MINE MAINTENANCE
Its new Cavex 2 hydrocyclones , equipped with Synertrex , for example , are automatically alerting operators to roping or blockage conditions ahead of time , ensuring the hydrocyclones continue to run under optimal operating conditions .
Debra Switzer , Global Product Manager for Hydrocyclones at Weir Minerals , explained recently : “ To minimise the amount of bypass that is produced in any hydrocyclone , it is favourable for it to operate in the semi-roping condition . This is often difficult to do continuously because any upset in the hydrocyclone ’ s feed conditions could move it into the roping condition but , with Synertrex , this balancing act can be closely managed .”
Marshall says this type of analysis on hydrocyclones is also evolving .
“ At the moment , the output of the Synertrex system is an enunciation back to the control room saying ‘ hey , you have a problem , you need to do something about this ’.
“ We are now moving towards automating that feedback and having an automated system that corrects the operation of the cyclone cluster . We ’ re calling that cyclone loop control .”
As well as this advanced Synertrex control optionality , the company is working on developing entry-level systems for the wider market .
It is in the process of testing a small ‘ smart ’ sensor that can be fitted to the likes of transfer pumps and flotation circuit pumps for offline condition monitoring purposes .
“ These are less critical items that will benefit from having some monitoring capabilities , but not necessarily with cloud ingestion and full online condition monitoring ,” Marshall explained .
These new sensors will allow field service technicians and key account managers to walk up to sensor-equipped pumps on site , scan the sensors and download the operational history of the pumps from the sensor via Bluetooth or a wireless connection . “ That gives the technicians a log of what has happened with that pump , cyclone , screen , etc over time ,” Marshall said . “ When they get back into the office and have connection to the internet , the data will be uploaded to the cloud to help form a database of the equipment at that particular customer site .”
Marshall says the ambition is that all smaller-scale equipment that comes out of Weir ’ s plant will be equipped with these smart sensors , but they will also be offered as a retrofit option for the company ’ s suite of equipment already out in the field . This offering could be released to market towards the end of the first half of 2021 .
Major maintenance breakthroughs
COVID-19 has also acted as a catalyst for others in the mine maintenance game , such as Dingo and its Trakka ® maintenance software .
The company recently signed a global agreement with Newmont that saw the leading gold miner expand the use of Trakka to manage the workflow generated from its Operations Support Hubs in Perth , Western Australia , and Denver , Colorado . Dingo will provide continuous support to seven connected sites and hundreds of users , the company said in the press release .
While Dingo has a partnership with Newmont that dates back more than 20 years , the global Trakka pact is a sign the miner has confidence in the Brisbaneheadquartered company ’ s ability to not only deliver condition monitoring solutions for its fleet of mobile and fixed machinery , but also advanced predictive maintenance insights for its operations .
Discussing the wider issues associated with fixed and mobile machinery maintenance , Chuck Tollman , Dingo ’ s VP of Customer Success , said condition monitoring of haul trucks continues to be a focus area for miners .
“ There are significant industry pain points around haul trucks ,” he told IM . “ There is just a lot more opportunity for cost reductions in that area , particularly from a parts / asset cost perspective .”
Whereas in the fixed plant environment , monitoring solutions are employed to increase production and reduce downtime , the focus for mobile machinery operators is typically about how to reduce sustaining capital spend .
“ On the mobile equipment side , the haul truck engine might be more of a cyclical maintenance concern , but it represents a very high cost component in the $ 400,000 range ,” he said . “ It is also sent out for a rebuild much more often than , for example , a gear box in a fixed plant environment .”
The number of companies able to provide fixed plant digital maintenance solutions are vast , but the mobile equipment monitoring market is far less crowded , according to Tollman .
“ The applications and technology in the fixed plant environment advanced much quicker thanks to a number of manufacturing solutions ,” he said . “ This has made it much easier to maintain as there is broader utilisation of and access to sensor-based
“ On the mobile equipment side , the haul truck engine might be more of a cyclical maintenance concern , but it represents a very high cost component in the $ 400,000 range ,” Dingo ’ s Chuck Tollman says
solutions across the mining industry . “ However , the mobile environment is starting to catch up with more sensors , on-board data , etc but it has a big gap to close .”
Dingo has historically been known for its fluid analysis on mobile machinery , but in the last decade it has taken a more holistic view of mine maintenance , according to Tollman , providing dynamic monitoring of onboard machine health data , operational data , visual inspections , and work history .
It is this dynamic monitoring expertise that is differentiating Dingo from the rest of the market , according to Tollman .
This agility goes beyond just its monitoring capabilities . Dingo has also been able to adapt to the new environment created by COVID-19 .
“ There wasn ’ t an established remote implementation process for Dingo in the past , but we quickly adapted ,” Tollman said of the way the company continued to execute new business in the face of COVID-19 restrictions .
“ We gathered all the materials needed to on-board new customers , and made it a virtual offering ,” he said . “ We conduct the same training modules as if the customer was there , face-to-face , but by remote video .”
With a string of Trakka implementations across the Spanish speaking market , Tollman estimates the company has already surpassed the growth expectations set out at the start of 2020 .
Dingo is continuing to adapt to the reality of minimal staff at site , recognising the need to create more remote and mobile tools for its customers .
“ A portion of our product roadmap has been focused on developing tools that can be utilised for special inspection applications , for instance ,” Tollman said . “ These tools work perfectly for sending critical
46 International Mining | JANUARY 2021