Tag Archives: Wear parts

Caterpillar addresses hydraulic shovel basket wear with new two-piece bucket

Mining consumables, Mining equipment, Mining maintenance, Mining safety, Mining services, , ,

Caterpillar has introduced a new two-piece bucket for hydraulic mining shovels that, it says, reduces downtime, optimises bucket capacity and increases rebuild safety.

The design reduces downtime by limiting refurbishment to the area of the bucket subjected to most of the wear – the basket.

“The replaceable basket enables faster, easier and safer rebuilds compared to traditional buckets,” the company said. “In addition, the basket design can evolve with mine site conditions to further reduce downtime and optimise capacity over the life of the bucket.”

The durable upper structure of a bucket will host several baskets during its long service life, thus the need for optimising basket replacement, Cat said. Also, the two-piece bucket is lighter than conventional buckets, yet features high wear resistance, according to the company.

“The basket is a single piece of structural steel with no liner or wear plates, and the floor and sideplate thickness are optimised for bucket size and anticipated wear rate,” Cat said. “The basket is retrofittable onto legacy buckets used in compatible digging conditions.”

The two-piece bucket enhances both safety and serviceability, according to the company.

Replacing just the basket requires less gouging, welding, and grinding than buckets protected with wear plates, while the single-piece basket design reduces potential hazards caused by stored energy.

“After the initial design is completed for the application, replaceable baskets can be ordered in advance and stocked on site,” Cat said.

Weir ESCO expands Nemisys tooth system offering for hydraulic excavators

Equipment maintenance, Mining consumables, Mining safety, Mining services, , , , ,

Weir’s ESCO division says it has extended its Nemisys mining tooth system to a new range of excavators.

The expanded Nemisys offering serves as a direct upgrade and replacement for the SV2® system and competitor weld-on systems for plate lip hydraulic excavators, it said.

Earlier this year, the company introduced the Nemisys N70 Lip System for hydraulic excavators as it looks to expand the tooth system’s reach beyond the large mining shovels, large excavators and wheel loaders it was initially developed for.

This latest addition will see the mining tooth system support 160 ton (145 t), 200 ton (181 t) and 250 ton (227 t) excavators.

“Operating on over 700 machines worldwide, the Nemisys system has demonstrated market leadership in reliability, site safety and enhancing machine performance,” the company said.

ESCO says the Nemisys system features hammerless locking mechanisms for greater safety and easy replacement, while the slim contoured profile improves bucket loading and reduces fill energy.

“The system is also known for reducing or eliminating unplanned downtime, providing major improvement in cost reduction and balancing machine maintenance cycles,” it said.

CR readying new cast lip system for large wheel loader buckets

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

CR is preparing a new addition to its DecaEdge™ range of cast lip systems for large wheel loader buckets, with the new product due for public release by the end of the year.

The new DecaEdge DE2553 cast lip will complement the existing range and suit large mining wheel loader buckets with capacities between 14 cu.m and 20 cu.m, according to the company.

DecaEdge leverages the experience of CR’s RazerEdge™ cast lip range which revolutionised the market for 100 t to 400 t excavator lip and ground engaging tool (GET) systems, the company said. CR already has two lips in the market for the Komatsu L1850 and L2350, WA1200 and Cat 994 wheel loaders.

With over 160,000 combined operating hours and counting, a DecaEdge lip can last for up to 25,000 operating hours with no major rebuilds, according to the company. The system removes outdated plate lip features by employing integral cast noses and better material placement to achieve plane alignment and spade angle optimisation, delivering an over 33% reduction in total cost of ownership of the lip and GET system, according to CR’s General Manager of Product Management, Quintin Nienaber.

“It also eliminates the need for wear blocks and wear packages,” Nienaber says. “The specially designed teeth and shrouds are designed to also protect the lip, which means that every time a ground engaging tool is replaced, the underside wear package is refreshed, simplifying the maintenance process and reducing the demand on maintenance teams,” Nienaber says.

CR said the DecaEdge DE2553 is anticipated to uphold the durability and maintenance savings benefits experienced with the current DecaEdge range.

“CR is excited to broaden the range of this revolutionary technology,” it added.

Multotec makes an impact in the Pilbara with Ceradox screen panel

Equipment maintenance, Mineral processing, Mining consumables, Mining equipment, Mining maintenance, Mining services, Steel and iron ore, , , , , , ,

Multotec has combined Hardox blocks and alumina ceramic tiles to come up with a new high impact screen panel that, it says, cuts plant downtime and boosts mine productivity.

The Ceradox panel boasts more than double the wear life of traditional rubber panels, according to Multotec, with the innovation developed during 2019 in response to a request from an iron ore mining customer in Australia’s Pilbara region.

Three months of testing delivered results that exceeded expectations, according to Multotec Screening Product Manager, Shawn Faba.

