Tools & Maintenance

Rust is a symptom of industrial work sites, usually forming when steel or iron becomes exposed to water and oxygen for periods of time.
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The rust is history

Rust is a pesky symptom of industrial work sites, usually forming when steel or iron becomes exposed to water and oxygen for extended periods of time. While actions can be taken to avoid excessive build-up on tools and equipment, it persists as a common problem in dust and moisture-heavy environments. Read More
A good approach to industrial maintenance has led many industry players to factor in issues before they arise, reducing equipment failure.
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Dry or wet, LOCTITE has you set

Benjamin Franklin famously once said that “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” This approach to industrial maintenance has led many industry players to factor in issues before they arise, ultimately reducing equipment failure and subsequent losses. Read More
Digital monitoring of synchronous drive belts for QLD natural gas company
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Digital monitoring of synchronous drive belts for QLD natural gas company

Digitalisation and component monitoring are quickly becoming integral aspects to present-day mining environments. Processes such as cataloguing, inventory control, product lifespan assessment, and design initiatives can be significantly bolstered by the incorporation of integrated software programs. The ability to compare and contrast belting solutions on large plants can ensure that the best application is fitted to the correct tension, pull and alignment.

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block
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Solid block bearing units are good as gold

When it comes to performance in punishing environments, the Timken® spherical roller bearing solid-block housed units are as good as gold. Which was certainly the case when Michael Greelish had these units installed in a Queensland gold mine. “These unitised housings have multiple features that make them a great choice for conveying applications in the mines and quarry sector,” says the National Segment Manager for Mines, Quarries and Resources at CBC Australia. “In the case of the gold mine, we began using them on their tail drums due to failures from contamination with their previous standard bearings. The Timken units have been so successful that they’ve now installed them on all the head and gravity take up pulleys.” The solid-block housed units are literally solid-blocks of steel that have been designed to eliminate the risk of bearing contamination. “These units are completely sealed off and come pre-assembled – unlike standard bearings which are supplied in separate components, the bearing, housing and sleeve is all included,” Michael explains. “With standard bearings, if you need to install or have to replace them, you need to remove all the componentry, and on mining or quarry sites, that means you’ve got maintenance staff trying to fit them on conveyors in difficult conditions. All it takes is one small gust of wind and the dust blows in and contaminates the bearing while you’re trying to fit it.” The Timken® spherical roller bearing solid-block housed units remove this risk. Read More
motors
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The business sense of adopting high-efficiency motors in mining

The topic of greenhouse gas emissions came to the fore recently as world leaders attended a climate summit in April and made new pledges towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions as part of their countries’ Paris Agreement commitments. In Australia, the electricity sector is the biggest polluter, accounting for 33% of the country’s greenhouse gas emissions.1Any efforts to curb electricity consumption in heavy industries like mining helps the country inch closer to its target of slashing greenhouse gas emissions by 26-28% by 2030 on a 2005 baseline. This is particularly critical considering that the domestic mining sector consumes roughly 500 petajoules per year, which is 10% of the country’s total energy use.2 Michael Greelish, National Accounts Manager – Mining at CBC says adopting high-efficiency motors, with IE3 ratings and above, is one way by which mines can adhere to their emission reduction goals while also reducing their operating costs considerably. As a key supplier of electric motors to major mines in Australia, CBC works closely with motor manufacturers, such as TECO, to work out the cost-benefits of adopting high-efficiency motors in mines, as well as in other industries. In fact, Michael says CBC’s technical teams are often engaged by their industrial customers to conduct audits to estimate a plants’ yearly electricity expenditure and potential savings with high-efficiency motors. In one such audit recently, Michael says the CBC and TECO technical teams were able to calculate annual savings of $69,000 on electricity charges and CO2 reduction of 485.7 tonnes per year for a gold mine in Queensland simply by switching to high-efficiency TECO motors.  Read More
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Dealing with particle abrasion wear in coal processing

The impact of particle abrasion wear on equipment used in coal processing can be significant. Ever-persistent abrasion and wear takes a major toll on centrifuges, pulverisers, conveyors, chutes, augers, and other equipment. It can ultimately cause unexpected, costly downtime or greatly reduced equipment life. For a major coal mine in Queensland, high abrasion from coarse coal in the dewatering centrifuge – used to extract excess water before stockpiling– meant the mine had to partially dismantle the centrifuge and remove the four chutes every 12 to 15 weeks to re-coat the internal surfaces of the chutes with a wearing compound. The frequent re-coating required a minimum of 72 hours of labour time, over a 12-month period.  Read More
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Robust and versatile welding solutions for mines

While BSC, part of Motion Asia Pacific’s group of businesses, is well regarded in the mining industry as a supplier of specialty bearings and power transmission solutions, BSC Welding Product Manager Michael Rowe would like to reiterate that BSC staff are also all qualified to help their customers when it comes to choosing the right welding machines.  “BSC is a distribution partner with Welding Industries of Australia (WIA), which offers a range of versatile welding solutions from leading welding brands such as Miller and Hobart. BSC branches across Australia have access to the full range of WIA products. Our staff are also supported by the WIA sales teams in every state, who provide them with assistance not only in choice and selection, but also through training and education on the WIA product line,” says Michael. Fuhai Liu, WIA’s Product and Sales Manager for End Markets, says WIA’s engine driven and multi-process invertor welding machines are designed to address many of the common challenges faced by welders in remote mines sites – both on the field and in the workshop. One of the usages for welding equipment in the mining industry is for gouging. These types of repairs often take place on remote sites, where the welder is working far from the power source. Fuhai says the engine driven Miller Big Blue®machines are the perfect fit for such applications. Read More