Tag Archives: equipment maintenance

Delta Dunia spinoff and University of Queensland to help drive mining innovation, sustainability

Careers in mining, Environmental, Equipment maintenance, Mining equipment, Mining maintenance, Mining services, Sustainable mining, , , , ,

PT Bukit Teknologi Digital (BTech), a subsidiary and the research and development (R&D) arm of PT Delta Dunia Makmur Tbk (Delta Dunia Group), has signed a research services agreement with The University of Queensland (UQ) to drive innovation and sustainability in the mining sector.

This collaboration synergises BTech’s advanced mining analytics with UQ’s world-class research capabilities, closely aligning with Delta Dunia Group’s focus on technology as a core growth lever, Delta Dunia says. Together, the research is strategically positioned to significantly enhance operational excellence and sustainability within Delta Dunia Group.

This joint research will focus on developing a robust framework for Asset Health Indicators that accurately determine the Remaining Useful Life (RUL) of critical equipment components. Insights into component and asset health is crucial to effective maintenance, extending component lifecycle sustainably and optimising fleet management.

To address the challenges of unplanned downtime and costly repairs in mining operations of the Delta Dunia Group, this research will  conduct an in-depth analysis using data analytics, machine learning-based failure detection, component health indexing with key parameters, and the optimization of RUL and component lifetime.

Endang Veronica, President Director at BTech (pictured on the left), said: “We are excited to partner with The University of Queensland, one of the leading universities in Australia known for its world-class research expertise. As a growing mining technology company, we are committed to investing in various innovations that enhance our end-to-end, cutting-edge solutions for our clients. This collaboration with UQ marks a milestone in our journey towards technological excellence in mining. By integrating pioneering research with our operational expertise,
we are setting new industry standards for reliability and sustainability.”

Since its spin-off in 2023, BTech has collaborated with the operating companies of Delta Dunia Group in Indonesia and Australia through a comprehensive suite of initiatives across asset management, safety, health and environment (SHE), people management and mine engineering. BTech’s strength lies in using tailored analytics to optimise operational excellence and enhance sustainability performance, it says.

Professor Sue Harrison (pictured on the right), Executive Dean of the Faculty of Engineering Architecture and Information Technology at UQ, stated, “We are thrilled to establish this important collaboration with an Indonesian company, especially in the mining sector. This partnership marks a significant step for The University of Queensland in fostering global innovation. Advancing predictive maintenance is critical in optimising mining operations, and we are excited to partner with BTech in this research, which has the potential to drive new industry milestones.

“Together, we aim to deliver solutions that enhance equipment reliability while driving sustainable practices in the mining sector.”

UQ is one of Australia’s top research-intensive universities, with an emphasis on high-quality, interdisciplinary global collaboration with public and private organizations. The School of Mechanical and Mining Engineering at UQ offers extensive expertise in mining-related research, particularly in RUL and predictive maintenance. Its research spans systems simulation, sensing technologies, strategic and tactical planning of mining systems, which support advancements in asset reliability and operational efficiency.

The partnership between BTech and UQ highlights Delta Dunia Group’s commitment to deepening connections with Australia, extending beyond business operations to collaborative R&D projects centered on sustainable practices and innovative advancements, it says. On  September 20, 2024, the group signed an Umbrella Agreement with UQ designed to benefit stakeholders in Indonesia and Australia  significantly. This agreement underpins research initiatives across all Delta Dunia Group subsidiaries, driving advancements in sustainable mining practices, workforce innovation and the integration of cutting-edge technologies.

Rithmik Solutions receives financial backing to expand AI-powered analytics growth

Automation, Equipment maintenance, IoT, Mining equipment, Mining finance, Mining maintenance, Mining services, ,

Rithmik Solutions, a leader in AI-powered analytics, has successfully closed a $2 million funding round that, it says, will help accelerate its growth, further enhance its product offerings, and expand its reach to help mines around the world maximise the efficiency and lifespan of their mobile equipment.

This investment was spearheaded by a syndicate of new and existing investors, demonstrating, Rithmik says, strong confidence in its innovative approach to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, enhancing equipment uptime and improving operational efficiency.