“The customer needed a panel with an extended wear life, so that they only needed to conduct replacements during the regular maintenance shutdown every 12 weeks,” Faba said. “Our testing demonstrated that the panels were lasting 24 weeks and longer.”

Through a close collaboration between Multotec South Africa, Multotec Australia and the customer, a solution was developed and proved for a demanding application on scalper screens, it said.

Faba explained: “Designed for the impact area of the scalper screen, the Ceradox panel must withstand the impact of material up to 300 mm in size falling from a discharge height of up to 3 m. It must also resist high levels of abrasion from the ore.”

The resulting design leverages the impact strength of the Hardox blocks and the abrasion resistance of the ceramic tiles, embedded in Multotec’s proprietary rubber formulation, helping absorb the energy of the falling material, according to the company. The panels are manufactured locally at Multotec’s high-volume facilities in Gauteng, South Africa, which include a rubber mixing plant run by experienced specialists.

Faba noted that the 305 mm square Ceradox panels can be manufactured to different thicknesses from 50 mm to 100 mm.

“With our local manufacturing capability, we can achieve short lead times and deliver to anywhere in the world,” he said.

Multotec says it already supplies about 35% of the screening media to the iron ore mines in the Pilbara area.

PureGRAPH enhanced bucket liners supplied to second WA iron ore miner

Equipment maintenance, Mining consumables, Mining services, Steel and iron ore, , , , , ,

First Graphene says several new PureGRAPH® enhanced bucket liners have been supplied by its newGen customer to a major iron ore producer in the Pilbara of Western Australia.

newGen uses PureGRAPH high-performing graphene additives from First Graphene to manufacture its ArmourGRAPH rubber wear linings. These linings, the company says, offer outstanding strength and wear characteristics, increasing the life of wear linings and leading to significant productivity benefits for the mine.

This is the second trial of PureGRAPH high-performing graphene additives at iron ore mining operations in the state.

Back in December, newGen confirmed it had provided an ArmourGRAPH bucket liner to a major iron ore producer for a trial containing PureGRAPH20. According to the company, the bucket liner showed no signs of advanced wear or scalloping as would normally be experienced with the liners currently used in industry after 24 weeks of use.

It said the client would continue the trial, with a further inspection to be undertaken in another 12 weeks.

On top of the bucket liners, the second iron ore miner intends to also install PureGRAPH in other process equipment such as conveyor skirting products, First Graphene says.

The company said: “PureGRAPH enhanced wear liners continue to be adopted across the mining industry, due to their extended life, ease of use and enhanced fire retardancy properties. As the benefits continue to be validated, the industry is expected to adopt graphene-enhanced materials as a standard approach.”

Craig McGuckin, Managing Director for First Graphene, said: “Adoption of PureGRAPH enhanced products by another major iron ore producer is evidence of the quality of First Graphene’s products. Only First Graphene has the capacity to deliver tonnage volumes of high-performing graphene to users as they adopt graphene into their products.”

Mineral Resources adds crushing wear parts expertise with acquisition of MWP

Bulk handling, Comminution of minerals, Equipment maintenance, Mineral processing, Mining consumables, Mining equipment, Mining mergers and acquisitions, Mining services, , , , , , , , , ,

Mineral Resources Ltd says it has completed the acquisition of Mining Wear Parts (MWP), a privately-owned company that provides specialist parts to the mining, quarrying and recycling industries across Australia.

MWP, based in Brisbane and with operations in Western Australia, was established by David Macfarlane in 2016. Since then it has grown to become a leading and profitable national supplier of replacement parts used in crushing, milling, slurry pumps, mobile equipment and various consumable products such as castings, according to Mineral Resources.

As part of the transaction, Macfarlane will continue to lead MWP, which will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Mineral Resources’ CSI Mining Services business (CSI). It is the company’s intention to retain the Mining Wear Parts trading name.

“Under its new ownership structure, MWP will have access to CSI’s financial, strategic and operational capabilities to execute the next step-up in its national growth plans,” Mineral Resources said. “In addition to accelerating MWP’s growth, MRL will incorporate the MWP business into the company’s Kwinana workshop as a first step towards establishing a fitting and services arm for the parts supplied by MWP.”

Mineral Resources Chief Operating Officer, Mike Grey, said: “As a leading provider in the mining services sector, with a significant footprint in crushing, in particular, the acquisition of Mining Wear Parts is a logical addition to the Mineral Resources Group of Companies and will allow us to further vertically integrate our supply chain.

“Mineral Resources, through CSI Mining Services, will be a significant client of Mining Wear Parts but we also look forward to introducing and expanding Mining Wear Parts and its quality service offering to our client base to deliver value-adding opportunities for all.”

