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Page 1: BHT: May 2010

BULK HANDLING TODAY May 2010 1

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2 BULK HANDLING TODAY May 2010

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BULK HANDLING TODAY May 2010 �

May 2010

ContentsCover Story5 Acy Now for Cleaner Air

Trucking7 Hooking the Truckers9 Class-leading Heavy Truck Range Launched11 Weighing in on Overloaders

Harbours & Ports15 Winning Trailer Design

Conveying17 High Speed Conveying - Its Advantages, Disadvantages and Some Proposed Solutions25 A New Approach to Conveyor Architecture

27 Fighting Belt Spillage

31 Market Forum

Endorsing BodiesCMA (Conveyor Manufacturers Association)

HCASA (Hydraulic Conveying Association of SA)

LEEASA (Lifting Equipment Engineering Association of South Africa)

RFA (Road Freight Association)

SAIMechE (SA Institution of Mechanical Engineering)

SAIMH (SA Institute of Materials Handling)

Proprietor and Publisher:PROMECH PUBLISHINGTel: (011) 781-1401Fax: (011) 781-1403E-mail:[email protected] Website: www.promech.co.zaManaging Editor: Susan CustersJoint Editor: Andrew Lanham

Advertising Sales: Surita MarxDTP: Zinobia Docrat and Sanette Lehanie

Printed by:Typo Colour PrintingTel: (011) 402-3468

Our e-mail address is [email protected]

Visit our website on www.promech.co.za

The monthly circulation is 4 016

CopyrightAll rights reserved. No editorial matter published in “Bulk Han-dling Today” may be reproduced in any form or language without written permission of the publish-ers. While every effort is made to ensure accurate reproduction, the editor, authors, publishers and their employees or agents shall not be responsible or in any way liable for any errors, omissions or inaccuracies in the publication, whether arising from negligence or otherwise or for any consequences arising there-from. The inclusion or exclusion of any product does not mean that the publisher or editorial board advocates or rejects its use either generally or in any particular field or fields.

Featured on the cover:

Alien Systems and Technologies

Tel: (011) 949-1157

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� BULK HANDLING TODAY May 2010

CONVEYOR MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION

From the Secretary’s Desk

October 1993 was momentous for two reasons: it was the newly-elected Chairman, Brian Bell’s first members’ meeting after the AGM;

and to further undermine his confidence, he was supported by a newly-appointed Company Secretary that he had not even met before that day! Luckily, she had a little knowledge of the CMA already, having written up the books of account for a year before taking over from Pat Mounter as Company Secretary.

That said, in 1993 the CMA had somewhere around 11 members, nine of which had joined only the previous year. The Secretary’s duties

were not very onerous, and were very much on a part-time basis – the bulk of her time being spent

This month we have something different for the reader: a brief synopsis of the last seventeen years of CMA history, as seen from the Secretary’s perspective! The period spans from her first members’ meeting in October 1993 to the current month

of May 2010.

Chris Townsend

training software at CTR’s computer college until Beltcon also became a client, which is when CTR evolved into a full-time company secretarial and administration office.

During Brian Bell’s two consecutive terms of office, the CMA doubled membership to 21 by the time he handed over the reins to Alan Exton in 1997. Alan enjoyed two consecutive terms as Chairman, and another twelve companies joined the ranks, swelling the numbers to 33.

Max Schenck was elected Chairman in 2001, but sadly only completed one term as Chairman. This was a time of great change within the CMA, with individuals starting out on their own and internally, a number of working groups being formed that took the Secretary’s workload to beyond full-time status and CTR expanded yet again. Another four compa-nies joined the CMA bringing the total membership to 37 during this time.

To new heightsIn 2003, Simon Curry accepted the Chair and after his two consecutive two-year terms, the Articles of Association were changed to allow for

the Chairman to be elected every year from among the Board of Directors. Simon is leading the CMA to new heights, with many success-ful projects launched during his tenure. The Working Groups are writing national standards, a Diploma course is running, regulating the splicing industry is on the cards and an additional 24 companies have swelled the ranks of membership to its current level of 61.

That’s only four bosses but a hefty 50 new members over the past seventeen years, a history that I am proud to be associated with.

Chris Townsend, CMA Company Secretary

All members subscribe to the CMA Code of EthicsABB IndustryAfripp ProjectsActomAtlanta Manufacturing Bateman Engineered TechnologiesBauer a Division of Hudaco TransmissionBMG (Bearing Man Group)Bearings InternationalBelt Reco RSA Bonfiglioli Power Transmissions Bosworth A Division of Hudaco Trading Brelko Conveyor ProductsCKIT Conveyor Engineers Continental Crushing & Conveying

CMA Members List as at May 2010

Conveyor WatchCMG Electric Motors SACPI TechnologiesCPM EngineeringCT SystemsDavid Brown Gear Industries Delras EngineeringDRA Mineral ProjectsDunlop Belting ProductsDymot Engineering Company ELB Engineering ServicesFacet EngineeringFenner Conveyor Belting SAFlexible Steel Lacing SAHansen Transmissions SA

Hosch - FördertechnikM & J Engineering Martin EngineeringMelco Conveyor Equipment Moret MiningMS Conveyor Pulleys SANepean ConveyorsOE BearingsOsborn Engineered Products SARead Swatman & VoigtRema Tip Top SARenold CroftsRoymecRSV ENCO ConsultingSandvik Materials Handling SA Schaeffler South Africa

Secrivest SENETSET AgenciesSEW EurodriveShaft EngineeringShaw Almex AfricaSiemens Southern AfricaSKF SATechnique Avant GardeThyssenKrupp Materials HandlingTransmission ComponentsTransvaal Rubber CompanyUnitek EngineersVeyance Technologies AfricaVoith Turbo Zest Electric Motors

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BULK HANDLING TODAY May 2010 �

COVER STORY

I f you’re buying a fire extinguishing system today that contains these gases, you’re

literally buying canned pollution that may cost you dearly to dispose of once regulations have been formulated, under the new act, regarding the disposal of stored air-pol-luting gases.

