MechChem Africa November-December 2021

⎪ Minerals processing and materials handling ⎪

New presses for Multotec Rubber Responding to the rising demand, Multotec has added two new rubber vulcanisation presses at its extensive local manufacturing facility in Spartan, Gauteng, raising quality levels while reducing lead times for customers. T he new addition of two modern rubber vulcanisation presses at Multotec’s Spartan manufacturing facility have improved the produc- presses are two stripping tables: one directly in front of the press to pull the mould out of the daylight opening; and a side stripping table to pull out the firstmould tomake space for the second. This allows semi-automated loading and unloading, further accelerating the process.

tion capacity of the facility as well as the dimensional capability in the production of lifter bars, shell plates, head plates and grate plates for mill linings. According to ThandoMakhoba, managing director ofMultotecRubber, the newhydrau- lic presses have larger daylight openings to accommodate higher throughput and larger sized products. One of the new presses, the largest yet installedbyMultotec, is among the largest in South Africa’s wear lining industry. With a 2.7 m long platen size, it is 1.9 mwide, boasts a 1.1 m daylight opening and a press with a 3 600 t load capacity. “This enables us to produce lifter bars up to 400 mm wide, with advanced human-machine interface (HMI) software and a locally developed PLC control system,” says Makhoba. “It also means we can improve our production rates, so that we reduce the lead time on these items for customers.” He highlights the safety benefits of the new units, with the HMI hardware and soft- ware allowing operators to have less physi- cal engagement with the machines during production. Adding to efficiency onone of the

Technical manager at Multotec Rubber, Waldo Verster, says the new presses allow Multotec to press more units per cycle, with one press capable of pressing between seven and14 lifterbars at a time. “Thesepresses also improve our ability to service the demand for integrated liners, allowing us to integrate up to two lifter bars and two shell plates – or two lifter bars and two head plates – into a single liner,” says Verster. “For the customer, these integrated liners are quicker to install, so they reduce mill re- lining time. And they are also safer, as they can be installed by a mill liner handler operated from outside the mill.” A further opportunity for the new equip- ment is the market demand for larger lifter bars, as fewcompanies canproduce lifter bars measuring 400 mm wide and 350 mm high. Makhoba notes that the installations dem- onstrate Multotec’s commitment to taking a technological lead in its sector, to optimise the operations of its customers. “This also allows us to deliver high local

Top: Thando Makhoba, Managing Director at Multotec Rubber. Bottom: Waldo Verster, Technical Manager at Multotec Rubber.

content in our products, in line with the aims of the Mining Charter,” he says. “To the best of our knowledge, we are the only mill lining supplier in the country with a local content certification from the South African Bureau of Standards.” www.multotec.com

With a 2.7 m long platen size, the largest of the two presses is 1.9 m wide, boasts a 1.1 m daylight opening and a load capacity of 3 600 t.

November-December 2021 • MechChem Africa ¦ 19