Macfarlane, meanwhile, said: “With the support of Mineral Resources, Mining Wear Parts will be able to morph very quickly into a larger business with the ability to significantly increase our range of stocked parts and products and build a large technical and experienced base to better support and service our national client base.

“Importantly, Mineral Resources aligns with the culture we have established at Mining Wear Parts of being innovative and delivering value-adding solutions for our clients.

“Together, we will be able to grow Mining Wear Parts’ presence in the repairs and service markets by bringing the best service people, backed by premium wear and spare parts, the most advanced workshops such as Mineral Resources’ Kwinana facility and tooling for the best outcome for all of our clients.”

Weir Minerals makes an impact with Linard modular anti-abrasion panels

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

Weir Minerals says it has developed new modular anti-abrasion panels that can reduce downtime caused by high impact and abrasive wear in mines and quarries.

Linard®, developed by Weir Minerals engineers and inspired by its customers’ everyday pain points, is available in 30 mm and 50 mm thicknesses, and ideally suited to minimising wear and maintenance in localised impact and wear points, the company said.

The outstanding wear life is owed to the wear material, according to Weir Minerals.

Linard HD60 rubber is configured in a rigid self-sealing construction with steel backing, while the optional composite ceramic (92% alumina) or high-chromium white iron inserts add to the wear life of the panels, Weir Minerals said.

Mark Doyle, Global Product Manager – Rubber, Spool and Hose for Weir Minerals, said: “Our new Linard panels have been designed from the ground up to last in some of the most arduous wear applications.

“Depending on the customer’s needs, we offer composite panels with either ceramic or high chromium white iron inserts, which combined with our Linard HD60 rubber compound to deliver world-class impact and abrasion resistance in chutes, hoppers and under-pans.”

Optimised through comprehensive trials in real mine site applications, Linard outperforms the competition time and again, Weir Minerals said.

Linard modular anti-abrasion panels improved wear life by 10 times replacing a competitor’s teflon wear panels in chutes across two quarries run by Boral Australia, saving more than A$12,000 ($7,605) per annum in direct costs and achieving significant uptime increases due to a 90% reduction in shutdowns, the company claimed.

“The 300 mm² panels interlock to facilitate quick and easy installation and replacement, while reducing the potential for fine material to ingress between the panels,” Weir Minerals said. “Linard modular anti-abrasion panels are supplied in a convenient kit including a range of hold down plugs, and capability to supply drawn arc studs where needed to provide a convenient off-the-shelf but customisable solution to the application.”

Paul Duthy, Wear Solutions Product Manager, Weir Minerals, said the company’s engineers can replace the Linard panels in minutes, reducing the amount of time they need to spend in chutes and other confined spaces.

“They are a bolt-in, bolt-out solution and being modular, they’re easy to fit onto any flat surface that requires extra protection,” he said. “This also makes it easy to swap around composite and standard panels to ensure the highest wear areas are the best protected.”

ESCO brings Nemisys lip system to hydraulic excavator market

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

ESCO says it is introducing the Nemisys N70 Lip System for hydraulic excavators as it looks to expand the tooth system’s reach beyond the large mining shovels, large excavators and wheel loaders it was initially developed for.

The Nemisys tooth system is a field-proven performer with installations on over 500 machines worldwide, ESCO, which was acquired by Weir in 2018, said. It helps reduce maintenance costs through improved reliability, faster and safer replacement, and improved lip coverage.

The N70 lip system features an integrated single-side lock for easier and faster removal to minimise machine downtime during maintenance cycles. The hammerless lock provides improved engagement with the nose to significantly reduce the chance of point loss and unplanned downtime. Adapters, meanwhile, feature a triple wear cap system to protect both legs.

The Nemisys N70 components are available to upgrade existing buckets to the premier ESCO system for exceptional performance and a lower cost of ownership over conventional lip systems, the company said.

ESCO is a leading designer, manufacturer and provider of highly engineered wear and replacement products and services essential to the performance of our customers’ equipment used in mining, construction and industrial applications.

Multotec liners scrub up nicely for Morocco phosphate mine

Bulk handling, Comminution of minerals, Equipment maintenance, Mine operation news, Mineral processing, Mining equipment, Mining maintenance, Mining services, , , , , , , ,

In one of its largest scrubber installations to date, Multotec Rubber is helping a phosphate mine in Morocco achieve new levels of efficiency thanks to the installation of customised liners.

The scrubbers measure 6.5 m in diameter and 11 m in length – large dimensions necessitated by the process plant throughput of 12 Mt/y. The installation, conducted during the March quarter of 2019, was carried out in response to a serious challenge faced by the customer. The existing head plates were wearing out at double the rate of the shell plates. This was leading to additional maintenance shutdowns during the life of the liners, with associated extra costs.

