DRIVES & CONTROLS
Regal Rexord ' s uptime powertrain focus
At MINExpo 2024 , IM met with Robin Schmidt , Regal Rexnord Sales Manager Mining - NA & SA Industrial for Powertrain Solutions . He commented : “ At Regal Rexnord , we offer one of the mining industry ’ s leading premium , TCO-focused powertrain solutions . And it is a comprehensive one – the only exception being the motor , but in most cases the customer for various reasons will opt for the motor brand they want to drop in locally .”
The company had a full example conveyor powertrain setup at the event including a motor , fluid coupling , rigid couplings to keep the fluid couplings on the shaft , then a V-Class Falk gearbox , Falk grid couplings , Rex roller bearings , plus its new Perceptiv™ IIoT monitoring technology . The display also had a Falk NRT backstop , typically used on overland uphill conveyors – plus showed a last resort dynamic brake that would be used on downhill conveyors using a hydraulic system controlled by the state-of-the-art SOBO ® iQ , which is the next generation of Svendborg ’ s industry-leading SOBO ® ( Soft Braking Option ) braking controller .
Schmidt : “ Most of the time we use a failsafe brake that can act quickly in the event of a power loss and the VFD can no longer stop the conveyor . We have a separate battery powered back up accumulator with oil reserves and everything it needs – the scope is unique in the industry when combined with SOBO ® iQ .”
He said Perceptiv acts like a gateway that connects everything together then connects with the customer via the cloud – on a conveyor , Perceptiv remote vibration and temperature monitoring provides early detection of issues on gearboxes , motors and bearings , including gear wear or damage , bent components , misalignment , bearing defects , mounting issues and even oil cleanliness . It can also carry out coupling and torque monitoring as well as monitoring of the brake system .
Normally , the conveyor project EPCM would come up with project specifications and bring in an overall conveyor system provider – such as FLS , TAKRAF , Beumer or similar – then they would do the detailed engineering and design and in turn reach out to suppliers for key components and modules . This is where Regal Rexnord would become involved and provide its solution based on the given torque figure from which it will carry out all the necessary calculations on heat and stress to make sure that the system will work in practice .
Regal Rexnord is present in all the major mining markets – including South Africa , Australia , China , Europe , and the Americas . Mostly via direct sales with only a few exceptions . Schmidt : “ We learned a long time ago that in order to truly know what is going on , get the voice of the customer and really sell the TCO approach that we have to be locally present . We are there on the ground for troubleshooting or overhauls and repairs .” The components themselves are made in different locations depending on the brand – for example Falk products are made in North America ,
Robin Schmidt , Regal Rexnord Sales Manager Mining - NA & SA Industrial for Powertrain Solutions at MINExpo 2024
Svendborg in Denmark and Twiflex in the UK . “ Everything is brought together by the Regal Rexnord Powertrain Solutions team – if a customer has purchased a powertrain package , we can ship everything to our Milwaukee plant and bring it all together there before sending it on to the customer .”
IM also saw Regal Rexnord ’ s Universal Control ( UC ) Case , which serves as a versatile tool for remote support and data visualisation during commissioning or service of Svendborg Brakes braking systems . Schmidt : “ If the end user has this UCC , and they have a conveyor breakdown , hooking it up means we can remotely log in and run diagnostics to decide if it is an issue with our system or on their side . If we think it is on our system , before our people arrive on site we can ensure they have the right equipment and parts with them .”
Schmidt also said that in some major markets like copper in Chile , customers have asked Regal Rexnord to remove competitor backstop and braking equipment because there was no local support when there was an issue . He also emphasised the advantage with Regal Rexnord of having a single point of contact for a range of different components . This is important during the design and development phase but also in the aftermarket . Instead of having to piece together the problem , Regal Rexnord has ownership of the whole powertrain system so it is much easier to pinpoint any issues and resolve them . “ We actually have more technical and service engineers in the mining markets than we do salespeople as for us , it is about uptime . The quicker you can be on site to address a problem and the better products you can put forward , the more uptime the mining customer is going to have .”
seamless and high-performing solution .
They will also leverage the combined strengths and established networks of both companies to effectively target and capture new opportunities in the Australian and Indonesian mining sectors ; as well as implement coordinated initiatives to promote the combined solutions and engage with key stakeholders across the mining value chain .
In the after market , they will also deliver comprehensive technical expertise and aftersales service to ensure optimal performance and customer satisfaction .
“ This partnership exemplifies our commitment to providing customers with ““ complete solutions that optimise their operations , reduce energy consumption and increase competitiveness . By combining our expertise with TECO ' s , we are confident in our ability to deliver exceptional value and drive sustainable growth in the mining industry ,” says Krisada Phetsuksiri , Head of Asia Pacific & India Regions , Danfoss Drives .
President of TECO , Thomas Fann , says : “ In response to the increasing demand for key mineral resources driven by the global energy transition , the strategic combination of TECO ’ s motors and Danfoss ’ inverters will provide mining
customers with high-efficiency and energy-saving power solutions . Specifically targeting key countries rich in lithium , copper , and nickel , such as Australia and Indonesia , TECO and Danfoss Taiwan will actively collaborate to develop green opportunities .”
This strategic partnership between Danfoss Asia Pacific and TECO they say marks a significant step towards providing the Australian and Indonesian mining industry with cuttingedge technologies and comprehensive support , enabling them to enhance productivity , reduce environmental impact , and achieve sustainable growth .
IM
24 International Mining | NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2024