Rithmik’s Asset Health Analyzer (AHA™) leverages advanced machine-learning techniques to provide early warnings of equipment issues, optimise maintenance and deliver insights into aspects of operations impacting asset performance. With the capability to rapidly and scalably tune its AI models to specific sites, Rithmik offers unparalleled accuracy in its predictions, leading to increased equipment availability, lower maintenance costs and a significant reduction in fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, it added.

The funding round saw participation from Sprott Fund, Cycle Momentum, DevCap, angel investors from AngelOne and the Golden Triangle Angel Network and Archangel’s Adrenaline Fund, with support from previous investors Chrysalix Venture Capital and Ecofuel. This diverse group of backers underscores the broad appeal and potential impact of Rithmik’s technology, the company said.

Komatsu and Cummins partner on combined mining equipment and engine monitoring platform

Equipment maintenance, Mining equipment, Mining services, Sustainable mining, , , , ,

To create more value for customers, Komatsu and Cummins have partnered to deliver a new, integrated remote equipment monitoring solution designed to, they say, reduce unplanned stoppages, accelerate maintenance execution, and extend component life and maintenance intervals.

By sharing equipment health and performance data over common infrastructure, and collaborating on health analytics, both companies can access the same secure data and develop joint analytics and insights. The partnership will see data collected on a single device and all actions are managed in a shared case management system, allowing experts from both teams to work remotely with a customer’s maintenance staff.

Integrating machine OEM support from Komatsu with expert OEM engine insight from Cummins allows both to proactively monitor asset health and optimise maintenance management, they say, designed to help mining customers:

  • Avoid unplanned maintenance;
  • Predict maintenance needs;
  • Decrease production costs and downtime from maintenance; and
  • Increase asset utilisation.

In the past, equipment and engine data collection and generation involved multiple data logging devices, each with their own individual remote data connection. Customers typically had separate devices which created separate data silos for subsystems on a single haul truck.

“With multiple data flows, mines have less control over where the data goes and who has access, whereas a single piece of hardware can simplify data flow and may also enhance cybersecurity,” the companies said. “By removing the need for duplicative communication infrastructure and multiple points of connection, the Cummins and Komatsu solution can offer new insights to help mining managers make better decisions faster.”

Less hardware also reduces maintenance time and machine downtime as there is less hardware to install, and there are fewer components to maintain.

This combined solution is designed to improve asset protection and reduce harm to fleets, to give customers a simplified and improved experience for asset health case management, onboarding and analytics. Instead of subscribing to separate solutions from Komatsu and Cummins, this new solution offers mines a more cost-effective approach to monitoring, the companies claim.

“With this partnership, we are tying two high-value services together,” Greg Lanz, General Manager, Technology Interoperability for Komatsu, said. “By combining data analytics from both Komatsu and Cummins, we can collaborate to help our customers maximise total asset performance and health.”

Dana Miller, Director and Service Solutions for Cummins, said: “Our aim with this integrated solution is to deliver a robust best-in-class solution to help our customers succeed.”

Effective asset management solutions don’t just provide more data about a site’s equipment and engines, they help ensure data is useful and organised so stakeholders can be more proactive. For example, understanding where a truck is in the mine, what its payload is, and which operator is driving it, all provide useful context to analyse why the engine is behaving a particular way. By combining engine and non-engine data, mining customers will be able to see all of their equipment data in one place, with insights and recommendations for a holistic view of the machine.

Lanz added: “The collaboration between Cummins and Komatsu on broader data sets opens opportunities for us to build more complex analytics and insights. The secret sauce is combining the expertise of both teams.”

Metso Outotec breaks ground on new Karratha service centre

Comminution of minerals, Equipment maintenance, Mining equipment, Mining maintenance, Mining services, , , , , , ,

Metso Outotec has celebrated the groundbreaking ceremony of the company’s biggest service centre globally to be built in Karratha, Western Australia.

The investment, which was announced in November 2021, will result in a centre offering comprehensive maintenance and repair services for mining and aggregates customers in the Pilbara and Gascoyne regions, the company said.

Located in one of the world’s largest mining regions, the centre offers increased productivity and shorter lead times as well as substantial environmental advantages due to shorter transportation journey, according to Metso Outotec.

