Tag Archives: mining equipment

Metso plays software hand in face of mining market competition, industry challenges

Automation, Comminution of minerals, IoT, Mining equipment, Mining services, Mining software, Sustainable mining, , , , , , , , , , , , ,

With the mining industry’s growing understanding and openness to the benefits of digitalisation and artificial intelligence (AI), it was only a matter of time before some of the big OEMs ventured further into the software development space. That time is now with Metso having, today, opened a Digital Design and Development Studio in Krakow, Poland, to complement its already wide digitalisation offering.

Many mining companies around the world regularly interact with software carrying the Metso name: think of the ACT/OCS-4D™ platforms for advanced process control, the Geminex™ digital twin and HSC Chemistry for minerals and metals process simulation and optimisation, or the Metrics monitoring service.

The company’s latest software developments will go beyond these legacy solutions, leveraging what it refers to as “leading-edge digital capabilities” to solve some of the industry’s major issues.

Olivier Guyot, Senior Vice President for Minerals Digital at Metso, admits the minerals industry might have “missed the first train” when it comes to developing software that leverages AI and machine learning, but he still sees a major market opportunity for Metso, with customers more prepared to embrace digitalisation.

“We have recently had many customer meetings where we have shared our digital strategy,” he told IM. “It has been clear from these interactions that there is an opportunity for us to make inroads into this market.”

Metso doesn’t have an intention to compete with pure software players in this space. It is also cognisant its customers will not be open to adding another vendor to their already extensive list of digital suppliers without a proven value proposition.

“As a result, what we are focused on when it comes to software development, user experience design, data and AI is related to our expertise – equipment, services, process and materials technology, etc – and how to embed and integrate it seamlessly into an already mature plant ecosystem,” Guyot added.

“We really see digital as a complement to our core competencies, rather than something separate.”

When broken down, the rationale for Metso dipping its toe into the software development space now makes sense.

Guyot explains: “I feel we also need to go back to basics: start off with the right level of automation, sensors and analysers at site – these are the data generators. Without the optimisation of these hardware elements, the data coming back will not be accurate enough to produce valuable digital insights and analytics. This is the information that AI and machine-learning algorithms require.

“Without the right quality of data and the right domain knowledge, the outcome of these AI solutions might not be directly usable. We feel we have that domain knowledge, providing a legitimate claim to come and deploy our expertise digitally in many forms for our customers.”

The growing number of digital experts working in the Krakow office – currently estimated to be around 50 – can build these software solutions with knowledge of the underlying hardware in mind. This knowledge will come from interactions and collaborations with product and service experts, personnel at Metso Performance Centers across the globe, and more.

Geminex
Metso’s Geminex uses “first-principle” dynamic process and equipment models for calibrated performance to help provide an ‘accurate’ digital twin for existing operations

The brief for these digital designers is to focus on three key areas:

  • Equipment performance to provide digitally-enhanced Life Cycle Services (LCS), remote condition monitoring and prescriptive maintenance;
  • The process performance digital portfolio to optimise customers’ ore-to-metal operations for efficiency and sustainability; and
  • Business enablement to enhance customer experience and improve employees’ productivity within a data-driven, AI-augmented environment.

“To support these three priorities, we need to continuously develop our digital capabilities and that is what we are doing in Krakow to complement our existing capabilities,” Markku Teräsvasara, President Minerals & Deputy CEO at Metso, told IM.

Of course, the investment in this studio also reflects the industry’s continued requirement to address a growing labour and skills shortage, as well as the expected need to produce more metals for the electrification transition.

“If the industry is to produce more metals in a more sustainable and safe manner, digital solutions will be needed,” Teräsvasara added.

There is clearly an opportunity for Metso to leverage software as a market differentiator, but the move also reflects a growing sense of responsibility to in-source more of the digital supply chain.

Guyot explained: “Cyber security is not something we can delegate to anyone when it comes to servicing customers – especially with more of the information being on cloud-based platforms now.