The ActPublished in the Government Gazette, Act No. 39 of 2004: National Environment Management: Air Quality Act, 2004, was created to reform the law regulating air quality in order to protect the environment by providing reasonable measures for

the prevention of pollution and ecological degradation and for securing ecologically sustainable development while promoting justifi-able economic and social development; to provide for national norms and standards regulating air quality monitoring, man-agement and control by all spheres of government; for specific air quality measures; and for matters incidental thereto.

The Act goes on to say that everyone in South Africa has the constitutional right to an environment that is not harmful to their health or well-being. Everyone has the constitutional right to have the environment protected, for the benefit of present and future gen-erations, through reason-able legislative and other measures that;

prevent pollution and eco-logical degradation;

promote conservation; and

secure ecologically sustain-able development and use of natural resources.

The minimisation of pol-lution through vigorous control, cleaner technolo-gies and cleaner produc-tion practices is key to ensuring that air quality is improved.

Consequences“Bulk Handling Today” speaks to Grant Wilkinson, Marketing Manager of Alien Systems and Technolo-gies (AST) about the consequences of the Act. “For some time now Europe and other countries

Act Now For Cleaner Air

The new Act regarding air pollution has been promulgated, directly affecting the future of gas fire extinguishing systems installed

throughout South Africa. Many of these systems contain HFC and HCFC gases which are now legally regarded as air pollutants even when stored in a cylinder lying dormant waiting to

extinguish a fire.

Discarded cylinders that are currently being warehoused, in reality just a stockpile of imported pollution Grant Wilkinson marketing manager at AST

AST’s workshop where gas bottles are filled

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� BULK HANDLING TODAY May 2010

have been removing HCFC and HFC gases from the fire protection industry,” he says. “Countries like Denmark, Sweden, Switzerland, Germany, Canada and the UK have put use-restrictions on HCFCs and HFCs, effectively banning their use for fire protection systems.

“Unlike these countries, where the suppliers of HCFC and HFC fire protection gases are required to undertake the removal and destruction of these gases when they are eventually phased out under the cradle-to-grave product stewardship system, South Africa has no such rules in place,” says Grant. “It is therefore possible to dump these products into the South African market cheaper than in the UK, since there are no clean-up costs to consider as yet.

“It’s therefore crucial for South African property owners, architects, engineers and builders to be very cautious in terms of purchasing a fixed gas-based fire protection system in relation to the carbon footprint, sustainability and long-term costs of such a system,” Grant advises.

Warning“Although there are moves afoot to now institute such regulations in South Africa, there is an aggressive push to sell these products in South Africa due to a shrinking western market,” says Grant. “South Africa could end up with large stockpiles of fire protection

A long term sustainable solution that is in fact far more cost-effective

A typical Clean Agent Inert Gas Blend system

HCFCs and HFCs, like that of Halons” he says. “In the long term though somebody is going to have to pay for the removal of these gases.”

South Africa will likely have to pay foreign com-panies to dispose of these systems as there is no infrastructure able to destroy these products avail-able locally. “The alternative is that we will face the same situation regarding our discarded Halon cylinders that are currently being warehoused, in

reality just a stockpile of imported pollution,” says Grant. “Bear in mind that there is no effective way to dispose of HCFC’s and HFC’s other than placing these gases in a plasma furnace to break down into other environmentally-damaging components like hydrogen fluoride and toxic salts.”

The solutionWhat users should be asking for is ‘Clean Agent Inert Gas Blends’ which are gas mixes that harness the natural environment by using naturally-occurring gases. “Systems that use these gases have no real impact on the environment since they have zero ozone depletion potential, a zero carbon footprint and zero global warming potential,” Grant explains. “They do not contribute to climate

change and are not a source of pollution.”

The HCFCs and HFCs used in fixed gas-based fire protection systems are synthetic gases that are a legacy from the CFC-based Halon fire protection products, and are manufactured outside of South Africa. They have particularly high global warming potential, typically in the region of 3 500 kg of CO2 equivalency per kilogram of product.

Green “For a reduced carbon footprint and protection of the environment, clean agent naturally-occurring gas blends offer a long term sustainable solution that is in fact far more cost-effective,” Grant says in conclusion. “The primary cost for naturally occur-ring gas systems lies in the hardware and therefore refilling is far cheaper than synthetics where the primary cost lies in the gas used. Going green doesn’t necessarily mean higher costs.”

Grant Wilkinson, Alien Systems and Technologies, Tel: (011) 949-1157, Email: [email protected]

COVER STORY

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BULK HANDLING TODAY May 2010 �

to drive produce to market and do various other driving-type work.

“However, in the past two or three years, I have had young black women arriving at the school wanting to be trained as truck drivers. I have to admit I was surprised. However, it is the new South Africa, and I could see no reason why they should not drive trucks if they wanted to. I converted the barracks so females could also stay there.

Best wishesA couple of women drivers graduated from the XYZ

Driving School and went on their way with the trainer’s best wishes.

However, the trainer, who wishes to

remain anonymous, said his curios-ity nagged him about why these girls wanted to drive, and who was hiring them.

A couple of months later there was a fatal truck accident on the Durban-Jo-hannesburg run. It was this crash that provided the trainer with the answer he sought. For in the cab of the wreck, not one body was extricated, but three. Of the three, two were women and one was the driver. The driver and one of

TRUCKING

Mostly, I get the local farmers bringing in a worker to have him trained as a truck driver. These trainee drivers live in my driving school barracks

for three weeks during which time I train them. When they have a licence, the new driver then has

Hooking the TruckersOne of our people here at “Bulk Handling Today” recently

bought a property in a small town in the Eastern Free State. The tenant renting the property ran a driving school and told

our man the following story.