The new service centre’s lot size is over 35,000 sq.m, with a 5,000 sq.m workshop and a total of 18,000 sq.m of storage space.

The total investment value is around €32 million ($32 million), including the purchase of the land, assets and construction of the service centre. It is expected to be operational during the December quarter of 2023.

Martin Karlsson, Senior Vice President, Professional Services, Metso Outotec, said: “This is a great day for Metso Outotec and our customers. Reaching this milestone means that the construction work on the site is proceeding after a thorough planning phase. The service centre is an expansion to our footprint and an important strategic investment in supporting our customers. The strong operational support and leading process knowledge we provide, will help our customers to meet their targets.”

The centre will be equipped to repair and refurbish, for example, large mining crushers, grinding mills, screens and car dumpers. Further, it will act as a base for field services, hold inventory for critical wear and spare parts, as well as providing a customer training facility.

Stuart Sneyd, President, Asia Pacific market area, Metso Outotec, said: “By investing in this state-of-the-art service centre, we are demonstrating our long-term commitment to the Pilbara Region and the communities there. We can offer shorter lead times, and environmentally efficient service and delivery capabilities. The functionalities of the building have been carefully designed, and we are able to support our customers with a comprehensive service and repairs capability for all their needs.”

Metso Outotec has, today, 140 service centres globally, over 3,000 field services professionals and additional support resources close to customer operations.

Technofast adds new layer of security for bolting-on equipment

Equipment maintenance, Mining consumables, Mining equipment, Mining maintenance, Mining services, , , , , , , , ,

An evenly tensioned series of bolted joints is critical to the safe, low maintenance and cost-efficient assembly and disassembly of many types of equipment used throughout the mining industry, Technofast says.

Secure tensioning of a series of bolts on equipment such as comminution machinery, gearboxes, motors, vibrating screens and turbines is critical, because bolted joints are designed so the individual fasteners apply a collective compressive load greater than the working forces, which try to separate the components. Any under-tensioned bolt sheds excessive load onto nearby fasteners, which may be overstressed and fail, thereby causing loss of mechanical integrity and severe damage.

Second and conversely, if bolts are overtightened, then the elastic limit of their steel material may be exceeded and lead to premature failure. Additionally, the area under the bolt head or the nut could be crushed with resulting damage to the joint components.

The ideal means of tightening a bolted joint is to energise all the fasteners simultaneously using a bolt tensioner or hydraulic nut. As these can be connected in a ‘daisy chain’, force is applied evenly and equally to each via the increasing hydraulic pressure applied from a single point source.

“Whatever the reason for unevenly tensioned bolts, the outcome is never good. The fault ultimately affects machinery reliability, maintenance downtime – and potential risk to people working around them,” John Bucknell, CEO of Technofast precision engineered solutions, said.

Different versions of Technofast’s hydraulically-actuated EziTite® hydraulic nuts and CamNut® tensioning systems provide solutions to such issues where they are used to speedily apply and release bolted joints. Technofast’s bolting products are used to accelerate and make safer assembly and disassembly of machinery in applications in mining, particularly those production-critical applications under high pressure or heat, or those subject to intense vibration, Bucknell says.

Applications include machinery used globally across extractive industries including those for coal, copper, gold, iron ore, nickel, aluminium, bauxite, potash, silver, lead, uranium, ilmenite, zinc, zircon, lithium as well as quarries for sand, gravel, road base and construction materials.

“Rather than tightening the bolts by torque methods – that is rotation of the nut by hammering or use of torque wrenches, or alternatively, by using bolt heating methods – Technofast CamNut and EziTite HT hydraulic nuts use hydraulic force to stretch multiple bolts axially,” Buckell said. “They achieve exact tensions across a series of bolts by exerting the exact amount needed for the particular application on all of them simultaneously. They are then locked with their individual screwed Lock Rings to achieve reliable, even and precise tensioning the first time. Up to 100% of all the fasteners used in a particular daisy chain can be precisely fastened or released simultaneously.”

This type of speed and safety offered by standard and custom-made EziTite hydraulic nuts and CamNuts is valuable on mine sites, as shown by an application involving Newmont’s Boddington gold mine in Australia, which is one of the world’s largest gold mines.