“The Krakow Studio will allow us to responsibly develop this software hand in hand with cyber security in mind.”

And Guyot and Teräsvasara say this software development responsibility goes beyond just the Metso equipment portfolio, with customers able to also use this new software on all their equipment, irrespective of the supplier.

“Our software will be available to ourselves and our customers,” Teräsvasara said. “We will help our customers with all their equipment and performance issues, as we do with some existing LCS contracts.”

With the investment in this new Digital Design and Development studio, Metso is putting another marker down that could have positive ramifications for its customers and the wider mineral processing sector.

Dellner Bubenzer showcases braking customisation expertise at Mongolia copper mine

Base metals, Equipment maintenance, Mining equipment, Mining services, , , ,

Dellner Bubenzer, a manufacturer of high-performance disc and drum brakes, cylinders and accumulators for industries such as mining, is, once again, raising awareness of the importance of safety critical braking solutions.

The Dellner brand, the company says, has been synonymous with industrial braking and safety since Dellner Brakes was founded in 1941, but it has continually evolved, right up to and beyond the 2021 acquisition of Dellner Hydratech, the Danish supplier of high-end hydraulic systems, cylinders and accumulators for mining, wind, offshore, and marine applications.

The company says it has repeatedly delivered solutions to heavy-duty mining projects in recent years. In addition to its main market – material handling – the mining sector presents many challenges that require the company to respond with efficiency and precision, and produce targeted, tailor-made products.

“Mining is different to other markets, most notably because of the lead and project times in play, in addition to the demands placed on equipment at the point of use,” the company says. “Where a manufacturer of container handling equipment might complete production on a crane every single day, the largest mining companies…might be working to a site starting to mine a year from Dellner Bubenzer first being consulted. However, that point in time is non-negotiable and everyone has to deliver – on schedule and on budget.”

It is also not uncommon for component manufacturers to have service engineers on site for months at a time, which wouldn’t be the case in the material handling market, according to the company. And, while a lot of industries work to high duty cycles, mines are expected to be operational 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week.

Mongolia, North of China, is just one of a number of country’s using Dellner Bubenzer’s solutions for mining. Here, the company referenced the supply of brakes for three gearless conveyor systems with an installed capacity of 2 x 5,500 kW each for a 7,100 t/h application in a copper mine.

The full scope of work included floating calliper brakes (model SFR50), brake discs, hydraulic power units, UPS, BCC3000 closed loop control systems, as well as the complete encoder technology.

The main parameters of the brake – pad wear, stroke (air gap) and brake pad temperature – are now continuously monitored, according to the company.

“The brakes stop the conveyor within 10 seconds in loaded or unloaded condition,” Dellner Bubenzer explains. “Depending on load, speed, etc, the HPU and control unit provide different braking levels and scenarios. The controlled braking process minimises the conveyor belt tension and reduces stresses in the connected equipment. The system is also able to perform the pre-programmed ramps and stopping curves after a power outage.”

Redundant controls and HPUs guarantee the highest system availability, while the environmental conditions required a compact setup of the brake units, the company says. The spring applied, hydraulically released, fail-safe brakes are able to equalise axial movement of the connected shafts.

Communication between the main PLC and BCC3000 happens via the PROFIsafe protocol, which integrates the relevant safety features while also monitoring the sub-functions, Dellner Bubenzer added.

Contamination prevention

High-end hydraulic cylinders and accumulators are central to Dellner Hydratech’s mining portfolio, the company says. These cylinders generate a pulling or pushing force, and are found, among other places, in earthmoving equipment at surface mines. Steering, bucket and lift cylinders can be found on a single wheeled loader. Accumulators, meanwhile, are a type of pressure storage hardware where an incompressible hydraulic fluid is held under pressure and applied mechanically.

An overarching concern with such technologies – where they are required to work in dirty, heavy-duty environments – is contamination. These systems have multiple components and, when they become contaminated, costly downtime can occur. In fact, over 70% of failed cylinders have broken down due to contamination and Dellner is contacted daily about inferior systems breaking for the same reason, it says.

