Martin Engineering has launched a comprehensive digital educational resource for conveyor operation and safety, aimed at apprentice technicians and experienced engineers alike.
The online Foundations Learning Centre is an extension of the in-person Foundations training curriculum, which uses a mix of text, photos, videos, webinars, online events, and live experts available to answer questions.
The result is a unique central hub for industry professionals of all knowledge levels to use as a resource for building a deep understanding of material flow and safe, efficient conveyor operation.
“Not everyone learns by reading a textbook or following a lecture, so we set up the Learning Centre as the place to go for all things conveyor and bulk handling for all types of learners,” Foundations training manager and Learning Centre curator Jerad Heitzler said.
“Technology allows us to accommodate different learning styles by offering several avenues to the same knowledge. The Centre is designed in categories to provide easy access to the resources and organised so that people can find what they need quickly.”
The Learning Centre is an online portal where plant operators, managers and supervisors can send members of their teams to build their understanding of every aspect of conveyor operation and safety practices.
The platform provides visitors with immediate solutions that are applicable and actionable, regardless of the equipment manufacturer. It is also a place to learn about the latest technologies, techniques and compliance measures.
Building from its comprehensive training resources Foundations, The Practical Resource for Cleaner, Safer, More Productive Dust & Material Control and Foundations for Conveyor Safety, the Learning Centre has been modelled on decades of knowledge from Martin’s highly experienced team of engineers and field technicians in every corner of the bulk materials handling industry.
The Learning Centre resources supplement and enhance Martin Engineering’s extensive Foundations training program.
The in-person training program combines the hands-on instruction and personal attention found in a classroom setting with the Learning Centre technology, the textbook, and comprehension testing.
The modules of the Learning Centre are split into nine categories:
- Material carryback and belt cleaning
- Dust management
- Material spillage
- Belt conveyor safety
- Conveyor belt and component damage
- Conveyor belt mistracking
- Material flow problems
- Belt conveyor system maintenance
- Basics of belt conveyor systems
Once the category is chosen, the learner is greeted with the core issues related to the module and examples of best practices.
“Our goal is comprehension and retention. Visitors might be pressed for time or may become distracted. While an experienced live instructor can see that and overcome it in a face-to-face training session, online learning is a different animal,” Heitzler said.
“By providing visitors with options for learning and ways to break up the information rather than hours of reading or long videos, we’re able to better engage them, improving their experience and their learning.”