Newmont’s particular high-stress application involved gearbox couplers on Polysius-Polycom PM8-24/17M high-pressure grinding roll machinery. Originally, installation was performed with two hydraulic bolt tensioners that required multiple passes of the bolts (40 in total).

Removal was then carried out with the use of a hydraulic torque wrench, which, in this application, was an extremely time-consuming process in a difficult and confined location.

“There was also the issue of inconsistent bolt loads in this application, plus the occupational health and safety issues with the use of hydraulic torque wrenches in this tough and time-consuming operation, which involved 10-12 hours and a team of six personnel,” Bucknell said.

The solution to the time, efficiency and safety issues involved a series of special M48 x 3.0 ultra-high tensile EziTite hydraulic nuts linked together over the 40 nuts involved.

Benefits borne out by this application included easy installation, as well as removal for maintenance (installation and removal are by the same method). In addition to fewer handling and fewer occupational health and safety issues, precise bolt loads were achieved across all the fasteners involved and installation and removal times improved dramatically, according to Technofast.

Bucknell said: “Compared with the 10 hours and six personnel involved previously, the new technology resulted in installations involving just three hours and three personnel. This radically improved time efficiency and costs, while substantially increasing safety, because the tensioning and release process was carried out remotely, simultaneously and immediately under precisely controlled conditions.

“The Technofast team working with the client in this application designed a special nut to achieve required size and particular strength requirements. Project management staff commented on the ease of fitting and the fact that the tensioning has reduced the overall time by two thirds and personnel from six to three. They said the implementation of the new setup allowed them to achieve the timelines required for shutdowns on these machines.

“These are typical benefits of Technofast hydraulic bolt tensioning over many installations and many countries, including those organised by our US office in conjunction with our global headquarters in Brisbane, from where we service Australia, Asia, Africa and Europe.”

Complementing Technofast’s EziTite hydraulic nuts, the CamNut system is designed for applications where longer bolts for standard bolt tensioners are not available or desirable, and for situations with elevated operational temperatures, such as pumps and steam valves.

Henkel LOCTITE 270 shores up jaw crusher operation in Australia

Equipment maintenance, Mining consumables, Mining equipment, Mining maintenance, Mining services, , , ,

Henkel’s LOCTITE® 270 adhesive thread locking has come to the rescue of a mining operation in Australia that was facing a potential collapse of the jaw crusher equipment frame.

According to Henkel, the failure of a threaded assembly through self-loosening not only risks lost production but also worker safety. This was the case at the Australia mine site.

The M36 anchor bolts in question had been locked by spring washers that could not rise to the challenge of securing bolts on a piece of equipment subject to continuous vibration and high shear forces, according to Henkel. This resulted in the loosening – and, ultimately, breaking off – of anchor bolts and the collapse of concrete footings.

Spring washers, also known as lock or helical spring washers, are one of the most popular mechanical devices for securing threaded fasteners against self-loosening, Henkel says. The washer is squashed flat when the nut is tightened against the mounting surface so that its sharp edges dig in to prevent the threaded fastener unwinding.

In practice, a spring washer may delay the length of time it takes for the bolt to loosen, but it will not permanently prevent it, according to Henkel. “The main reason is that the split washer does not solve the gapping issue, the free space remaining between the threads of the nut and the bolt,” it said.

On a typical threaded assembly there is just 15% efficient metal-to-metal contact between the threads. Everything else is empty space that enables plenty of side-to-side movement for the bolt. Additionally, being metal itself, a spring washer can cause damage to contact faces and corrode in place.

For the Australia mining operation, this problem was exacerbated by the size of the bolts. The bigger the bolts, the bigger the gap between threads, which leads to more vibrational impact on the assembly. This realisation resulted in the company changing to adhesive thread locking with LOCTITE 270, according to Henkel.

This is a high strength formulation that fills all gaps between the thread and prevents any movement of the bolt within the nut, according to Henkel.

“Secured this way, the assembly is completely vibration-proof but can still be easily dismantled with hand tools for repair and maintenance,” it said. “Additionally, the liquid thread locker seals the threads against humidity and dust, preventing corrosion and surface erosion.”

This simple adjustment to working practice has not only underpinned productivity but contributed to a safer working environment at the operation, Henkel says.

