Customer Validation Down Under: FM8 Yellow Blades Outperform on High-Speed Coal
There's nothing like validating a product out in the field.
One of our Australian distributors recently shared a compelling success story involving our Super XHD Yellow primary blades. The installation? A 1600mm belt conveying coal at speeds between 5 and 6 meters per second.
The customer had been running competitor blades made from similar polyurethane materials. However, upon switching to FM8, the results were immediate and undeniable.
The Outcome: Slower Wear, Even Wear
The customer reported two distinct improvements that exceeded their expectations.
1. Reduced Wear Rate: The FM8 Yellow blades simply lasted longer than the competition.
2. Superior Evenness: Unlike the competitors' blades, which wore unevenly across the belt width, the Super XHD Yellow blades maintained consistent contact from end to end.
Why Did This Happen?
While the base polyurethane chemistry might seem similar to the previous supplier, the blade geometry makes all the difference.
The Super XHD series features a blade profile with a significantly larger contact area. This design provides two critical advantages at high belt speeds (5-6 m/s):
· Stability: More contact area means the blade tip resists "rollover" and flutter under high-speed friction.
· Consistent Pressure Distribution: The larger footprint distributes the tensioner force-whether from an air or spring tensioning system-evenly across the blade, preventing localised "hot spots" that cause uneven wear.
The result is a cleaner belt and a scraper that retains its profile longer, eliminating the need for constant retensioning or replacement.
The FM8 Advantage (And How to Make It Even Better)
Our distributors are extremely satisfied with the product quality and the reaction from their customers. The Super XHD Yellow proved it could handle high-speed coal with ease, outperforming the incumbent supplier on their own turf.
However, we always aim for total optimisation.
If the Yellow blades performed this well on coal, imagine the results of the Super XHD Orange blades. Engineered with a PTMEG compound specifically for high tear resistance and impact flexibility, the Orange series takes coal cleaning to another level.
The Verdict:
· Super XHD Yellow: The heavyweight champion for hard rock and, as proven here, a fierce competitor on high-speed coal.
· Super XHD Orange: The specialised solution for peak performance in coal and slurry applications.
If you are currently settling for standard performance, contact your local FM8 distributor. Whether you need the ruggedness of Yellow or the specialised touch of Orange, we have a blade that will outlast what you are running now.