All weld details must be optimised for high fatigue strength and to eliminate the risk of contaminating internal parts of the cylinder. Metal-to-metal gaps at welds must also be avoided, as dirt can be trapped and released when parts expand at high pressure.

Dellner says it recently improved the 800-hour lifetime of a cylinder by five times, ‘simply’ by removing the risk of contamination.

Dellner Bubenzer Germany is part of the company’s industrial business division, and is currently answering all enquiries regarding mining, supported by automation engineers, commissioning teams, and the firm’s research and development department. Sales, technical functions and commercial calculations all take place at the same facility too.

Dellner Bubenzer says it also recognises that proximity to the point of use is especially important to aftersales, locating its product development and manufacturing facilities across the globe to efficiently serve the mining industry. Presently, Dellner Bubenzer maintains manufacturing/service facilities and operational bases in several key regions, including Europe, Asia and North America. These global facilities are positioned to ensure proximity to major mining markets, facilitating streamlined production processes and prompt delivery of braking solutions to mining operations, wherever they might be, it says.

Weir on mining technology for a sustainable future

Automation, Environmental, Mining equipment, Power supply for mines, Sustainable mining, Water management, ,

Weir has introduced its refreshed brand – Mining technology for a sustainable future – in a move that, it says, encapsulates the company’s commitment to providing innovative end-to-end solutions that accelerate the transition to smart, efficient and sustainable mining.

The company says: “The mining industry that we serve is in a period of change – it recognises the need to scale up and clean up to deliver more of the critical metals needed for the energy transition, and produce them in a more sustainable way.

“Weir – as a united brand – is at the heart of that change, as the strategic partner that our customers can call on as they lean into their biggest challenges.”

Weir says it has changed and reshaped its business over the past few years to focus on mining technology. “We have a clear strategy and a strong purpose – to enable the sustainable and efficient delivery of the natural resources essential to create a better future for our world, ” it says, adding that this is the right time to refresh itsbrand to support that.

It added: “Our new brand represents who we are as a company, what’s important to us and what to expect from us – not only in terms of mining technology or financial returns, but from our culture, our values and our focus on creating a safe, diverse, inclusive and equitable workplace.

“Weir has over 150 years of experience of powering progress in the world’s major industries. Today our combination of deep customer insight, world-class engineering and materials science, enabled by intelligent automation, have never been more relevant as we help our customers transform, with technology to help them move less rock, use less energy, use water wisely and create less waste.

“Mining technology for a sustainable future is exactly what we do at Weir…and that puts us in a strong position to lead in the new mining era.”

It said that today marked the start of the new brand introduction with more to come over the next few months.

FEATURE ARTICLE: Heavy Engineering & Wear Parts

Spotlight Feature Article, ,

The unsung heroes of the mining world, engineered products and wear parts continue to evolve in the face of changing market dynamics, Dan Gleeson reports in the June Spotlight Feature Article. Featured within this is a case study on how ME Elecmetal’s heavy-duty liner application has been enhancing tower mil availability by 50%, ensuring a significant boost in operational efficiency at one specific operation.

Avesco expands Sandvik equipment sales and support remit in Europe

Equipment maintenance, Mining equipment, Mining services, , ,

Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions distributor Avesco has expanded its European sales territory to offer Sandvik construction equipment and solutions in Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania and Slovakia.

Sandvik and Avesco have a long-standing partnership dating back to 1999 in Switzerland. The Swiss family-owned trading and services company has also served as a Sandvik distributor in Austria and Slovenia since 2015.

Avesco will now manage several Sandvik product groups in six new countries under the expansion, including surface and underground drill rigs, loaders and trucks, rock tools and mechanical cutting equipment. Avesco will sell equipment, but will also be responsible for supporting customers with after-sales service and solutions for construction applications.

