Ask a producer what they want to know about a telescoping conveyor and the list is short. How much can it move? How big a pile will it build? And what does it actually cost to run against the loaders doing that work now?
These are the ten questions our dealers and sales team field most often, answered in one place. Specs, ranges, and a few examples from sites running the machines today.
A. Superior has built significantly more telescoping conveyors than any other manufacturer, giving its engineers decades of experience refining the design across a wide range of applications. That
experience has also produced a broad selection of lengths, belt widths, axle configurations, and options, allowing each TeleStacker Conveyor to be more closely matched to the application.
Structural design is a significant distinction. Closely spaced truss bracing, cross-bracing through the
stinger, and the FB® Undercarriage are designed to manage changing loads and maintain stability as the conveyor raises, lowers, extends, retracts, and constantly moves. That heavier-duty construction also means more steel and more weight in the structure, which matters in demanding environments where the conveyor is exposed to heavy loads, frequent movement, uneven terrain, and wayward loader traffic.
There's also nearly three decades of field history behind the design. The first TeleStacker Conveyor ever manufactured, built in 1997, is still operating today, providing a real-world example of the longevity these machines can deliver.
A. A conventional radial stacker changes where material is placed by traveling radially, but its discharge point remains fixed along the length of the conveyor. A TeleStacker Conveyor adds telescoping capabilities, allowing the discharge point to extend and retract as the conveyor moves radially across the pile.
That added range of movement creates larger stockpiles, gives operators more control over pile shape, and improves material consistency by reducing segregation. At 270°, for example, a 36" x 150' TeleStacker Conveyor piles 21,000 more tons than the same-size PowerStacker® Conveyor, which offers radial travel and variable height but lacks telescoping capabilities.
A. Segregation happens when coarse and fine particles separate as material is discharged onto a pile. That variation makes it harder to maintain a consistent product gradation when the material is reclaimed.
Rather than repeatedly dropping material in one location, the TeleStacker Conveyor combines radial travel, variable discharge height, and telescoping movement to distribute material in windrows. The discharge point also stays closer to the pile, reducing material overrun as particles fall.
A. Superior has decades of experience engineering portable radial telescoping conveyors for some of the industry's highest-capacity applications. TeleStacker Conveyors are available with belt widths up to 72 inches, with published capacities ranging from 500 to 5,000 tons per hour.
That range allows the same telescoping conveyor concept to serve everything from standard aggregate operations to high-tonnage mining and ship loading/unloading applications.
A. Capacities range from about 6,000 tons in a conical pile with a 110-foot TSFD model to 395,500 tons in a 270° pile using a 210-foot TSPP model. Those published amounts assume material with a 37° angle of repose and density of 100 PCF, so actual results vary by material and application.
Stockpile size is also one of the main factors used to determine conveyor length. If you know how much material you want to store, that requirement can be worked backward to help size your machine.
A. The biggest difference is the material handling required after material leaves the conveyor. A TeleStacker Conveyor builds and shapes the stockpile as material is produced, eliminating the need for loaders to push and blend material.
Every loader hour comes with an operator, fuel, tires, maintenance, and equipment wear. Reducing those hours can have a meaningful impact on cost per ton, especially at higher production rates or operations that stockpile continuously.
Do the math for your operation: consider how many loader hours are currently dedicated to building and managing stockpiles, then factor in your labor, fuel, maintenance, tires, and equipment costs.
A. Start with the application rather than the conveyor length. Three questions usually narrow the choices quickly:
How many tons per hour do you need to move?
What's your maximum lump size?
How much material do you need in the stockpile?
Throughput and material characteristics help determine belt width and horsepower, while required stockpile capacity helps determine conveyor length. Site limitations, discharge height, portability,
road-travel requirements, and available electrical power can further refine the configuration.
A. Both are road-portable, but they handle the transition from transport to stockpiling differently. The TSFD uses a fold-down axle and hydraulically transfers from inline transport to radial operating position in seconds. Its patented auto-leveling system automatically maintains a level conveyor structure over uneven terrain. That makes the TSFD particularly useful for operations that move frequently, make repeated pull-backs, or work from sites where the operating surface may vary.
The TSSA uses the XTP Swing Axle. The operator engages power travel with a T-handle and physically transfers the axle from road to operating position, which takes minutes compared to seconds. It has a wider operating footprint and is used with a level runway or concrete pad.
The right choice often comes down to how frequently the conveyor will move, site conditions, and budget.
A. Superior's in-house designed and supported automation program coordinates the conveyor's radial travel, telescoping movement, and discharge position to build programmed stockpile patterns with less operator input.
PilePro Automation builds the stockpile in a controlled sequence. The conveyor moves radially within the programmed stockpile footprint, continuously discharging material. Once a windrow is complete, the stinger extends or retracts to reposition the discharge point for the next windrow. The conveyor then reverses radial direction and repeats the process. As the pile grows, the ultrasonic sensor helps maintain the desired discharge height above the material.
The choice of pile program matters. For example, a fully desegregated pile provides greater control over material distribution but has less stockpile volume than a partially desegregated pile.
A. As the stinger conveyor extends, more of its weight reaches beyond the main conveyor, which increases force on the structure. Large-diameter, load-sharing rollers support the stinger as it moves in and out, with rollers positioned above and below the frame for maximum support, control, and stability.
The rollers use a center-pivot, load-sharing design, which allows the weight to be distributed safely and equally between each roller as the stinger extends, retracts, and the load changes.
As an added safeguard, a mechanical safety stop is designed to engage if cable tension is lost, helping prevent uncontrolled stinger retraction.
Configuration is where these conversations usually land. Pile space and throughput targets drive the answer, and so does how often you plan to move the machine between transport and operating position.
Your local Superior dealer can size a TeleStacker Conveyor against your site and your material. Find a dealer near you, or send us the details of your application and our team will walk through the options.
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