Mines and industry rely on critical high pressure pump technology to keep operations safe and efficient, which makes rigorous testing of this equipment an essential part of the manufacturing process.
According to Kathryn Poke, Director of Engineering at RMI Pressure Systems, dedicated test cells in the company’s Manchester (UK) production facility support a range of technical tests to ensure final product quality.
RMI Pressure Systems specialises in the design, manufacture and application of high-pressure reciprocating pumps to global longwall mining and industrial applications. It has more than a hundred years of experience designing, manufacturing and supporting this technology, the company says. On top of a primary manufacturing facility in the UK, the company has operations in China, the US, India and Australia – supporting equipment in countries around the globe.
Poke said RMI Pressure Systems’ quality and testing regime means new equipment and components can be put through as much as two million pump cycles – over periods of up to 160 hours – to prove their integrity.
“In robust and continuous applications, such as longwall coal mining, our customers rely on our high-pressure reciprocating pumps to deliver optimal uptime and safety,” she said. “Similarly, our steel industry customers look for quality and reliability in de-scaling and forging applications.”
In these demanding and often hazardous environments, pump pressures can reach 350 to 400 bar – making any leaks or defects potentially disastrous.
She highlighted that RMI Pressure Systems’ meticulous testing regime has been critical in building the company’s quality reputation for over a century.
“Before delivery, all of our equipment is put through its paces in our test cells,” Poke explained. “These well-resourced facilities measure and record temperatures, pressures, speeds and other indicators – generating data that is carefully reviewed and analysed by our engineering team.”
The test cells run alongside the company’s manufacturing processes, which are accredited in terms ISO9001 quality standards. This ensures extended periods of testing do not compromise RMI’s production rates, with the test facility able to accommodate three RMI high pressure pumps at a time.
“This means that our customers are confident RMI equipment is ready to go when it is installed and commissioned on site,” Poke said. “There is no run-in time or bedding down to be done, so the pumps’ contribution to productivity and uptime will be immediate.”
RMI’s manufacturing quality is enhanced by its careful selection of suppliers and components – items that are also subject to cycle testing to ensure a quality finished product.