HEALTH & SAFETY


ramps and stopping curves after a power outage.


REDUNDANT CONTROLS HELP SYSTEM AVAILABILITY Redundant controls and HPUs guarantee system availability. The environmental conditions need a compact set-up of the brake units. The spring applied, hydraulically released, fail-safe brakes are able to equalise axial movement of the connected shafts. Communication between the


main PLC and BCC3000 goes via a PROFIsafe protocol integrating the relevant safety features while also monitoring the sub-functions. High-end hydraulic cylinders


and accumulators are central to the company’s mining portfolio,. These cylinders generate a pulling or pushing force, and are found, among other places, in earth moving equipment at surface mines. Steering, bucket and lift cylinders can be found on a single wheeled loader. Accumulators, meanwhile, are a type of pressure storage hardware where an incompressible hydraulic fl uid is held under pressure and applied mechanically.


THE PROBLEM OF CONTAMINATION An overarching concern with technologies that are required to work in dirty, heavy-duty environments – is contamination. These systems have multiple components and contamination can lead to downtime and increased costs. In fact, over 70% of failed cylinders have broken down owing to contamination and Dellner claims that it is contacted daily about inferior systems breaking for the same reason. All weld details must be optimised


for high fatigue strength and to eliminate the risk of contaminating internal parts of the cylinder. Metal- to-metal gaps at welds must also be avoided, as unfortunately dirt can be trapped and released when parts expand at high pressure. Dellner says it recently improved


the 800-hour lifetime of a cylinder by fi ve times, ‘simply’ by removing the risk of contamination.


A hydraulic power unit from Dellner Dellner’s visualising monitoring system


OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD Further demand for this braking equipment is being generated by China itself, India, and South America, where a wide variety of raw materials are mined — from rare earths to precious metals. Africa, meanwhile, represents a more embryonic marketplace. In each case, the requirements are


diff erent. The projects range from being underground, to being at an altitude of 5,000 metres. Then there are projects with above-ground conveyor belts that descend and then rise sharply. Conveyor belts and elevators present a clear and obvious need for braking solutions. Belts must come to a safe standstill in the event of a drive failure, depending on the load and speed. Especially during power outages, the belts must stop in a controlled manner with longer braking times. An immediate stop by directly applying the brakes would lead to destruction of the conveyor belt and, in the worst case, wrecking of everything surrounding it. The mining sector continues to


sharpen its focus on health and safety surrounding conveyor belts and elevators. The controlled stop prevents the belt from being destroyed along with the load but, importantly, this also prevents human injuries if people are near the band.


LEAD TIME FOR EQUIPMENT SUPPLIERS Where a manufacturer of container handling equipment might complete


production on a crane every day, the largest mining companies — BHP Group, Rio Tinto, Glencore Plc, Vale SA, and China Shenhua Energy Co. Ltd., for example — might be working on a site with a mine start date a year from Dellner Bubenzer fi rst being consulted. However, that point in time is non- negotiable and everyone has to deliver on schedule and budget. It is not uncommon for component


manufacturers to have service engineers on site for months at a time, which wouldn’t be the case in other markets. And, while a lot of industries work to high duty cycles, mines are expected to be operational constantly. This requires considerable specifi c expertise. Dellner Bubenzer provided this long-term consultation work to its Mongolian client.


CONCLUSION Dellner locates its product development and manufacturing facilities across the globe. Presently, the company maintains manufacturing and service facilities and operational bases across Europe, Asia, and North America. These global facilities are positioned to ensure proximity to major mining markets, facilitating streamlined production processes and prompt delivery of braking solutions to mining operations, according to the company.


For more information visit: www.dellnerbubenzer.com


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