I converted the barracks so females could also stay there

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� BULK HANDLING TODAY May 2010

the women were in a state of undress.

It transpired that the hookers who plied their trade on the Durban – Johannesburg run understand that their truck driver customers cannot stop their rigs for 15 minutes of romping recreation. So the way around this for the ladies was to team up with another young woman who knew how to drive a truck. While one was behind the wheel, the other could be pleasuring the driver in the truck’s bunk. The arrangement turned out to be satisfactory for more than one truck driver, and lucrative for these two-girl teams.

So the tenant concluded: “There is something new every day. And just because they are so-called la-dies of the night, does not mean they are lacking in enterprise.”

The driver and one of the women were in a state of undress

TRUCKING

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BULK HANDLING TODAY May 2010 �

G ross vehicle mass (GVM) is the recognised basis for vehicle selection and capital investment for any transport task. GVM represents a truck’s total operational

mass that includes payload, cargo body, driver and crew, chassis and cab and any other extras. This vehicle includes a 13-model line-up compared with the previous 9-model range and offers GVM’s stepped from 10000kg to 11 000kg, 13 500kg, 15 000kg, 16 000kg, 22 500kg, 24 000kg and

Class-leading Heavy Truck Range Launched

“Bulk Handling Today” was recently invited to the launch of the new Isuzu F-Series. Already enjoying a strong reputation in South Africa with its heavy-truck brand, the new Isuzu F-

Series looks set to take this reputation even further in areas of safety, economy and environmental care.

26 000kg making its freight carrier line-up avail-able to South Africans a formidable one. Specialist F-Series models include full-time 4 X 4 and 6 X 2 freight carriers, a 6 X 4 refuse compactor and truck tractors. For trailer operations Isuzu F-Series has a gross combination mass (GCM) that tops 32 000kg in the model FVR 900.

Modern technology truck model line-up1 January 2010 saw a change in the transport industry with only trucks equipped with Euro 2 engine emission technology allowed to be produced in South Africa. This has not proved problematic for Isuzu as their entire South African Isuzu range, medium N-Series, heavy F-Series and extra-heavy Gigamax now include turbo-intercooled, electroni-cally-managed engines for 2010 to match Euro 2 requirements. Utilising common rail fuel-delivery systems, improved fuel consumption is a hallmark of these new technology engines.

The advantage in common rail diesel engines is very high injection pressure – over 1 600 bar – that is consistently maintained from idle to maximum engine speed. This ensures clean burning in a diesel engine’s compression ignition cycle with the benefit of improved fuel economy and reduced exhaust emissions.

Further to this, the Isuzu common rail diesel engine design has other advantages in that these engines are flexible and ready for the introduction of both Euro 3 and Euro 4 emission standards with only minor changes required when the time comes.

Proven safety technologyThe new truck range for 2010 in South Africa is equipped with ABS (Anti-lock Brake System) for

Interesting Isuzu truck factsIsuzu ranks among the top four medium to extra-heavy truck manufacturers in South Africa with an annual retail market share greater than 10%. The total registered South African Isuzu truck population up to 25 years old is over 36 500 making it one of the most durable and reliable trucks on South African roads. For an international perspective, Isuzu is also Australia’s leading truck supplier – a position Isuzu has held for 20 consecutive years.

At the beginning of 2010 there were over 17 244 Isuzu F-Series registered and operating on South African roads. Some of these Isuzu F-Series heavy trucks are as old as 25 years and still in daily operation. A heavy truck is classed as those falling into the category of 8 500 to 16 500kg gross vehicle mass (GVM), or from around 4 500 to 9 000kg payload.

TRUCKING

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enhanced safety. ABS also has the added benefit of steer-ability under emergency braking reducing the skill required of drivers in potential accident situations. These trucks are all also equipped with an engine exhaust brake for extra retardation with-out using a footbrake that preserves brake linings and keeps the brakes fade-free for any emergency application.

Standard automatic slack adjusters ensure that brake settings are correct at any stage in spite of brake lining wear. In addition to these, drivers will appreciate the inclusion of an air-suspension seat

TRUCKING

Offering fully-homologated seating for a driver and six passengers

on every model in the new F-Series which will serve to minimise driver fatigue with a consequent improvements for productivity and safety.

Standard crew cabThe F-Series range also includes one crew-cab model, the Isuzu FSR 750 is a 13500kg gross vehicle mass (GVM) truck, offering fully-homologated seating for a driver and six passengers. This matches National Road Traffic Act, Regulation 247 requirements for goods and passengers to be carried separately. An outstanding technical feature of the FSR 750 crew cab is that it is powered by an electro-hydraulic tilt mechanism to offer full maintenance access to the engine as on all Isuzu truck cabs. All doors in the new F-Series are also equipped with side-impact protection beams.

Another technology benefit is unitised construc-tion for cab parts on both the N and F-Series as medium and heavy truck models are equipped with common cab parts – doors, lights and dashboard, for example which simplifies parts inventories for large fleets.

Hanlie du Preez, Isuzu Truck SA, Tel: (011) 563-4125, Fax (011) 806-4693, Email: [email protected]

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BULK HANDLING TODAY May 2010 11

The major contributor to damage to our roads is overloading of trucks. And the main countermeasure that the traffic authori-ties have is weighing trucks at a series of

weighbridges,” says Gavin.

Secondary roads“What compounds the problem is that many of our older secondary routes will only take loads of four or five tons – a reflection of the trucks in use at the time,” says Gavin. “Roads of this nature are completely inadequate for bearing trucks with a legal gross weight of 54 tons.”

Very little weighing or policing is done on second-ary roads and there is also scant understanding of what vehicles are using these roads.