One 50 ml bottle of liquid thread locker is sufficient to secure around 850 M10 bolts but, unlike spring washers, can be used on any bolt size, according to the company.

Mader Group to maintain heavy equipment fleet at Nevada Gold Mines

Equipment maintenance, Mine operation news, Mining equipment, Mining maintenance, Mining services, Precious metals, , , , , , ,

Mader Group says it has entered into a contract with Nevada Gold Mines for the provision of heavy equipment maintenance.

The ASX-listed contractor will be responsible for providing skilled labour for mechanical and electrical maintenance, machining, scheduling and planning to Nevada Gold Mines, a joint venture between Barrick Gold and Newmont, to ensure the upkeep of heavy mobile equipment operating standards.

The three-year contract will see Mader Group deliver maintenance labour services across Nevada Gold Mines’ eight mine sites, associated infrastructure and processing facilities (all located in Nevada).

Mader Chief Executive, Patrick Conway, commended the team’s track record and growing capability since launching operations in the US.

“This is just one of several key contracts ensuring our continued expansion in the region,” Conway said. “It gives us great pleasure to support Nevada Gold Mines in what is likely to be a fruitful and long-lasting relationship. Forecasting 2.1-2.25 Moz of gold production in 2020, Nevada Gold Mines is expected to account for approximately 30% of total US gold production with optimal fleet performance a critical component in achieving their targets. We look forward to providing a top tier and dependable maintenance service to back their success.”

Microsoft mixed reality tech keeps BHP’s Pilbara sites on track

Equipment maintenance, IoT, Mining equipment, Mining maintenance, Mining services, Mining software, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

BHP, through the deployment of mixed reality Microsoft HoloLens technology, has managed to keep equipment inspected, serviced and maintained at its iron ore operations in the Pilbara of Western Australia in the face of COVID-19.

Workplace restrictions designed to keep people safe from COVID-19 mean that BHP hasn’t been able to fly people to and from its mine sites as freely as it did in the past.

To get around this issue, it has equipped people like Andrew ‘Woody’ Wood, a Mechanical Fitter with 30 years’ experience under his belt, with HoloLens 2 – a head mounted computer with a see-through display. This has allowed employees like Woody to coach his peers at site, anytime, from anywhere using Microsoft Dynamics 365 Remote Assist.

Woody is instantly able to see what mechanical fitters at site can see, send them helpful documentation, videos and schematics on the fly, and even use digital ink and arrows to annotate real things in the physical world in order to help them complete tasks and inspections on remote sites, Microsoft says.

For Alex Bertram, Digital Products Manager at BHP, the rollout of the technology was accelerated by BHP’s ability to innovate during the COVID-19 pandemic, with strong support from its partnership with Microsoft.

Safety, speed and smarts

“Using mixed reality in its day-to-day operations is one of a series of innovations that BHP is undertaking to keep its people safe and its productivity up,” Microsoft says.

Dash Maintainer Tools, developed by BHP’s maintenance and innovation teams, allow front line personnel to securely collect data from machinery remotely, avoiding the potential risks associated with manually checking dials or taking readings from heavy mobile equipment such as trucks, excavators, drills and dozers.

Leveraging IoT sensors and industrial computers connected to Azure the Dash solution gets data into the hands of maintenance technicians on their smartphone or tablet, the company says.

“Productivity and safety go hand in hand and are guiding lights for BHP and its innovation efforts,” Microsoft explains. “This focus enabled the team to have the first version of Dash in the field on a 400 t excavator within 16 weeks of it being an idea on a white board.”

To keep its people, families and communities safe during the COVID-19 pandemic, BHP introduced many rigorous measures and controls to reduce the risk of transmission.

This has included limiting numbers at its mine sites to only those required to enable safe operations; anyone who can work from home has done so.

At first, it meant that Bertram couldn’t get his team to the South Flank iron ore development to keep developing the Dash tool at the same velocity. Nor could many other experts who would typically be flown to a mine to set up new equipment, solve a problem or conduct an inspection.

Even so; “Our people on the front line are empowered to try new things to safely get on with the job”, Bertram says.

“During COVID-19, I expected the pace of innovation to slow, but we’ve seen the opposite. People really rally together and are open to trying new things to safely get the job done.”