According to Mohamed Trabelsi, Senior Sales Engineer at Multotec Rubber, the collaboration with the customer included sending a Multotec team to site to first assess the situation. Multotec already had a longstanding relationship with the customer at this process plant, with Multotec trommel screens having operated successfully at the plant for over three years.

“Our team of engineers were on site to gather vital operating information including throughput tonnages, particle size, charge levels and rotational speed,” Trabelsi said. “We also assessed the variable speed drive system.”

This data was processed using the Rocky DEM simulation software, in which Multotec Rubber has made a significant investment. Leveraged by engineers, this software can simulate the full lifecycle of liners and predict when the scrubber will no longer perform efficiently, according to the company.

Rocky DEM allows engineers to accurately simulate all operating parameters in the scrubber. These include the shape and size of ore particles in the slurry being fed into the scrubber slurry, the charge level, the linings, attrition rates, particle trajectories and the scrubber’s rotational speed, Multotec Rubber says.

“We can therefore simulate the actual operating conditions of the scrubber, as well as the performance of the head and shell liners,” Trabelsi said. “Upon our assessment of the results, it was found we needed a different configuration of liners to the previous one in this application. In fact, the solution was a uniquely designed liner configuration – quite different to what is traditionally used.”

He notes that, in Multotec’s experience of high throughput scrubber applications, it is critical to lift the material away from the head plate, thereby alleviating the sliding abrasion which causes excessive wear.

“Our objective was to ensure optimum wear life with the lowest total operating costs,” Trabelsi said. “Efficiency was enhanced by ensuring that the liner profile configuration was suited to the specific operating conditions. By doing this, the wear life in this application has been improved.”

Since installation, the liners have been performing in line with the customer’s expectations and are expected to have a lifespan of over five years. These lifecycle predictions also allowed the payback period to be accurately determined, assisting the customer in making the best operational and financial decision, the company said.

The liners are locally manufactured at Multotec Rubber’s ISO 9001:2015 facility near Johannesburg, South Africa, which has benefitted from continued investment in technology over the years, the company said.

“Our quality manufacturing facility expedites the production of liners engineered for individual applications,” Trabelsi said. “The entire process from design stage to installation took just 12 weeks – in response to the urgency resulting from the premature failure of the previous scrubber lining installation.”

Trabelsi also noted that – even after finding an appropriate solution – mines must constantly anticipate changing conditions in their process plants.

“As mines develop, the orebody changes; this brings changes to their throughput capacities and mill operating parameters,” he said. “If a process plant has liners that have run for 10 years, it is not necessarily a given that this liner configuration is still suitable for the application.”

He emphasises that it is critical to conduct an assessment exercise in every application, before quoting on a replacement liner. Most importantly, the liners should be engineered in accordance with the current operational parameters of the mine.

“This is why Multotec Rubber considers it so important that our engineers go to site and assess the actual mill operating data for themselves,” he said. “This makes it possible for us to gain access to the information from the plant operating system, so that the best solution can be engineered for the mine.”

Correctly designed liners will offer greater energy efficiency and reduce media consumption, according to Trabelsi. This is significant, as energy input and media consumption account for around 80% of the grinding costs in the plant – depending on the application.

“The more we are able to simulate, the more accurate information becomes available,” Trabelsi said. “We are then able to accurately predict the savings and payback period that could be expected at the plant – as a result of improved efficiency and reduced power consumption per tonne.”

Metso’s Ersmark rubber and poly-met wear parts facility to close

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

Following a review in its Minerals Consumables business area in EMEA, Metso has decided to discontinue operations at the rubber and poly-met wear parts manufacturing facility in Ersmark, Sweden.

Metso announced back in September it was starting “personnel negotiations” to review the implications at rubber and poly-met wear part production units in Ersmark and Trelleborg, Sweden. It has now decided to ramp down operations at Ersmark in stages from the beginning of the June quarter, with full closure expected in September quarter, it said.

The decision affects approximately 150 manufacturing related positions in Ersmark.

Sami Takaluoma, President, Minerals Consumables business area, said: “Our strategy is to improve productivity and reduce logistics costs by building on the most efficient manufacturing and sourcing opportunities at a regional and global level to ensure the best value and availability for our customers.

“During the negotiations, we evaluated the EMEA region as a whole and came to the conclusion that consolidating the rubber and poly-met manufacturing operations in Sweden was the only feasible solution.

“This is a very unpleasant yet necessary action. Going forward, our focus will be on ensuring a sustainable transition for Ersmark as well as uninterrupted service to our customers.”

The company concluded: “Today, Metso is the leading player in the rubber and poly-met mill lining business with a strong service network in all the main mining markets. In addition to Ersmark, Metso has another factory continuing synthetic wear part production in Trelleborg, Sweden, and nine other factories for synthetic solutions globally.”