Wear and tearOverloading is short sighted as it subjects the truck to abnormally high wear and tear. Truckers should strive for the best ratio between the pay-load and the number of trips the truck will make in its lifetime.

Overloading concerns two areas. First is the gross vehicle mass, and second is the loading of each axle. “A trucker can place the correct payload in his vehicle. But if this is not balanced between the various axles, the driver might be surprised to find that his axle loading on one set of wheels is too high,” says Gavin. And then, with bulk loads such as coal, sugar, these can shift while in transit, unbalancing the truck loading, At the weighbridge, the truck can be found to be techni-cally overloaded.

“There are operators who overload inadvertently, and there are the truckers, all too frequently, who overload deliberately,” continues Gavin. “The RFA wants to preserve the country’s roads, while promoting trucking safety. As the Association also supports its own members who do not overload, it is absolutely opposed to the practice of deliberate overloading.”

CodeOn joining the RFA, truckers sign a code of ethics. RFA members also subscribe to a self-regulating programme called the Road Traffic Management

Weighing in on Overloaders

As motorists grit their teeth at the state of our potholed roads, “Bulk Handling Today” speaks to Technical Operations Officer Gavin Kelly, technical and operations manager at the Road

Freight Association (RFA) about this growing problem.

Gavin Kelly

There are operators who overload inadvertently, and there are the truckers, all too frequently, who overload deliberately

TRUCKING

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System (RTMS). Not only does this deal with overloading but also helps truckers to avoid ‘un-derloading’ their trucks.

In extreme cases of overloading, truckers have been caught with more than 100% of the allowable load. While the fine may be R50 000, this does not even remotely cover the cost of the damage to the road.

One of the problems operators face is knowing exactly what weight they are loading on their trucks. “If you take, for example, wooden poles, their weight will vary quite considerably. One load of 100 poles may weigh substantially more than another load of similar poles. Over the past couple of years, a number of operators have ordered trucks that have scales fitted. Although costly, these help ascertain the correct load while avoiding the risk of prosecution.

AdvantagesThe RFA emphasises that RTMS compliant trucks will not be weighed as often as others. This is because RTMS trucks are much more likely to be load compliant. This reduces the cost of the truck’s standing time.

“While there are a number of weighbridges, the service is not instantaneous. Presently, the average standing time is 45 minutes. This time costs the operator money and a number of operators have ordered trucks that have scales fitted delays the time of delivery, especially if the trucker is on a long haul.’

If one factors in all the delays a trucker experi-ences with weighing, border formalities, tolls and rest stops, a trip that might take a motorist six hours, could, for example, take the trucker two to three times as long. “At the national borders, the RTMS trucker enjoys other accreditation systems, which get his or her truck across the border quite quickly,” explains Gavin.

ResultsEliminating RTMS trucks also allows the traffic authorities to focus on the less reputable truck opera-tors. In the timber and sugar industries, the RTMS programme, remarkably, brought overloading down to less than 4% of vehicles checked. Conversely, in coal, it had the benefit that it increased loads, as, in the past, truckers had been under-loading.

With RTMS, what some truckers are doing is taking their loaded trucks to a weighbridge, and if they are overweight, taking some of the load off. Because RTMS is operating as a pilot programme in three separate industries, the idea is to expand it this year into other areas of truck transport. Generally, RTMS has engendered a greater sense of respon-

A number of operators have ordered trucks that have scales fitted

TRUCKING

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BULK HANDLING TODAY May 2010 1�

sibility from consignors as well as truckers.

In the past four or five years, the trucking industry has been working closely with manufacturers, the legislative arm of government and the traffic police. An ongoing problem is that the trucker has no control over certain aspects of the cargo. A good example is the container, as the truck operator may not know what is inside. Apart from the specs on the contract, the operator doesn’t necessarily know what the container’s weight is.

New legislationThrough negotiation and agreement, the RFA has now drafted new legislation called the Consignee/Consignor Legislation, whereby all parties involved in a transport project, can be held jointly or individually responsible for certain issues in that chain. Should the consignor misrepresent the weight of a certain load, he will be held responsible, not the trucker.

“When it comes to sealed containers, if the manifest says the cargo is sugar, for example, but when the container is opened, the cargo is found to be drugs, the trucker is not responsible for the content of a properly-sealed container. Formerly, truckers were prosecuted in these instances. This has been a tre-mendous step forward in the prevention of this type of fraud,” says Gavin.

“The new legislation makes the business of trucking fairer for all operators. And, no matter how hard we fight for axle mass reduction, we all pay taxes, so the roads are ours as well,” Gavin concludes.

Gavin Kelly, Technical & Operations Manager, RFA, Tel: (011) 974-4903, Email: [email protected]

TRUCKING

The operator doesn’t necessarily know what the container’s weight is

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1� BULK HANDLING TODAY May 2010

MOSTPRODUCTIVE

www.joy.com

South Africa Operations20 Fuchs St., Alrode 1450 & Pvt Bag 123924, Alrode 1451, AlbertonAustralia China India Poland Russia South Africa United Kingdom United States

Most Productive Equipment

Zero Harm Mentality

Lowest Cost Per Tonne

When it comes to your crushing and materials handlingrequirements, you need reliable equipment that performsin the toughest conditions.Joy Mining Machinery offers STAMLER feeder-breakers and reclaim feeders, and CONTINENTAL conveyors and conveyor equipment. They are at work in some of the world’s most productive materials handling applications.

STAMLER PRODUCTS are engineered to cut operating costs and increaseproductivity by allowing operations to work at their most efficient rate.

CONTINENTAL CONVEYOR PRODUCTS are a perfect fit to meet today’smining challenges. CONTINENTAL conveyors and conveyor equipment areproven in some of the most demanding applications.

