering say a larger head pulley can create room for additional primary and secondary cleaners, helping reduce fugitive material. The company also cites US Mine Safety and Health Administration data indicating that fugitive material can account for a significant proportion of conveyor maintenance problems.
The guidance also recommends designing work platforms around maintenance requirements rather than minimum access provisions alone. According to the article, maintenance personnel can spend up to a third of their time simply accessing equipment.
Other recommendations include using motorized drive pulleys to free up space around the head end and employing trained installers to ensure cleaners are mounted accurately and set to the correct pressure.
The article concludes that safe access and sufficient space for installation, inspection and maintenance are critical to achieving longer conveyor system life and lower operating costs.
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Martin Engineering was founded in 1944 by Edwin F. Peterson, a foundry pattern maker in a small Illinois town. The initial idea for the company’s inception came as he watched co-workers struggle to overcome sand blockages on the foundry’s mold-making machines by pounding on the hoppers with hammers. He was troubled by the safety risks, equipment damage and loss of productivity that resulted. Those concerns prompted him to design the Vibrolator® Industrial Vibrator, which uses the rotation of a single steel ball in a hardened steel raceway, propelled by compressed air. Patented in 1949, it was the first of the innovative products introduced by Martin Engineering to solve problems in bulk materials handling, and remains today as one of the world’s most accepted vibrators to facilitate the movement of bulk solids. From its beginning, the firm has been a family-owned, privately-held company.