Sustainable quality of conveyor belts using an integrated knowledge system to support decision-making

conventional conveyor belts. Conveyor belts of the Ecotubelt type
enclosed in the shape of a pipe are the most important construction
element of hose conveyors, which represent an ecological
replacement of classic belt conveyors. Their closed conveyor belt in
the shape of a hose allows you to transport material with minimal
environmental pollution around the conveyor. A long-term problem
for the users of these conveyor belts in the world is their maximum
use with regard to their service life within the life cycle of the
equipment that uses the conveyor belts. In order to achieve a
sustainable quality of conveyor belts related to their service life, it is
necessary to propose new procedures for evaluating the quality of
conveyor belts in terms of their performance. The object of the
research is closed conveyor belts of the Ecotubelt type with special
construction. The aim of the research is aimed at gaining
comprehensive knowledge about the performance of non-traditional
closed conveyor belts in order to achieve their sustainable quality.
The article presents a new approach to the evaluation of the quality
of the Ecotubelt type conveyor belt using the concept of a knowledge
system integrating multidisciplinary knowledge from rubber
technologies, the results of laboratory and simulation experiments, as
well as mathematical models. The integrated knowledge system
includes quality-oriented subsystems within products, processes,
services. The result of the model is an economic indicator (TCO)
Total Cost Over ship index, which expresses the quality index for the
purchase and use of a conveyor belt. The function of the proposed
knowledge system for assessing the quality of the conveyor belt is to
provide the user with adequate information from a huge amount of
data and information, which will enable him to achieve a sustainable
quality of classic open as well as closed conveyor belts.