Complete crushing and conveying systems integration is available with our wide product range and engineering teamwork that assures your materials handling system will work together as designed.

And, we stand behind our design and equipment with unsurpassed customer service and support.

THIS IS

Longwall Systems Bolting Cutting Haulage Crushing & Conveying

14567 SA Mining Weekly Full_v3a_Layout 1 3/18/10 9:51 AM Page 1

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BULK HANDLING TODAY May 2010 1�

HARBOURS & PORTS

W ith the support of Transnet Port Ter-minals (TPT), a local manufacturer has designed a trailer that will make it safer and easier to move containers

from ship to shore. The mammoth delivery of a multimillion rand consignment of 66 new ‘corner-less bathtub’ trailers designed and manufactured by Pretoria-based Afrit, has brought to a close months of intensive market research, supplier scouting and short-listing in a collaborative effort between representatives of TPT’s procurement and technical teams.

The trailers will not only streamline operations and speed up container turn-around times, but also provide a far safer method of moving containers from ship to shore. Sixty trailers have been delivered to Cape Town container terminal as part of the facility’s R4.2 billion capacity creation project while six were de-livered to Pier 1 container terminal in Durban.

Intensive ResearchErnest Bell, Commercial Specialist in TPT’s Procure-ment Department, says that TPT senior management made a strategic decision to approach local OEM’s (original equipment manu-facturers) of trailers directly and not accept proposals

from any third parties.

“The size of this order meant that it was critical for us to work with the actual manufacturer, rather than a third party who outsourced to the manufacturer, added a mark-up but then was unable to provide adequate after-sales service and maintenance to meet our stringent requirements,” he says.

Track recordInstead of relying solely on tender submissions, Er-nest says the process required a nationwide search and visits by TPT to dozens of trailer manufacturers across the country. These were whittled down to a selection of suppliers boasting a national footprint, in-house capacity to cater for TPT’s requirements and a proven track record of excellent service,

quality and back-up assistance.

Afrit was one of the short-listed companies. Ernest says the company eventually scooped the contract due to its competitive pricing and a significantly shorter delivery time frame of just four months, backed by a sound track record.

Design changesWhile essentially serving the same purpose, the new Afrit trailers offer a simple yet effective change: they do not have the closed corners of traditional trailers. This used to make it difficult to load con-tainers directly onto trailer vehicles and access the corner cone fasteners.

Harry Dickinson, Project Manager at TPT, explains,

Winning Trailer Design

Representatives of Transnet Port Terminals and Afrit pictured in front of one of the new corner-less bathtub trailers

Seven of the 60 bathtub trailers delivered to Cape Town container terminal.

The sides are raised and curved inwards to enable the crane operator to lower the container onto the trailer

MOSTPRODUCTIVE

www.joy.com

South Africa Operations20 Fuchs St., Alrode 1450 & Pvt Bag 123924, Alrode 1451, AlbertonAustralia China India Poland Russia South Africa United Kingdom United States

Most Productive Equipment

Zero Harm Mentality

Lowest Cost Per Tonne

When it comes to your crushing and materials handlingrequirements, you need reliable equipment that performsin the toughest conditions.Joy Mining Machinery offers STAMLER feeder-breakers and reclaim feeders, and CONTINENTAL conveyors and conveyor equipment. They are at work in some of the world’s most productive materials handling applications.

STAMLER PRODUCTS are engineered to cut operating costs and increaseproductivity by allowing operations to work at their most efficient rate.

CONTINENTAL CONVEYOR PRODUCTS are a perfect fit to meet today’smining challenges. CONTINENTAL conveyors and conveyor equipment areproven in some of the most demanding applications.

Complete crushing and conveying systems integration is available with our wide product range and engineering teamwork that assures your materials handling system will work together as designed.

And, we stand behind our design and equipment with unsurpassed customer service and support.

THIS IS

Longwall Systems Bolting Cutting Haulage Crushing & Conveying

14567 SA Mining Weekly Full_v3a_Layout 1 3/18/10 9:51 AM Page 1

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1� BULK HANDLING TODAY May 2010

directly from a vessel onto the old trailers until the twist lock cones were physically removed from the container. The container would have to stay suspended at least two metres in the air for a long period of time so the cones could be physically removed.”

This process also posed safety risks: the suspended container or the loosened cones could have fallen and caused serious damage or injury to those working around it.

Curved inwardWith the Afrit-designed bathtub trailers, the sides are raised and curved inwards to enable the crane operator to lower the container onto the trailer, where it will locate itself without the operator having to conduct a series of manoeuvres. This saves time in the loading procedure. The new rounded design is already in use at major European ports.

The trailers are of heavy duty construction with a capacity of 65 tons to carry two six-metre

containers with a combined weight of 60 tons or one fully-laden 12-metre container. The axles are supplied by Henred and are of a 40-ton walking beam design with heavy duty leaf springs.

Minimal defectionAdding to the high impact capabilities of the trailer, the axles are fitted with solid puncture tyres which have minimal deflection under impact loading. Also the fitting of these tyres has given Transnet a large cost saving in providing a low instance of tyre replacement and puncture repairs. Maintenance on these trailers has been cut down to a minimum by fitting the Groeneveld self lubricating system.

A departure from the norm in trailer manufactur-ing was included in the design in the landing legs. The truck tractors used to transport the trailers are of special design and are fitted with hydraulically adjustable 5th wheels which lift the trailers before locking them in place.

Says Harry Dickinson, “Equipment like this would usually have to be imported from the country that had perfected this unique design. Working with a local supplier throughout this process meant that the end result was beyond all expectations.”

“TPT and Afrit were in constant communication throughout the process. Afrit had initially provided us with a prototype which we tested in operations. This allowed us to make working changes and tweak the design to finally fit the specific needs of our terminals,” says Ernest.

