Mining Mirror October 2018 | Page 41

Spiraling in the right direction
BMG has extended its range of Eaton Winner hose and fittings to include Eaton ’ s latest generation of 4S / 6S spiral hose and hose fittings , designed for use in high-pressure hydraulic systems used in mobile machinery and equipment .
These new Eaton 4S / 6S hose assemblies — which refer to the 4-spiral and 6-spiral wire reinforcement of the hose approved with respective 4S and 6S series fittings — exceed stringent industry specifications .
“ This new series of spiral hose fittings incorporates major technological advancements in fitting design , which provides a high-performing spiral hose assembly for the most demanding applications ,” explains David Dyce , business unit manager : Fluid Technology at BMG . “ Three outstanding features of this recently launched range include the elimination of cool-down leakage , advanced metal fitting corrosion protection , and a simple , user-friendly hose-fitting assembly process .”
Reaching inaccessible places
The Elios collision-tolerant drone was used to inspect a high-vacuum furnace at the SAPREF refinery in KwaZulu-Natal .
The scope of the project was to inspect the hard-to-reach places that are extremely difficult or dangerous for humans to enter . The drone enters the tight or even inaccessible space from the outside of the unit , while the pilot , the CHB expert Visual Observer ( VO ) and engineers monitor the inspection via a live feed on a monitor .
Flying from chamber to chamber , the drone detects any irregularities on the screen . The VO can report immediately if a chamber is safe to enter . “ It ’ s his job to focus on the safety of the drone pilot , while the pilot ’ s focus is on flying the drone ,” says Skyriders marketing manager , Mike Zinn .
The March 2018 inspection took just a day to complete , equating to a massive time-saving over previous methods . “ All parties were so impressed with the results produced by the drone that we are in the process of putting together a memorandum of understanding ( MoU ) with CHB for future inspections ,” Zinn reveals .
With the drone technology , Skyriders is now able to carry out difficult or high-risk inspections such as those at chemical plants and power generation plants . “ The timing , efficiency , and safety initiatives required with chemical plants , in particular , means that sending a machine into potentially harmful environments , rather than humans , gives us peace of mind , and a huge reduction in potential injuries . Being able to enter difficult places means drones can ensure the areas are safe before general work continues . It ’ s definitely the way forward ,” Zinn comments .
Compressors ’ rugged environments
Drill to deeper depths while using less fuel on average with the dual-pressure PG 1200S-350 ELGi compressor .
Integrated Air Solutions
ELGi has a range of compressors that includes both electric oil-lubricated and oil-free rotary screw machines , high-pressure diesel-driven as well as centrifugal and portable air compressors . The compressor range has shown itself to be suited to southern Africa ’ s rugged environment . One of the compressors is the ELGi high-pressure diesel-driven compressor .
Key applications for ELGi ’ s highpressure diesel-driven compressors include water well , exploration , post hole , down-the-hole ( DTH ), and auger drilling . ELGi ’ s electric compressor range is finding wide acceptance in the general industry and mining sectors .
The PG 1200-350 is the latest in ELGi ’ s compressor range . “ This new kid on the block is the answer to improved efficiency and productivity and reduced operating costs — critical factors in determining the sustainability of any business . This remarkable dual-pressure machine enables the end-user to drill to deeper depths while using less fuel on average ,” comments Integrated Air Solutions CEO , Graham Russell .
OCTOBER 2018 MINING MIRROR [ 39 ]