Tag Archives: Voith

Voith strengthens electric drive expertise with ELIN Motoren acquisition

Mining equipment, Mining mergers and acquisitions, Mining services, Power supply for mines, , , ,

Voith says it is planning to acquire 70% of the shares of ELIN Motoren GmbH as it looks to strengthen its position in the market for electrical drive systems.

A corresponding purchase contract was signed on December 20, with closing of the transaction anticipated to occur at the beginning of the June quarter.

ELIN is a global high-tech company in the area of electric motors and generators and provides customised solutions for markets such as wind energy, plastic, tunnel construction and mining, oil and gas, plant engineering as well as power plants.

Dr Uwe Knotzer, President & CEO of Voith Turbo, said: “Voith is the technology leader in drive technology in many industries. The portfolio of ELIN Motoren is an excellent addition to our industrial drive solutions and supports our position as a technology-independent supplier of drive systems. With the 125 years of experience of ELIN Motoren, we will achieve a significant advantage for our customers in drivetrain electrification.”

ELIN manufactures electric motors and generators on large and small scale, as well as customised solutions for industrial applications, focusing on electric machinery, low- and medium-voltage motors and generators especially for wind energy as well as decentralised energy generation.

Wolfgang Landler, CEO of ELIN Motoren GmbH, said: “Like ELIN Motoren, Voith, as a long-standing and globally positioned expert in the drive technology sector, follows a digitalisation strategy for industrial applications.

“With the future collaboration between the companies, we will be able to offer our customers, especially in this sector, optimised, integrated concepts ranging from consulting, prototype development to production and service.”

ELIN employs around 900 people and generates a turnover of approximately €120 million ($133 million).

Goldcorp narrows down finalists for #DisruptMining PDAC showdown

Automation, Bulk handling, Comminution of minerals, Communications in mining, Environmental, Equipment maintenance, Explosives and blasting, IoT, Mineral processing, Mining equipment, Mining events, Mining safety, Mining services, Mining software, Mining techniques, Precious metals, Sustainable mining, Water management, , , , , , , , , , ,

Goldcorp has announced the three finalists selected to pitch to a panel of judges at the #DisruptMining 2019 live finale taking place around the PDAC event in Toronto, next month.

The trio includes companies looking at a new drilling approach that can unlock the value in narrow vein deposits; a unique way of training artificial intelligence (AI) to autonomously operate a mineral processing facility; and an Internet of Things application that increases the intelligence of belt conveyors used to transport material at mine sites, according to Goldcorp.

Todd White, Goldcorp Chief Operating Officer and Executive Vice President of Operations, said: “#DisruptMining continues to represent the best of innovation in the mining industry. These finalists demonstrate break-through thinking and help build digital momentum in mining. The industry needs to help accelerate the development of these kinds of technologies.”

After a technical review by a group from the University of British Columbia, shortlisted submissions were reviewed by senior Goldcorp representatives to determine semi-finalists and finalists for #DisruptMining, Goldcorp said. The three finalists pitching their disruptive technology to the panel of judges are:

  • Anaconda Mining, a TSX-listed gold mining company operating in Atlantic Canada, has developed an innovative, two-stage drilling method that enables economic mining of narrow-vein deposits, according to Goldcorp. The technology, known as Sustainable Mining by Drilling (SMD), was developed in collaboration with Memorial University of Newfoundland. Goldcorp said: “SMD has the potential to unlock value in existing deposits that were previously thought to be uneconomic to mine using traditional underground or surface mining methods. The developers also expect this technology could extend the life of current operations by allowing safe excavation to occur beyond the limits of current designs”;
  • ANDRITZ, a leading supplier of machines and automation solutions worldwide, has developed a unique and continuous way of training artificial intelligence to operate a mineral processing facility using ANDRITZ’s digital twin, Goldcorp said. “The AI is trained to respond to a variety of situations, making it capable of adapting to changing inputs and improving upset recovery time,” Goldcorp said. The trained AI’s ability to quickly process information and recommend data-driven solutions will allow for the improvement of the operation, such as start-up and shutdown, and assist operators to achieve plant-wide optimisation, and;
  • Voith Turbo, a division of Voith GmbH & Co KGaA, whose IoT application BeltGenius (pictured) creates a digital twin of belt conveyors which provides real-time insight into the behaviour of the operation. “Resulting from a constant learning system, this information is used to identify potential risks and inefficiencies, allowing for greater uptime, more efficient energy use, predictive maintenance and optimisation of weight and speed,” Goldcorp said. With BeltGenius, mine sites can operate their belt conveyors with greater control and consistency, increasing their savings on repairs and material transportation costs while reducing the environmental impact of traditional haul trucks.

