Modern Mining March 2024

OPENCAST MINING AND EQUIPMENT

3. The proof is in production Often in screening applications, mines focus heavily on reducing the frequency of screen change outs. While the purchase of new media and the time to change out the screen panels can result in significant costs, any concern is often misplaced. Rather than focusing on cutting costs, coal mines would be bet ter served focusing on making money. Ultimately, in achieving higher production, most costs can be offset or completely negated. While traditional woven wire might last more than a year between change outs in coal applications, that should be a red flag to coal mines, alerting them that they are significantly under producing. By switching to a high-vibration screen, most coal mines will see an increase upwards of 40% in production. Though pushing more material across the screens may result in slightly more frequent screen change outs, the revenue generated by increased production and a better-quality product more than offsets the additional screen media costs. Performance is only one aspect of pro ductivity. The other? Uptime. Any coal mine knows that the key to successful production is avoid ing unscheduled downtime and instead employing tools to optimise performance and predict mainte nance so it can be completed at scheduled times rather than unexpectedly. A tool some screen manufacturers offer to monitor the health of the screening system is predictive vibration analysis. Predictive vibration analysis, which includes vibra tion analysis tests, detects miniscule changes in baseline operation before the effects are seen in screening performance and output. Some vibra tion analysis systems even capture data while the machines are running material. This provides

producers with up-to-date information on the machine and operational health without making sac rifices in production time. Issues such as improper tensioning or a broken wire can be identified and remedied through scheduled downtime. The sys tem also gives an indication of how the screening machine is working,allowing operations insight into adjustments or maintenance on the machine that could help improve productivity. Building on those benefits of automation and data collection, some screen media manufacturers also embed tracking chips into each screen panel. These chips can be easily scanned to get data on the machine placement, the specs of the screen and other relevant data for reorder and flexibility in changing specs. Rather than worrying about putting screen panels in inventory to switch to a different specification, coal mines know that the data for the placement of the screen is housed in the chip, which can easily be scanned for precise placement when the specifications change again. The data contained in the chip also makes it simple and seamless to reorder screen media. Making the switch While the success of a coal mine’s processing is often placed on the screening machine itself, the screen media likely plays a more important role. Progressive mines with a comprehensive and strong understanding of frequency and amplitude and the overall effects of vibration and movement, recognise that the static screen panels of the past simply fail to meet the challenges they face today. As a result, customised high vibration screen media continues to grow as the solution for myriad challenges in the coal industry. 

High vibration screens are designed to allow each wire to vibrate independently, thereby enhancing overall effectiveness and allowing the screen to self-clean.

MAJOR MAJOR is an innovative global manufacturer of wire screens for the aggre gate, mining and recycling industries.

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28  MODERN MINING  March 2024