In conclusion, he adds that the bathtub trailers were an example of design and manufacture that not only meets the standards of its European counterparts but also caters specifically for South African needs.

Lunga Ngcobo, GM: Corporate Communications, Transnet Port Terminals, Email: [email protected]

Brenda Magqwaka (left), Chief Operations Manager at the Cape Town Container Terminal, and André van de Wetering, Managing Director of Afrit

Only meets the standards of its European counterparts but also caters specifically for South African needs

“Containers stacked on a vessel have twist lock cones at each corner to secure them while in stack. In the past this meant we could not load the container

HARBOURS & PORTS

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BULK HANDLING TODAY May 2010 1�

High Speed Conveying – Its Advantages,

Disadvantages And Some Proposed Solutions

The obvious advantage of conveying bulk ore or material at

higher belt speeds is the lower capital cost of the conveyor

system. The capital savings are due to lighter material loads,

narrower belts and lower belt tensions. It is fair to say that

high speed conveying is generally not suited to in plant type of

conveyors and probably never will be for reasons of safety and

material transfer points. Therefore the focus will be only on the

longer ‘overland’ type of belt installations.

Design ParametersBelt speed m/s 4 6 8 10 12.5Capacity t/h 4000 4000 4000 4000 4000Belt S.F on steady state min 6 min 6 min 6 min 6 min 6Carry Idler spacing (return) m 2.5 (7.5) 2.5 (7.5) 2.5 (7.5) 2.5 (7.5) 2.5 (7.5)Carry idler trough angle deg 45 45 45 45 45Idler rolls # 5 3 3 3 3Idler roll diam mm 152 152 152 152 152Sag percentage % 2 2 1 0.5 0.5Minimum L10 idler life required hrs 60000 60000 60000 60000 60000Friction factor 0.016 0.016 0.0165 0.017 0.0175

Calculated ValuesFor belt speed m/s 4 6 8 10 12.5T1 kN 700 496 409 368 321Belt width mm 1800 1500 1350 1200 1050% belt fill % 85 83 78 79 84Belt class ST2500 ST2000 ST2000 ST2000 ST2000Idler speed rpm 503 754 1005 1256 1570Carry idler series (shaft dia) 40 40 40 40 40Return idler series (shaft dia) 40/30 35/30 30 30 30L10 carry idler life hrs 90000 81659 84556 77727 66451L10 return idler life hrs 133134 210783 215736 236522 279027Carry idler bearing 6308 6308 6308 6308 6308Return idler bearing 6306 6306 6306 6306 6306Load on centre roll N 5879 5305 4765 4549 4449Absorbed power kW 2274 2390 2609 2789 3008Diff. compared to 4m/s kW 116 335 515 734

Table 2: Calculated design values

Table 1: Design parameters

To have a better understanding and to il-lustrate the capital savings and consequent effects of conveying at higher speeds, as-sume a typical conveyor of 6000m long

with an overall elevation of 60m carrying coal at 4000t/h. In order to do a fair comparison the design parameters shown in Table 1 have been through some basic optimisation. A comparison based on ISO 5048 between 4m/s, 6m/s, 8m/s, 10m/s and 12.5 m/s has been done using the design parameters and the results are shown in the calculated values of Table 1.

CONVEYING

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Figure 1, shows the general trend from a capital expenditure point of view when considering a wider, slower belt to a narrower, faster belt conveying

the same tonnage. There are however also a few other factors that should be considered to ensure a complete comparison can be done between these two options. Factors such as equipment replace-ment costs (maintenance costs), finance costs and operational costs.

Figure 2, This graph also gives some idea of future cash flow requirements as the major items are replaced on the convey-ors. The major influenc-ing factor is that of belt replacement. The costs of replacing the wider belt are significantly more than those to replace the narrower belt. The cost difference between the

two plants indicates that the wider belt remains substantially more expensive throughout the life

of the conveyor.

Disadvantages

IdlersIdlers are one of the most affected components when belt speeds are increased. Based on previous work done on high speed idlers let us accept that the ad-ditional considerations and requirements, when designing higher speed belts, on idlers and their related support structures are:

Overall conveyor struc-tural alignment, vertical and horizontal, becomes critical.Structural rigidity to ensure

Cost comparison of capital cost vs. belt speed (cost in R1000’s)Capital Equipment Belt Speed [m/s]

4m/s 6m/s 8m/s 10m/s 12.5m/s(1800mm belt) (1500mm belt) (1350mm belt) (1200mm belt) (1050mm belt)

R 1000’s % of total R 1000’s % of total R 1000’s % of total R 1000’s % of total R 1000’s % of totalIdlers 8,511 13% 6,243 11% 5,678 11% 5,298 11% 5,006 11%Belting 32,688 48% 26,352 47% 24,852 47% 23,484 48% 21,996 47%Drive 6,559 10% 5,712 10% 5,333 10% 4,887 10% 4,643 10%Pulleys 3,249 5% 3,281 6% 2,279 4% 1,582 3% 1,431 3%Electricals (VSD’s) 5,200 8% 5,200 9% 5,800 11% 5,800 12% 6,800 15%Support Structure 11,310 17% 9,570 17% 8,700 17% 7,830 16% 6,960 15%

67,518 100% 56,358 100% 52,643 100% 48,880 100% 46,837 100%Table 3: Capital cost comparison for various belt speeds

Figure 1: Graph showing capital expenditure vs. belt width for a given throughput

Figure 2: Capital expenditure (initial and recapitalization) vs. equipment life span

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minimal vibration of the structure as well as to rigidly support the idler frames also becomes critical.The installation of idler frames becomes criti-cal, both from an alignment point of view as well as to ensure the frames are securely and properly tightened to the structure. It has been noted previously that loose idler frames can play a major part in idler bearing failure due to the vibration.Idler frames need to be of rigid design.Idler bearing L10 life is decreased with increas-ing bearing rpm but is at the same time the L10 life is also increased with the reduced load on the bearings.

