Automated Equipment

Automatic Lubricators

A new system of single-point automatic lubricators may help mine operators save money. Perma Distributors describes its product as less costly than central automatic lubrication systems, which require pumps and piping. The Cerritos, Calif.-based company also says the lubricators are ideal for dispersed or hard-to-reach locations and even work under water.

A simple design precludes any risk of the gradual pressure loss typical of spring-operated lubricators, or of the battery failure possible in complex electrically powered units. The “heart” of the system is an activating pellet released into an electrolyte, generating steady, time-controlled pressure to slowly expand a diaphragm, forcing the lubricant into the bearing.

Nine models are available, with discharge periods ranging from one to 24 months, with a variety of and oil fills.

Automatic Level Switch

A dynamic-type level switch that detects the presence or absence of liquids or slurries is available from Automation Products of Houston, Tex.

Called the Dynatrol, the switch relies on a vibrating paddle driven by a driver coil to make the distinction. A second coil produces a voltage proportional to the paddle vibrational amplitude. When the paddle comes into contact with the process media, its amplitude of vibration decreases and the output voltage drops significantly.

Three New Dumpers

Three rigid-frame dump trucks have been introduced by Terex Corp. o Huston, Ohio.

Designated the E series, they include the 50-ton 3308E, the 66-ton 3310E and the 94-ton 3311E. The 3308E is equipped with a 6-cylinder, 570-hp Cummins engine. The 3310E can bb powered by either a 640-hp V-16 Detroit Diesel or a 635-hp V-12 Cummins turbo-charged engine. The 3311E is equipped with a 975-hp V-12 Cummins engine.

The trucks are hydraulically activated and have oil-cooled multiple disc rear brakes. High-visibility, insulated 2-man cabs are another feature, as is independent, hydrostatic steering.

Emergency Warning

The stench warning system, common in most mines, will soon have a high-tech replacement that causes miners’ cap lamps to flash off and on in the event of an emergency.

The new system will become a production unit this spring, according to El-Equip of Sudbury, Ont. The system was developed by Correpro, and El-Equip has the rights to market the system in Canada.

Sump Sludge Vacuum

General Liquid Engineering of Stoney Creek, Ont. has developed a powerful vacuum unit for pumping sump sludge, shaft spillage and other hard-to-handle materials. It is ideal for cleaning conveyor belt spillage, and one of the self-contained units is functioning at Falconbridge’s Lockerby mine clearing shaft spillage. The pumps are driven by a heavy-duty diesel engine fitted for underground operation and incorporating a hydraulic drive that operates a high-pressure water system and a sludge discharge system. The unit can be set in a fixed location or mounted on rail wheels, trailer axles or a truck chassis.

New Hydraulic Shovel

The first RH 200 hydraulic mining shovel to be used in Canada will be delivered to a coal mine in Western Canada this year.

The 400-ton shovel, manufactured by Orenstein & Koppel, is equipped with a 20-cubic-metre clamshell bucket and provides crown and break-out forces of 153 tons. O&K’s patented TriPower front-end design increases crowd forces and lifting moments by 50% and 46% respectively, the company reports. A clever distribution of reaction forces throughout the system provides a stable digging platform with little or no tendency for the machine to push itself away from the digging face.

The RH 200 is available with diesel engines or electric motors. The diesel version comes equipped with two Cummins KTA 38 C-1200 diesel engines producing a total output of 1,516 kw at 1,800 r.p.m. After a short idling period, the engine speed automatiially decreases, saving fuel. The electrically driven version is equipped with two bbc motors that provide about 1,800 kw.

The shovel’s hydraulic system is controlled by O&K’s new pump management system with pressure cut off on all main pumps. Electronic load limit regulation and automatic flow combination on all hydraulic cylinders provide full utilization of engine output. The shovel is equipped with the O&K board control system for constant monitoring and checking of all important operating data, so the operator can choose several displays.

Data Acquisition Units

OCM Technologies of Nepean, Ont. is marketing data acquisition and control modules designed specifically for the remote monitoring and control of mining equipment.

System 86 ES is manufactured in the U.K. by Oxbridge Technology, which has been making the systems for about 12 years. Each module is self-contained with its own processor and power supply regulator. Other features of System 86 ES include distributed intelligence, low cost per channel, a.c./d.c. supply, on-board diagnostics and microprocessor on each i/o board. Also, they can be singly mounted or rack-mounted.

