10 Tips to get the best from your Ship unloader

Effective service strategies, good operator training and timely replacement of wear parts are needed to maintain high performance and extend the service life of your Bruks Siwertell equipment.

Here are our Field Services’ ten top tips to help you get the very best from your Siwertell unloader in terms of performance, safety and longevity.

  1. The vertical conveyor can be operated at an angle in order to reach into corners and under hatch coamings. However, working at an angle to the vertical might increase conveyor component  wear rates. As far as possible, the operator should unload with the vertical arm/conveyor in the vertical position; set at zero degrees on the remote control.
     
  2. To maintain good discharging capacity, it is important to work in conjunction with the excavator/pay loader and move material as early as possible when the level of cargo in the hold is low. Good cooperation between pay loader and unloader operators gives maximum efficiency and maintains a high discharge rate for as long as possible.
     
  3. Do not operate or move the shipunloader or the loader arm system in such a way that it can hit any ship structures. We recommend guidance from additional personnel to give a good view of  the equipment and its surroundings during unloading work near ship structures.
     
  4. The operator should avoid damage to the inlet feeder wings when unloading; the wings can become bent if the feeder head hits the bottom of the hold. The inlet feeder wings should be adjusted back to their normal position if they become damaged to maintain the normal capacity. This is another good reason to keep the vertical conveyor in the vertical position during unloading work.
     
  5. Safety equipment installed on the shipunloader should be serviced regularly.
     
  6. Regularly check the condition of intermediate bearings including the OD-supports. Make sure that play in the OD-supports is within limits; excessive play can result in increased wear in the vertical conveyor and must be rectified as soon as possible.
     
  7. The ship unloaders  are equipped with centralised greasing systems. Check regularly to ensure that there are no blockages and that grease is entering and emerging from every greasing point.  Keep the ship unloader clean and ready to use.
     
  8. Always report abnormal vibrations or noise. Early attention will avoid excessive wear and remove the risk of serious damage.
     
  9. Follow Bruks Siwertell’s spare parts recommendations. This will help you to always have strategic and critical wear parts at hand to minimise unloading downtime.
     
  10. Keep your stock of spare parts up to date; contact the Bruks Siwertell service department to replace any spare parts you have taken from your stock.