Best Practice
Underground in South Africa SEW solutions drive mining excellence By Rene Rose | The largest deposits of gold and platinum anywhere on Earth make South Africa’s mining industry one of the most important in the world. The country also has large diamond and coal reserves. These natural resources account for a large part of South Africa’s exports, so the technology used in the industry needs to meet the highest demands. With this in mind, SEW-EURODRIVE has developed a new series of mill gear units (MGUs) specifically for the South African market. These are used with the drive units of crushing mills.
“SEW-EURODRIVE’s relationship with the mine began in 2008 when the company started to supply complete drive solutions, including swing bases for the underground conveyors and inclined belt conveyors,” explains Jonathan McKey, sales manager for the Nelspruit area at SEW South Africa. “The relationship went from strength to strength and today SEW-EURODRIVE supplies all geared and industrial gear solutions for operations above and beneath the mine’s surface,” he adds.
One of SEW-EURODRIVE’s latest products was recently put to the test at a chrome mine in the South African province of Mpumalanga. Owned by a leading global mining company, the mine consists of a decline shaft system that produces between 100,000 and 110,000 metric tons of chrome per month using a special bord-and-pillar mining method.
The mine recently started having trouble with its gearboxes, which had been running since it was commissioned in 1997. While one of the gearboxes could be repaired, the other could not, prompting SEW-EURODRIVE to offer the mine one of its latest M2 MGU series solutions to replace the defective unit.
Jonathan McKey SEW South Africa’s sales manager for the Nelspruit area
Powered by a 250-kilowatt motor, the new unit includes a pressure lubrication system, an oil/air cooler, a sight glass and radial labyrinth sealing that protects the unit from dust. Monitoring sensors were also installed on the gearbox and an overload coupling was fitted on the HSS shafts. SEW staff from China and South Africa worked together closely to develop the unit. They adapted it to the specific needs of the customer, who considers it “a big hit.”
Horizontally split housing The M2 MGU gear unit was developed on the back of SEW-EURODRIVE’s hugely successful M1 MGU series and meets the highest quality, reliability and performance requirements. The series features a horizontally split housing equipped with facilities for lifting, an oil inlet and outlet, an oil heater, a lubrication unit attachment, an oil sight glass and various other components. It is made from various materials, ranging from fabricated steel to cast iron. M2 MGU products are sturdy and rugged. All of the gears and pinions used in the MGU range meet ISO 6 standards.
on our relationship to date and the strong ties we have in place, I believe our partnership with this customer will last for many years to come. We will certainly continue to offer any assistance required. What’s more, given that we at SEW-EURODRIVE are constantly improving and reinventing products and drive solutions, we will continue to advise the customer on how we can better improve its solutions, reduce downtime and ultimately save money on running costs.”
24/7 customer service Other solutions currently supplied to the mine by SEW include industrial gearboxes (IG) from the MC series for belt conveyors. These drives are used to feed the raw chrome ore to the surface. As McKey explains, “SEW-EURODRIVE’s geared motors and IG products are also currently found on many smaller belt conveyors throughout the plant where the chrome ore is readied for transport.” The sales manager continues: “We go out of our way to provide more efficient and modern engineered solutions in everything we offer the customer. Our products can currently power most of its applications where compact and reliable geared solutions are required. Given the nature of our relationship, we also offer a 24/7 after-hours service, which goes a long way toward giving the customer peace of mind. Based
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MGU industrial gear units for mining in South Africa
www.eurodriver.info | EURODRIVER 01 | 2015
Chrome mining is a big employer in the province of Mpumalanga
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Innovation & Technologie
WNNING PARTNERSHIPS
NEW TURNKEY SOLUTIONS
THE SEW.EURODRIVE COMPEI^ITIVE EDGE .
ln response to demand for convenient, cost effective solutions, SEW-EUR0DRIVE recenfly introduced new'Variolution' packages to Soutr Africa.
Variolution is essentially a solution where 8o% ofthe package is standard while zo% is adapted to customer needs. This format provides local industries with a tried and tested standard solution that offers the
added benefit
of a
certain degree of
customisation.
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THE 'GO TO' SOLUTION
Success rareiy occuls in isolation. The Frtnership between renowned moulding
motors fittedwith extemal encoders to drive
machirisry design and liroduction specialist Souftem Pulp Machinery (SPM) and SEW-
machines utilise SEW-EURODRIVE's servo motor driven gearboxes enhance machine capabilities and increase set-up
EUR0DRIVE lends credence to
tris premise.
its
machines. SPM's more modem
to
flexibility.
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Cape T,,wn based company with an internadonal tbotprint SPM specialises in the design a.nd manufachrre of conventional
Norrnan Maleka, SEW-EURODRIVE
Mechdlronics Engineering Manager
Since ther;
introduction
to the
markel there
has been signilicant uptake
of
the Variolr:tion packages, !.articula..1y amongst smali to nredium sized cor:rpanies where engineering skills are often scarce.
Notes Habeck; "Introducing new technology is always risky. With SEW-
rnoulders, specialised moulders, thermo-
EURODRM'S assistance, however, SPM
forming moulders and
has developed accurate
equipment Dwing its z6
history SPM has utilised SEW-
motion that can be adjusted on-the-fly without the need to stop the machines
EURODRM's drive solutions across its
during production.
end-oFline year operating
production line, a move SPM believes has helped keep it ahead ofthe pack. Says Manfred Habeck, SPM plantengineer: 'Over the past few years there has been an
inflrxoflow costmachines fromAsiawhich has made it more difficult to remain
Additional SEW-EURODRIVE products utilised by SPM indude Movitrac drives, Movidrives, MoviPLCs, brake resistors and
drive setup and monitoring software.
"Given the nature of our business we depend on timeous delivery and overall
SEW-EIIRODRIVE Mechatronics Er:.gineerir-.g Manager Norman Maleka says this is due tothe expertise and skills offered as partoiVariolution, whichmakes it easier for companies who might be running a lean operationto get offthe ground quicklywith
machinery a trend we attribute to the fact
world-dass after-sales
that we consistently produce superior
support."
their new application.
quality products made possible through our
competitive. Forhrnately we continue to experience growth in demand for the
company's range
of
moulded fibre
parhership with S EW-EU ROD Given their reception thus far, Variolution pad