He had already witnessed the potential of HoloLens and mixed reality, and was convinced that in combination with Dynamics 365 Remote Assist it would allow expertise to be delivered virtually to the teams still working at BHP’s Pilbara operations to support continued development of the Dash Maintainer Tools, Microsoft says.

“Given many of us were working from home due to COVID-19, the first device was delivered to my house to test and by the following week, we’d undertaken trials in our workshop environment in Perth,” Bertram says.

The team were able to test the system on real machinery at BHP’s Innovation Centre Lab, located at the Perth Repair Centre, which provides a safe and controlled environment to trial new technologies and ways of working on mining equipment.

“The following week, we ran a dry run and test at the mine, and five or six days later we supported the installation of the first prototype of Dash Maintainer Tools on a 300 t haul truck,” Bertram said. “A process like that would normally take a few months at least.”

It took less than four weeks from the HoloLens2 arriving at Bertram’s Perth home to it being used to install the first prototype of Dash tool on a Komatsu dump truck in the heart of the Pilbara, according to Microsoft.

The deployment of mixed reality technology has the potential to be rolled out more widely, and deliver safety and productivity benefits long after COVID-19 abates, Microsoft says. And there is further scope in making the physical delivery of equipment to sites more efficient.

“This technology can help us reduce the time and cost associated with regular travel, increase the speed of maintenance and new equipment deployment without compromising safety, and support greater inclusion and diversity,” Bertram said.

Having proven the HoloLens2 solution’s potential, BHP is now running further trials across its rail workshops and maintenance teams in Perth and the Pilbara, and at several other global locations in Australia, the US and Chile, according to Microsoft.

“We are seeing promising early results,” Bertram said. “If those trials are successful, we will look at how we can scale up. We are not getting ahead of ourselves, but we are well placed because the HoloLens2 solution speaks to our existing systems such as security controls, and device management.”

Martin Engineering conveys speciality contractor message

Bulk handling, Equipment maintenance, Mineral processing, Mining consumables, Mining equipment, Mining maintenance, Mining services, , , , ,

Using a specialty contractor for installation and ongoing maintenance of conveyor belts contributes to safer and more efficient production – with less unscheduled downtime – and, in the long run, saves money and reduces injuries, according to Martin Engineering.

“Performance problems with conveyor components and systems can frequently be traced to improper installation or insufficient maintenance,” the bulk material handling innovator says. “It is recommended that the component manufacturer or expert contractor install equipment on both new and retrofit applications.”

Serious performance problems stem from a lack of proper maintenance, which is exacerbated by several factors.

Training and retention

The time and resources required to train employees on equipment and certify them to conduct certain procedures such as confined space entry, electrical work, etc can be a significant ongoing expense, Martin Engineering says.

As workers become more experienced and gain certifications to properly maintain efficient systems, their value in the marketplace rises. This leads to retention becoming an issue.

“In contrast, specialty contractors must be experienced, knowledgeable and certified to conduct the appointed maintenance, and it’s up to the contracted company to retain and train that staff,” the company says.

Maintenance danger zones

Due to a greater emphasis on safety and the expensive consequences of unscheduled downtime, bulk handlers are being more meticulous about conveyor operation and maintenance, according to Martin Engineering.

This increased scrutiny includes regular cleaning of spillage, improved dust control, and additional monitoring and maintenance, which expose employees to a moving system more often. These changes introduce a variety of hazards.

Conveyor danger zones where work injuries are likely to occur include:

  • Loading zone;
  • Discharge zone;
  • Mechanical/electrical equipment;
  • Rotating pinch/shear points;
  • Underneath the conveyor; and
  • Unguarded reach-in points.
Danger zones exist along the entire length of the belt, many at maintenance points

“Most common conveyor-related issues are found across a wide range of industries, and personnel who work around the equipment on a daily basis often become complacent about the conditions, viewing issues as an unavoidable outcome of production rather than abnormalities in need of resolution,” the company says.

“An experienced maintenance contractor recognises these problems and may present solutions that internal resources have overlooked. The improvements are designed to reduce employee exposure, improve workplace safety and maximise productivity.”

Service contract types

Maintenance programs differ by provider and may be customisable to suit individual customers, but they generally fall into three categories: inspection/report, cleaning/servicing and full service.