Lead-free Solder

A lead-free and antimony-free solder that is said to offer superior quality piping joints is available from Canada Metal of Toronto, Ont.

Called Silvabrite 100, the solder is non-toxic and contains the same metals used in most dental fillings, a company release says.

Available in wire, ribbon, paste or bar form, Silvabrite 100 is suitable for joining copper, steel, stainless steel, nickel metals and alloys.

Laser Shaft Alignment System

A unique laser shaft alignment system has been launched in Canada by Fixtur-Laser Inc. of Calgary, Alta. The Digilaser-Combi has an operating range from one inch to 30 ft. The system operates with two laser transmitter/detector (TD) units positioned opposite each other. The emitted laser beam is visible red and perfectly safe. With two TD units, the operator gets a logical system where he can see radial displacement and angular error at the same time on the display box. The operator can also monitor the alignment process on the display box — a convenient feature that simplifies the alignment.

Door Enclosures

Modular equipment enclosures that allow for fast, multi-door access and lowered shop noise are available from Sherwood Industrial Office Systems of Markham, Ont. Large windows pull open to allow correction of any production jam-ups, which can be easily seen from outside the enclosure. Also, noise levels are reduced considerably.

The units consist of modular steel partitions and can be easily enlarged or reconfigured for future equipment requirements. Installation is fast and colors are available, according to Sherwood’s literature

Metal Detection System

Riede Systems of Minneapolis, Min. has introduced the MetAlarm System for detecting “tramp” metals on belt conveyors. The system, profiled, under-belt coil (a dual coil configuration is also available), creates a uniform and sensitive field and is easy to install, even in tight spaces, with little need to modify the conveyor. The Series Two control unit employs the latest pulse-type circuitry (compared with older types, which employ balanced coil electronics) for performance that’s more stable.

Typical applications for the MetAlarm System include mining and quarrying processes for rock and coal.

New Bit Design

A new (APL type) lug for Tri-Cone bits has been designed by Baker Hughes Mining Tools of Grande Prairie, Tex. The lug greatly increases the clearance between the outside diameter of the bit and the wall of the hole, the company says. The increased clearance contributes to a more rapid elimination of cuttings, and some operators have claimed an increase in the penetration rate of more than 50% in soft formations. In some field tests, the size of cuttings was increased from powder size to chip size through use of the new lug. Also, time on bottom was increased and wear on bit bodies reduced. Baker Hughes has incorporated the design into all its blasthole bits.

Motor Checker

SPM Instruments of Markam, Ont. has introduced EMC-11, a portable diagnostic tool for on-site checks of 3-phase electric motors. The three most common causes of failure — faulty insulation, open coil winding circuit or short circuits between coil winding turns — can be determined quickly by using the device, the company says.

The insulation is tested with a high voltage generated by the instrument. Open circuits are found by measuring resistance of windings of each phase. The three phases should have equal values. Short circuits are located by measuring inductance on each and comparing values. The EMC-11 is directly connected to the motor terminals with the power off, most tests being done without disconnecting any motor connections. Two 9-volt alkaline batteries power this 2.2-lb., lightweight instrument.

Modelling and Estimating Deposits

Geostokos Ltd. of London, England and lynx Geosystems Inc. of Vancouver, B.C. are participating in the development of technologies for modelling and estimating ore deposits. The first phase of the project involves a merger of the Geostokos Tool-Kit (for geostatistical analysis and estimation) with the lynx Mining System. The second phase covers intergration of new 3-dimensional geostatistical technology with lynx’s 3-dimensional geological and mine-modelling capabilities. Three-dimensional component modelling was developed by Simon Houlding, a principal and founder of lynx, and this technology has the capability of accurately representing 3-D geological and mining shapes together with precise volumes — an application proven on many mining projects.

Dr. Isobel Clark, a principal of Geostokos and a widely recognized authority on mineral property evaluation and geostatistics, has developed a technology for the direct estimation of values from 3-D volumes. The result is that direct estimates of grade and associated standard error can now be made for realistic geological and mining volumes. The new geostatistical technology is directly compatible with, and complementary to, 3-D component modelling. The technique eliminates the use of traditional block-modelling methods and their inherent approximations, constraints and errors, and it significantly reduces computer processing and storage requirements.