Christian Bjorne, Sales Area Manager Northern Europe at Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions, said: “We welcome Avesco’s expanded presence into more countries in Sales Area Northern Europe and are confident that this expansion will provide our customers in the region with premium products and services, as well as enhance service quality and customer satisfaction through local presence. Avesco has demonstrated competence in serving both the construction and mining sectors in Austria, Slovenia and Switzerland, and this expansion of distribution underscores the trust in our collaboration and the quality of Sandvik products.”

Metso opens its largest service centre in Karratha, Western Australia

Comminution of minerals, Equipment maintenance, Mineral processing, Mining consumables, Mining equipment, Mining services, , , , , ,

Metso says it has opened its largest service centre globally in Karratha, Western Australia, aiming to support the growing demand of customers’ needs, delivering more sustainable, state-of-the-art services to operators in the state.

Located in the Pilbara, the centre serves mining and aggregates customers with comprehensive maintenance and repair solutions, it said. The inauguration ceremony was held today on March 21, 2024.

Sami Takaluoma, President, Services business area, Metso, said: “The opening of the new centre is an important milestone and further proof of our commitment to accelerate strategic investments in serving customers from pit to port. Strengthening our presence to offer increased productivity, shorter lead times and environmental advantages will allow us to take service capabilities and customer experience to the next level.”

The Karratha Service Center, backed by an investment totaling approximately €32 million ($34.9 million), spans a 35,000 sq.m area, including a workshop covering 5,000 sq.m.

Equipped with high-capacity cranes, CNC machines, a heat treatment furnace, welding facilities and assembly stations, this centre has received significant customer support, Metso says. It will be able to service a wide range of heavy mining equipment, including crushers, screens, mills, HIG mills, high pressure grinding rolls and car dumpers, among others.

The centre also contributes to customers’ sustainability goals. By extending the operating life of assets, increasing energy and water efficiency and minimising plant downtime, Metso helps customers in achieving their environmental and safety objectives, it says. Further, by reducing the need for long-haul freight between Perth and the Pilbara region, the centre reduces carbon emissions and offers faster access to critical spare parts. This not only benefits the environment but also enhances operational efficiency.

Stuart Sneyd, President, Asia Pacific, Metso, said: “This is a long-term and significant commitment to the Pilbara region and the communities here. We are extremely pleased that our local customers are already expressing considerable interest and confidence in our services. Metso has a significant installed base of equipment and a strong reputation in Asia Pacific; every day over 900 processing plants rely on Metso’s technology. By utilising Metso’s service knowhow and expertise, genuine parts, exact materials and OEM specifications, customers will achieve significant business and sustainability benefits.”

The Karratha Service Center features a dedicated training facility, offering tailored programs to enhance the technical expertise of mining professionals, Metso says. The centre will provide long-term stable employment to skilled personnel from the local communities, including trades, service engineers and experts. An apprenticeship program targeting the local community is also planned for the centre. In Asia Pacific alone, Metso contributes to the creation of more than 1,250 jobs, which will be further strengthened with the opening of the Karratha Service Centre.

Caterpillar boosts payload, performance with new 995 wheel loader

Automation, Mining equipment, Mining services, , ,

Building on the success of the 994K, the new Cat® 995 Wheel Loader features up to 19% increased productivity than the previous model with its higher rated payload and 6% increase in hydraulic force with equal hydraulic cycle time, Caterpillar says.

This new loader delivers up to 13% lower hourly fuel consumption and offers up to an additional 8% efficiency gain when operating in Enhanced Eco Mode compared with throttle lock mode, according to the company. It is also up to 19% more efficient than the 994K in equal comparisons of throttle lock operation.

Enhancements to the front linkage include an improved casting design, increased weld size, larger bearings and pins, and profile changes for increased service life. New, larger capacity buckets available for the 995 incorporate an extended floor for fast loading, high fill factors reaching 115%, and excellent material retention. Buckets are interchangeable between the 995 and 994K.  

Built to the same size as the 994K but offering a higher rated payload, the new 995 enables a one-pass reduction when loading Cat 785, 789 and 793 mining trucks. This equates to up to a 33% increase in production and efficiency when loading the 785, up to a 25% increase with the 789 and up to a 20% increase with the 793.