A scheduled inspection and report contract results in a specialty contractor coming to site to thoroughly examine a system – from belt health to equipment function to the surrounding environment – and identify potential issues. A report is produced that presents findings and offers solutions.

The cleaning and servicing contracts are perhaps the most common, Martin Engineering says.

From spillage and silo cleaning to monitoring and changing belt cleaner blades, services can be very specific and fill gaps where maintenance crews might be overstretched. “The first advantage to this is that a conveyor can be surveyed without requiring the attention of plant personnel, freeing them to go about their usual tasks,” the company says. “A second advantage is that the outside surveyor is an expert in proper conveyor practices and current governmental regulations.”

At the highest level, a full service and maintenance contract sends trained technicians who take accountability for monitoring, maintaining and reporting on every level of system function. They replace wear components when needed and propose required upgrades to maximise efficiency, safety and uptime.

“This provides operators with cost certainty, making it easier to project and manage the cost of operation,” the company says.

Return on investment (ROI)

Increasing speeds and volumes on older conveyor systems designed for lower production levels contribute to workplace injuries and increased downtime. Capital investments in newer semi- or fully-automated systems designed for higher throughput require less labour, but the maintenance staff needs to be highly trained by specialised technicians.

Maintenance service contracts deliver the best ROI, according to Martin Engineering, through a series of factors:

  • Compliance – the contractor points out compliance issues and offers solutions prior to expensive fines and violations;
  • Injuries/liability – contractors rely on a strict set of safety procedures to conduct maintenance, reducing liability;
  • Efficiency – maintenance service contracts focus on improving and sustaining uptime with the least capital investment possible;
  • Consistency – contractors have a clear directive and are not affected by internal factors (labour disputes, morale, etc); and
  • Cost of operation – with a defined scope of work on a set budget, along with clear reporting and recommendations on pending needs, operators can better forecast improvements and control labour costs, further improving ROI over time.

Maintenance service contracts are not just a way of controlling and potentially reducing the cost of operation, they are also a safety mechanism.

For example, one case study showed a 79% reduction in lost time incidents and a 40% improvement in production using specialty services, which demonstrated payback in days from an annual specialty maintenance contract.

“Workloads may preclude staff from maintaining proper compliance or they just might not notice some violations,” the company says. “Outside resources take ownership of the plant’s efficient and productive use of the conveyor system and strive to improve conveyor efficiency, maximise equipment life and safety to add value to the operation.”

At the core of the issue is lower operating costs and improved production. The work should match or improve efficiency regarding downtime and throughput. If the criteria of compliance, cost savings and efficiency are met, then the maintenance service contract has provided a tenable ongoing solution, Martin Engineering concluded.

Metso strengthens equipment, processes, technology and people connections

Automation, Comminution of minerals, Communications in mining, Environmental, Equipment maintenance, IoT, Mineral processing, Mining consumables, Mining equipment, Mining maintenance, Mining services, Mining software, Sustainable mining, , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Now more than ever remote assistance is needed to keep the lights on at many mining operations across the globe.

The onset of COVID-19-related restrictions has focused the industry’s attention on just how far it can and should automate operations and – nearer term – how it can keep downtime to a minimum at its processing plants.

Metso has been investing in the development of new technologies and digital solutions to aid this cause for decades.

Think of how VisioRock™ and VisioFroth™, combined with Advanced Process Control OCS-4D™, have helped operators monitor rock sizes and flotation efficiency, and optimise production overall, from control rooms far away from where the action is happening. More of its products – such as the recently launched VPX™ filter for tailings dewatering and the Foresight™ smart mining crushing and screening stations – can also be connected to various devices to help monitor equipment.

This wide portfolio of technologies to collect, analyse, and act on data from minerals processing plants was recently combined under its Metso Foresight digital portfolio, which consists of cloud-based IoT and on-premise solutions that collect and analyse machine and process data.

The move has consolidated tools such as the Metso Metrics core remote conditioning monitoring solution and the recently acquired capabilities of HighService Service – which has been providing maintenance and remote monitoring for gearless mill drives for over 20 years – into one integrated solution that mining companies can tap into.