Idler total indicated runout (TIR) and idler mass unbalance at high speeds is another cause of pre-mature idler bearing failure (expand on this). Overall higher idler costs as a result of tighter tolerances.Forward tilt? – Should well aligned belt conveyors have forward tilting idlers – Belts that are properly aligned should not require forward tilting idlers, particularly not on the straight sections. Design should incorporate optimal idler spac-ing, belt tensions, belt sag and control as these affect power consumption.

BeltingOn higher speed applications, any defect in the belt may be magnified due to the belt speed, thus belts need to be accurately manufactured with high quality splice joints.

Belt wear, due to scuffing on idler rolls if badly aligned, or if idler bases have forward tilting roll-ers will increase. Belt wear at loading points, if not properly designed to match the material and belt speed along the axis of belt travel, will also increase significantly.

The use of faster nar-rower belt results in a lower vertical load, thus reducing indentation roll-ing resistance. This is an advantage to higher speed conveyors, however it is purely covered here as it falls within the belting section.

Mechanical componentsFor the sake of this paper items such as pulleys and drive systems are referred to as mechanical com-

••

ponents, basically those components other than idlers and belting. Without having explored fully the implications on pulley bearings they should not be a major issue. Pulley bearing sizes are usually more dependent on the shaft size after a certain allowed turn down of the pulley shaft. The pulley shaft is generally governed by deflection resulting in comfortable sizing of the pulley bearings. The same scenario is applicable here as was applied to idler bearings – the L10 life will reduce due to increased bearing rpm but the load on the bearing is reduced, while conveying the same load, thus again increasing L10 life to some degree.

As belt speed increases, while conveying the same load, tensions and therefore belt class are reduced. The lower tensions (due to lower resistances) mean a lower gearbox output torque is required. Although this generally reduces initial capital costs starting the belt with lower reduction gearbox may bring some difficulties of its own. Starting require-ments after dynamic analysis may also involve more costly equipment in the form of couplings, coolers,VSD’s etc.

Power consumption generally increases with an increase in speed. The basic power required comes down to:

As the velocity increases so does the power consump-tion. However with narrower belts the F decreases for a given conveyor but typically proportionally not more than the effect of the increased v. This high-lights one of the main disadvantages of conveying at high speeds, increased power consumption. For high speed conveying to be an attractive option there will need to be a point reached where the capital savings are substantial enough to off-set the increased power consumption cost.

Figure 3: Graph showing power cost vs. time

CONVEYING

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Support structure and the installation thereofThe support structure on high speed conveyors will be subject to a higher excitation frequency and as such may vibrate close to their natural frequency.

Support structures need to be structurally rigid to ensure minimal vibration. It has been shown previously that vibration due to inadequately stiff structures, loose idler frames, flexible idler frames, TIR and mass unbalance of rolls are the major fac-tors in idler failure. It is also understandable that at higher belt speeds areas of misalignment will pose much more of a problem and as such better installations are required for high speed belts.

Transfer and loading pointsTransfer points can be problem areas even when conveying at low speeds. The transfer of material when using high speed conveying should not be under estimated as it can very easily tarnish all the good design work that may have gone into designing the high speed belt.

Typically material degradation, dust genera-tion and chute wear are the major players but don’t forget the importance of loading the belt correctly as well.

Material degradation is usually caused in chutes in areas of impact where the particle has a significant and sudden change in speed or direction.

Chute wear also occurs predominantly in these same areas of impact or impact zones. Typically large amounts of money are spent on expensive liner materials to line these zones. Furthermore there is the damage a dislodged worn liner plate can do to a belt and downstream equipment.

Pre-cast module for overland and high speed applications The Bateman pre-cast module (Patent application number 2008/03573) for overland and high speed applications.

The overland section of long conveyors typically presents the greatest opportunity for structural savings and to reduce the effect of vibration as it contains the vast majority of the idlers and struc-tural steel. Therefore development work in this area has led to the design of a pre-cast concrete module for a 1200 mm belt. The intension of the module is two fold. Firstly, to attempt to reduce cost with steel prices going where they were and secondly, to provide a stiff structure to reduce the effect of vibration due to belt flap and idler un-balance. As mentioned before, previous work has shown that idler vibration is a major cause of idler bearing failure and this structure should contribute to reducing those failures.

Looking briefly at belt flap for these two conveyors. Belt flap, particularly on the return side must be considered. However as can be seen from Figure 5 below, the natural frequencies of the different belts for the particular belt profiles considered remain fairly constant without much variation. The

Figure 4: Pre-Cast Module for 1200mm wide belts

CONVEYING

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excitation or idler induced frequency continually in-creases as the belt speed increases.

Although a situation may occur where the third or four mode of the belt will coincide with the idler excitation frequency, these higher modes are usually of far less of a concern, with only the first or sec-ond mode really posing a potential problem.

Comparing a fairly standard overland conveyor using ground line type modules for a 1200mm wide belt at 45kg/m, for argument sake, the concrete mod-ule can offer substantial savings on the structural cost while providing a rigid structure.

Cyclo-chute for high speed applicationsTaking a look at transfer points and introducing the Bateman Cyclo-Chute (Provisional Patent number 2009/02591).

Figure 6, The ‘Cyclo-Chute’ is intended to function as a low wearing transfer chute from one or more high speed conveyor(s) to the next or from one or more high speed conveyor(s) to a slower conveyor or from one or more high speed conveyor(s) to a storage facility (bin, silo, stockpile etc.).