The new 995 meets the global industry’s demand for high production and greater payloads with its powerful Cat 3516E engine offering configurations based on regional needs, meeting EU Stage V/US EPA Tier 4 Final or US EPA Tier 1 equivalent emissions, the company says. Its 39% torque rise ensures high lugging forces during digging and acceleration in high rim pull conditions.

Comfort and visibility

The redesigned next generation operator environment for the new 995 has 50% more legroom and boasts features that improve operator confidence while reducing fatigue. Its pressurised cab reduces vibration feedback, lowers sound levels and includes automatic temperature control. Providing shift-long comfort, its new electro hydraulic speed-sensing steering with force feedback automatically stiffens when traveling at higher speeds and softens as speed decreases to boost operator confidence.

Designed for visibility, the cab’s taller windshield provides a 25% increase in glass surface area and a 64% increase in wiper sweep area to better see the bucket. Two 254-mm colour LED monitors display machine control, operating functions and the electronic operator’s manual. A third 203-mm screen offers a dedicated view of the standard rearview camera and is upgradable to a multi-view camera system that offers 270° vision with rear object detection.

Access and egress to the cab along with all service areas being accessed from either ground level or a platform improves safety on the job. Wide stairs with full handrails on each side are positioned at a 45° angle for easy access. An optional powered access system – raised and lowered from either the cab or ground level – enhances ingress and egress to and from the rear platform even further.

Confidence-boosting technology

Integrated with electronics, the new Cat 995 wheel loader offers flexible levels of information and technologies for a smart machine and more informed operator, maximising the productivity of both. Standard tip up prevention technology avoids unnecessary stress on the drivetrain and structural components by delivering full breakout forces while preventing the back tyres from significantly lifting off the ground.

New optional Autodig components automate three of the dig cycle’s most difficult parts in both rehandling and tough digging applications to improve productivity and reduce tyre wear.

Reducing tyre wear, Tire Slip Prevention reduces rimpull before the tyres are set and increases rimpull when downward force is applied. Auto Set Tires detects pile contact and automatically lifts against the pile to set the tyres and increase available traction, discouraging premature racking. Lift Stall Prevention manages rimpull in-dig to prevent hydraulic stall when lifting through the face, so the 995 spends less time in the pile.

An onboard interactive training tool, optional Operator Coaching measures and reports on individual operator behaviours that have an impact on efficiency, production and component life. Instructional videos provide training on measured behaviours, showing both the incorrect and recommended behaviours. Among 21 total monitored operating technique aspects, the system shows how to properly reduce tire rotation, avoid unracking in-dig, enter the pile with a level bucket, avoid excessive usages of the impeller clutch, reduce dump height and use the kick out.

Available Payload Overload Prevention improves productivity and efficiency by allowing a larger bucket to be used to achieve pass-match targets across a range of material densities without risk of overload. It is configurable to either stop or slow lift arms when the maximum allowed payload, including bucket weight, is exceeded.

Standard Vital Information Management System (VIMS) on the new 995 allows customers to connect directly to the machine to access a wide range of sensor information and enhanced machine data. Taking the guesswork out of asset management, standard Cat Product Link™ provides remote access to machine operating data via the easy-to-use VisionLink® interface. The 995 supports a variety of Cat MineStar™ solutions including Health, Guide and Terrain.

Reduced maintenance

Offering a 500-hour engine oil change interval and improved air filter life, the 995 spends more time working. The number of steering hoses has been reduced from 15 to 10 and tubes cut from 11 to one to improve steering system reliability. An enhanced service station provides access to functions like coolant and oil as well as level indicators, and it features a Cat battery charging connector and indicator lights for fuel tanks.

The loader’s redesigned pump bay improves access to transmission components, offers discharge ports on the side of the pumps and has simplified lines routed directly to the high-pressure screens. The bay includes a brake pump filter, implement pilot filter and implement discharge screens, and diagnostic ports are accessible from the front walk deck and pump bay. Ground line service now includes a steering pilot filter, transmission filters and steering pump discharge screen.