Deciding the fate of the three finalists will be Ian Telfer, Chair of Goldcorp; Katie Valentine, Partner at KPMG Australia and Global Head of Mining Consulting; Sue Paish, CEO of Canada’s Digital Technology Supercluster; Jacob Yeung, University of British Columbia student and #DisruptMining UBC Captain; and returning #DisruptMining judge Wal van Lierop, President & CEO, Chrysalix Venture Capital.

Co-hosted by KPMG, the #DisruptMining live finale will take place on Sunday, March 3, 2019 at the Rebel Entertainment Complex in Toronto during the PDAC convention. Each finalist will present a short pitch video followed by a Q&A with the judges, in front of a live audience of nearly 600 people, demonstrating how their concept or technology has the potential to #DisruptMining.

In addition to finalists, six semi-finalists will showcase their technologies at the #DisruptMining Innovation Expo. The Expo will take place on Sunday March 3, 2019, at the Rebel Entertainment Complex in Toronto.

 

Voith expands TurboBelt TPXL conveyor coupling range

Bulk handling, Equipment maintenance, Mining equipment, Mining maintenance, Mining services, , , ,

Voith says it has expanded its TurboBelt TPXL range of fill-controlled couplings for conveyors, with the addition of 500 kW, 800 kW and 1,250 kW versions.

These couplings combine hydrodynamics with intelligent control technology to optimise performance, according to Voith.

The integrated controller matches the output torque exactly to the start-up parameters of the belt conveyor system, thus reducing wear and increasing service life, according to Voith. Its high power density means the TurboBelt TPXL range requires only half the volume of conventional couplings and therefore can be easily integrated into drivetrains, the company said.

Voith said: “With its proven hydrodynamic drive principle, the Voith TurboBelt TPXL range of couplings has been a staple of the mining industry for years. Delivering a nominal torque from 1,600 Nm to 7,960 Nm, respectively, the new sizes – TurboBelt 800 TPXL and TurboBelt 1250 TPXL – open up an expanded range of applications. Its rugged construction makes it ideal for use in demanding environments and tasks, such as open-pit mining.”

The TurboBelt TPXL’s plug-and-play design allows for easy integration into established systems and drivetrains and serves to significantly shorten commissioning times, according to Voith. The coupling concept consists of an integrated controller, an integrated oil pump and an oil supply unit, all of which are designed to work in tandem with each other.

“This lays the groundwork for accurate predictive maintenance to effectively keep the total cost of ownership low,” Voith said. “The TurboBelt TPXL’s hydrodynamic operating principle enables wear-free power transmission without the need for a mechanical connection. In this way, the system’s lifespan is expanded and maintenance costs are decreased significantly.”

TurboBelt DriveControl, Voith’s digital control system, was designed to work in conjunction with the TurboBelt TPXL’s integrated controller to meet even the most demanding requirements in belt conveyance, Voith said. “It allows seamless connection of drives, belt conveyors and components throughout the entire extraction process.”

In this way, TurboBelt DriveControl can handle lengths of up to 20 km as well as vertical curves and tonnages of more than 12,000 t/h, according to the company.

Votih said: “The intelligent system features autonomous belt conveyor startup and stopping procedure, even for regenerative conveyors. In addition, it extends the belt’s service life by reducing mechanical stress and dynamic impact.

“To maintain reliable conveyor performance at all times, TurboBelt DriveControl also features active load sharing, one-drive off and hot stand-by declutching function.”

The system logs all operational data, according to Voith, allowing the coupling to adjust its control behaviour in accordance with previous empirical values to accommodate a specific load situation, for example.

“Based on the required torque for the belt and the basic start-up parameters, the coupling automatically calculates the optimum fill level and fills or drains the working circuit accordingly. The stored information can be utilised for self-diagnosis and remote maintenance. In addition, the controller monitors the coupling’s entire sensor system to ensure flawless operation at all times,” Voith said.