Mechanical Technology May 2016

⎪ Local manufacturing and beneficiation ⎪

adopts state-of-the-art technology

tougher materials such as Hardox and Benox, which are commonly used on the mines. It also makes onsite replacement of individual spares easier, because they are all accurate. “Having been manufacturing flights for over 50 years, we know about almost every application. We supply fabricators and distributors across South Africa and we sell into Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia, among other countries, to companies servicing mines in Africa. “In the future, we hope to add another novel technology called on-edge rolling. This is used for centreless/shaftless screws made in thicker material. They have hollow cores, which are ideal for sticky or stringy materials. “Locally manufacturing screws and flights enables us to offer the best lead times for custom-made replacement parts. And we are willing to solve any flight related problem. If we can’t make it, we know someone who can,” Bruton concludes. q

patented computer-controlled accuracy and measurement systems that ensure the precision of each doughnut. ”First, we enter in the flight parameters into a CAD program, which will generates the exact doughnut profile required. This is transferred to CNC laser cutting machines, which produce the required number of identical shapes. “These are then loaded onto the pressing machine, which presses the doughnut to the perfect spiral pro- file. The pressing loads, over-pressing distances and maximum speeds are automatically set based on the flight size, material specification and section thickness so that each flight section manufactured comes out within the tolerances required,” Bruton explains.” Operators no longer have to work by feel and then hit the poorest ones with a hammer to make them fit,” he adds. The advantage? “This system enables us to make augers in 20 mm stainless steel, for example, and to use harder,

licenses and some cutting edge technol- ogy that takes all of the guesswork out of the process. Trial and error has been replaced with

Mechanical Technology — May 2016

27