Austin Engineering makes management changes as it targets further North America growth

Mining equipment, Mining people, Mining services, , , , ,

Austin Engineering Limited has announced changes to its senior management structure in an effort to grow its North American business.

Current Chief Operating Officer (COO), Graham Backhouse, has been appointed to the new role of Chief Strategy Officer. The role will primarily concentrate on developing a growth strategy for Austin’s North American business where Austin is focused on increasing market share for haul truck trays and, in particular, mining buckets, following the company’s acquisition of Australia-based Mainetec in 2022.

In the last 18 months, following several operational changes, Austin’s North American business has seen much-improved EBITDA margins, which are now at record levels, Austin said. The North American order book has nearly doubled since a similar period last year, further reflecting the success of those operations and highlighting the potential in this region.

Austin’s central North American hub is located in Casper, Wyoming. It is a large manufacturing facility supported by multiple final assembly partnerships. North America is a major global market for mining equipment and Austin sees the potential for further substantial revenue growth across its existing equipment offering, plus Mainetec’s products, including in its high-value dipper bucket products.

Vincent D’Rozario has been appointed as the company’s COO. He will continue to drive the Austin 2.0 growth strategy across the business and further embed the operating model that has seen substantial increases in delivered margins and order book growth across the business, the company says.

D’Rozario has held a number of executive positions and senior roles in a diverse range of sectors including engineering, commercial aviation, major project delivery, and environmental and waste management solutions. Most recently he was the Regional Managing Director APAC for CHC Helicopters, overseeing services to mining and energy companies and State and Federal Government entities. He is currently a Non-Executive Director of ASX-listed The Environmental Group, which provides waste and environmental solutions to the resources, health and heavy industry sectors.

Both appointments are effective January 20, 2023.

Austin CEO and Managing Director, David Singleton, said: “We are very pleased to strengthen the capabilities of our executive team with these two appointments, which will drive the next and substantial phase of our growth plan. We have made big strides across all business units over the last year and a half, with focused attention on our Australian and Indonesian businesses. We are very pleased to appoint Graham to develop and roll out a new growth strategy in North America. It is our second biggest market, and we are seeing substantially improved profitability and growth opportunity ahead. Central to that focus will be deploying more products developed in Australia into that region.

“We warmly welcome Vincent to the team as our new Chief Operating Officer. Vincent brings added capability to Austin through his diverse range of international experience in growing companies. We look forward to his contribution to Austin as we continue to grow our global business.”

Sandvik and Redpath to tackle underground mine safety and profitability with new pact

Automation, Equipment maintenance, IoT, Mining equipment, Mining services, Mining software, Power supply for mines, Sustainable mining, , , , ,

Sandvik and Redpath are aiming to improve safety and reduce underground mining costs through technology advancements, innovation, continuous improvement projects and standardised best practices under a newly-signed agreement guided by operational and relationship key performance indicators.

The five-year agreement includes Sandvik commitments on local presence and support, as well as an annual technology summit and factory training sessions. It will also standardise the use of equipment, leading to cost reductions and safety enhancements, the companies said.

“Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions has long been a valued supplier of underground mining solutions to our global operations,” George Flumerfelt, CEO of The Redpath Group, said. “This mutually beneficial cooperation will help ensure Sandvik provides the same service experience and quality, independently of the geographic location and size of Redpath operations.”

Mats Eriksson, President of Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions, added: “This agreement underlines the trust we have in our long-term relationship and further strengthens our good partnership with Redpath. Closer collaboration with Redpath’s business will enable us to deliver on expectations and optimise our product development.”

The two companies have worked on many underground mining projects together in the past and, last year, Redpath became the first company to receive and operate a Sandvik DD212 production drill in Australia, putting it into action at Silver Lake Resources’ Rothsay gold mine in Western Australia.