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KSB GIW breaks ground on new IoT and Automation Lab for slurry transportation

Posted on 22 Nov 2024

KSB GIW, a leader in the design, manufacture and application of heavy-duty centrifugal slurry pumps, has marked a significant milestone with the groundbreaking ceremony for its IoT and Automation Lab.

The event celebrated KSB GIW’s commitment to advancing sensor and automation technologies in slurry transportation. Attendees experienced live demonstrations of the company’s GIW® SLYsight and GIW RAMSL technologies, while executives Wolfgang Demmler, Head of KSB Mining; Jonathan Samuel, KSB GIW President and CEO; and Robert Visintainer, KSB GIW Vice President of Engineering, shared their visions for the lab’s impact on the company and the industry.

In his remarks, Demmler underscored the company’s commitment to customer-focused solutions, stating, “KSB GIW’s investment in the new lab is an investment in our customers. We are committed to helping customers achieve their objectives, with a key priority being the digitisation of their entire mining process. This lab will be an incubator for technologies that make this objective a reality.”

The lab’s initial focus will be on enhancing KSB GIW’s flagship IoT-enabled offerings, GIW SLYsight and GIW RAMSL. GIW SLYsight, a pump wear monitoring solution, uses proprietary sensors to measure real-time wear rates in slurry pump parts. This data helps operators make safe, effective adjustments during operation, ultimately extending pump life. GIW RAMSL is a mechanical system that automates pump adjustments, allowing engineers and maintenance teams to optimise pump performance.

With the new lab, KSB GIW plans to integrate these two technologies, creating a combined solution that provides mining operators with accurate recommendations for pump maintenance while reducing downtime and increasing efficiency.

The IoT and Automation Lab will also offer dedicated space and resources to explore new technologies that improve operational decision-making, according to the company. Visintainer highlighted the lab’s potential to deliver breakthrough mining solutions, noting, “This lab represents a significant step forward in providing innovative IoT solutions to the mining industry. With a dedicated space for R&D around IoT and automation, KSB GIW can significantly accelerate its development of these technologies. The goal is to give our customers the ability to maximise uptime and reduce costs.”

KSB GIW says its investment in the IoT and Automation Lab underscores its commitment to remaining at the forefront of mining technology and delivering industry-leading solutions in slurry transport. Samuel reiterated the lab’s alignment with KSB GIW’s mission to lead in IoT-driven innovation, stating, “We are differentiating ourselves as a slurry pump company by providing IoT technologies. When customers visit KSB GIW, Inc. and view the new lab, they’ll see that we are more than a mechanical pump company and foundry – we are a technology-driven hub for mining solutions.”