Possibilities of failure analysis for steel cord conveyor belts using knowledge obtained from non-destructive testing of steel ropes

Abstract The steel cord conveyor belts are applied in many industrial branches. Current operation of the conveyor belts is closely connected with various kinds of mechanical loading, which causes wear or gradual degradation of the conveyor belts. One of the most often occurring failures in the steel cord conveyor belts is damage of the inner steel cord carcass of the belt. However, timely identification of this undesirable process is a problematic question. There is presented in this article an innovative approach concerning application possibility of the non-destructive testing tools, namely in the area of the steel cord conveyor belts. The realised experimental measurements, together with the performed simulation processes verified an important fact that the non-destructive testing methodology, which is used for the steel wire ropes routinely, can be applied for the steel cord conveyor belts, as well. The developed simulation models are in accordance satisfyingly with the real status, which is typical for standard operation of the steel cord conveyor belts. These simulation models can be applied during the next investigation activities performed in the given research area.