Johanna Newcomb, Vice President, Performance Solutions at Metso, says these recent organic and inorganic investments reflect the company “doubling down” on its digital focus.

“In 2018, we launched Metso Metrics and, in 2019, the acquisition of HighService Service added remote maintenance services to our offering,” she told IM as part of a recent IM Insight Interview.

This year, the company launched its Metso Performance Center solution to keep up this rapid digital momentum.

These centres, currently in Santiago, Chile, and Changsha, China, have been established at just the right time, helping mining companies troubleshoot and carry out maintenance tasks remotely when bringing experts to site may not be possible.

Newcomb explained the rationale for their introduction: “Remote monitoring and analytics, combined with on-site assistance as needed, provides a new, proactive way for Metso to support our customers; to reduce variability of their processes, to optimise the processes and to maximise the use of their assets.”

The creation of the centres has been geared towards leveraging the vast expertise and experience within Metso of equipment, minerals processing and carrying out servicing on a global basis, according to Newcomb.

“The Metso Performance Centers are a new way of funnelling that expertise and data-driven analytics for the benefit of our customers globally,” she said.

While improving process stability, asset reliability and process efficiency and sustaining the improvement over the long term are the key aims of these centres, this type of remote service support could see the philosophy of on-site maintenance teams shift tremendously.

Instead of carrying out ‘firefighting’ tasks, they can focus on proactive elements that optimise the processing plant over the long term, according to Newcomb.

Metso has been able to facilitate such a shift using many of its digital solutions that reside at customer sites such as advanced process control systems, Visio and Audio systems, ore tracking platforms, and others.

But, how do these service centres make the most of these digital solutions?

Soledad Barbera, Head of Metso Performance Centres, explained: “The services are available globally and provided by a multi-disciplinary team of experts. There are two centres in operation, one in Santiago, Chile, currently supporting all time zones, and one in Changsha, China, which services the Chinese market area.”

In the ‘first line of defence’ at these centres, specialised engineers monitor connected equipment and processes. This sees them scrutinising analytics, interpreting data, and delivering insights and recommendations for actions. Customers – and potentially an on-site team of Metso technicians – receive this information.

Barbera says Metso is in the process of expanding the first line of monitoring in different market areas, increasing the network of monitoring engineers and adding market area satellite locations. “This will provide an interface to get closer to our customers and speak to them in their own language as much as possible,” she told IM in the IM Insight Interview.

In the centre’s ‘second line of defence’ – incorporating more complex problems – expert advisors with broader operational experience and knowledge of the customer’s applications will be drafted in to solve issues.

The ‘third line of defence’ will see the company’s global network of experts mobilise to help support long-term solutions development. This includes reliability engineers and product experts.

Proactive performance

These remote services help Metso ensure desired performance is reached in deliveries and that this performance is sustained or improved further through a long-term service offering, according to Newcomb.

“By closely connecting the remote services with our existing offering, we are able to mobilise required assistance, changes, parts, etc faster, and elevate the level of proactiveness in our deliveries and services overall,” she said.

This has had a tangible impact on operations at the processing plants connected to these centres, according to Barbera.

“With remote diagnostics now offered through the Metso Performance Center, we have helped customers reduce unplanned downtime by 30%,” she said, referencing an example from the company’s gearless mill drive monitoring division (acquired with HighService Service). “We have also helped cut in half the on-site time needed to resolve failures through this remote monitoring service.”

Metso ensures all customer data is protected throughout the exchange, according to Newcomb.

“We have secure, modular connectivity options and fully respect the privacy of our customers’ data,” she said.

This broad offering has already attracted many customers to the centres, with Barbera saying around 100 pieces of equipment and solutions are currently being serviced through the remote facilities. “They are critical assets for our customers,” Barbera explained.

Expect this number to increase in the very near term, with Metso looking to further broaden the centre’s offering.

“We are expanding the analytics and digital solutions for different types of equipment and services,” Barbera said.

This expansion is very timely.

“The world has changed, and we are living a new way of doing business,” Barbera said. “Many customers want us to support them remotely and continue to be able to give them advice and recommendations.

“With the help of remote services and the latest technologies, Metso is still able to offer expert support to our customers, without a delay.”

This interview is an extract of an IM Insight Interview that will be published later this month