Modern Mining March 2020

VIBRATING SCREENS

Discoursing TCO of vibrating screens Large vibrating screens are a critical part of processing plants at mines. If not correctly engineered, the operating costs can become extremely high – to the detriment of mining operations already operating under severe cost pressures. What are the key design and engineering factors that affect total cost of ownership of vibrating screens? By Munesu Shoko .

L arge vibrating screens play an important role in the processing of ore at min- ing operations. Traditionally, the focus has always been on the

design and engineering of vibrating screens has a great bearing on these five factors. If not correctly engineered, the operating costs of a large vibrating screen can shoot up tremendously. Knowing the exact type of machine that should be inserted in a plant, understanding the requested function and developing a machine that best suits these needs is important. Therefore, when vibrating screens and vibrating processes in general are con- cerned, it is important to deal with expert companies like Kwatani. Leveraging 43 years of experience, with 15 000 units across 37 countries, Kwatani has over the years lived up to its “engineered for tonnage” philosophy, anchored by the drive to offer its cus- tomers the lowest total cost of ownership possible. “We believe that innovation and technology are the

capital cost, but Kim Schoepflin, CEO of Kwatani, a leading South African vibrating screen manufac- turer, reasons that like any other piece of capital equipment purchase, the cost of owning a vibrat- ing screen should be the principal factor when it is procurement time. But what are the key factors that affect total cost of ownership of these crucial pieces of equipment? “For me, cost of ownership entails five key param- eters: capital cost, maintenance costs, equipment uptime, life of equipment and operating efficiency,” explains Schoepflin. However, she reasons that the

Kim Schoepflin, CEO of Kwatani.

A large Kwatani scalper screen loaded and secured, on its way to the end user.

28  MODERN MINING  March 2020