The chute is specifically designed to work on the principal of reducing chute wear, material degradation and dust generation by matching the tangential velocity of the chute wall to that of the incoming mate-rial as closely as possible in the most cost effective way possible. The cylindri-cal portion of the chute is the rotating part with the conical discharge section stationary. The cylindrical portion is driven by some form of drive system before conveyor start-up to ensure the drum is rotating at the correct angular velocity to accept material from the conveyor. This drive system may be able to be disengaged once the sys-tem is running using the momentum of the incoming

material to maintain the required angular velocity. If not, the drive will remain engaged.

Figure 7, During normal operation the material enters the chute and the angular velocity and as-sociated centrifugal forces cause the material to remain suspended on the vertical chute wall. As more material is added to the chute a vertical bed of material is formed in the same way.

The bed depth builds up to a point where the radius of rotation becomes reduced, thus reducing the outward centrifugal forces to a point where gravity becomes dominant and the material falls down

Figure 5: Graph showing belt natural frequency vs. idler induced frequency

Figure 6: Cyclo-Chute

CONVEYING

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into the conical section in a controlled fashion and at a greatly reduced velocity. This material is then discharged out of the conical section in any direction.

The incoming velocity and the tangential speed can be clearly seen in Figure 7.

Figure 8, shows the chute later in time when full and clearly shows the reduc-tion in speed from the incoming to the outgoing material. The outgoing material is in the region of 2.5m/s.

Figure 8, Furthermore with the bed of material held against the side of the chute by centrifugal forces there is the added protection of material on material. Due to this fact of low or no rela-tive velocities and small angles of incidence where the two material streams come in contact with one another, there will be very little material degradation. Should dust control be an issue this chute lends itself well to the installation of a hood structure on top of the cylindrical section with the dust dropping back into the chute or being extracted completely.

ConclusionSooner or later we will reach a practical optimised

maximum belt speed, which seems to be around the 10m/s mark. But one thing is for sure that more and more high speed conveyors will be installed around the world.

It has been shown that there are ways and means to get around the issues of high speed conveying. There is a need, which can only grow over time, for formalising requirements for high speed idlers and incorporating them into our industry standards.

Furthermore, given the fact that indentation rolling resistance still forms a significant portion of belt resistance, there is room for further development or investigation into the use of larger diameter idler rolls and possible further development of a conveyor belt bottom cover grade of rubber for

Figure 8: Figure showing material beginning to discharge

Figure 7: Figure showing revolving cylindrical portion to reduce wear

CONVEYING

Capital cost of 1200mm belt at 10m/s (cost in R1000’s)

Capital Equipment10m/s

(1200mm belt)R 1000’s % of total

Idlers 5,298 11%Belting 23,484 48%Drive 4,887 10%Pulleys 1,582 3%Electricals (VSD’s) 5,800 12%Support Structure 7,830 16%

R 48,880 100%

Table 4: Table showing an extract from Table 3 highlight-ing the 10m/s 1200mm belt capital breakdown

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CONVEYING

the overland type of belt where the additional belt cost may be well worth it in the longer term as it would further reduce the power consumption.

High speed conveying is shown to be a more cost effective solution over a twenty year period. However the analysis is very dependent on belt life. Belt replacements are the most significant costs in maintaining the conveyors so all attempts and measures that are put in place, be they in the form of monitoring equipment or in the form of operational attitudes will be well worth the effort.

This paper has been condensed due to space constraints. The author is Gavin White.

This paper was first presented at Beltcon 15 held in Johannesburg on September 2 and 3, 2009 and copyright is vested with the IMHC. Enquiries can be made through the website; www.beltcon.org.za

Don’t Miss the f irst ever LIFTING GUIDE

Contact Surita Marx, on Tel: (011) 781- 1401, Fax: (011) 781-1403, Cell: 083 281 5761 or

E-mail: [email protected] with your advertising bookings

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The beat goes onThe 2010 Soccer World Cup will offer many challenges for the operations management profession. But what happens when it is all over?Supply Chain and Operations Management professionals must maintain a steady, reliable beat as we continue to move African industry forward to ensure our sustainable footprint.

25 - 28 July 2010 Sun City

The SAPICS Annual Conference is the Leading Event in Africa for Supply Chain and Operations

Management Professionals.

32nd Annual Conference & Exhibition

T 011 023 6707, F 086 575 2979 or [email protected]. www.sapics.org.za

With the participation of: Principal sponsor:

Silver sponsor: Gold sponsor:

Platinum sponsors:

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BULK HANDLING TODAY May 2010 2�

The fundamental engineering of belt conveyors to carry bulk materials has changed little in the last 50 years. Traditionally, conveyor systems were specified by determining

capacity; meeting the minimum codes and safety requirements; then designing for the lowest con-struction cost.

Re-thinking the details Over the years, standards for safety; regulatory compliance and production performance, have been raised considerably yet, while today’s engineers

A New Approach to Conveyor Architecture

The term “conveyor architecture” relates to the selection and interconnecting of components, to create systems that meet

specific goals for safety, efficiency and performance.

have sophisticated design software to assist them and speed up the process, the basic approach has not evolved much.

True advancement in materials handling technology can only be achieved with a complete understanding of the characteristics of materials carried on the conveyor. The physical properties of the materials carried, whether abrasive, corrosive, underground or overland present a serious challenge for compo-nents to withstand.

Re-visiting Today, leading manufacturers are re-visiting system and component design to make safety; fugitive material control; and ease of service, the primary criteria. An example is the EVO Conveyor Architecture introduced by Martin Engineering, offering a new approach to system design that is cost competitive with conventional designs, yet delivers improve-ments in performance, fugitive material control,

The new architecture incorporates a ‘re-think’ of many of a conveyor system’s design details

The beat goes onThe 2010 Soccer World Cup will offer many challenges for the operations management profession. But what happens when it is all over?Supply Chain and Operations Management professionals must maintain a steady, reliable beat as we continue to move African industry forward to ensure our sustainable footprint.

25 - 28 July 2010 Sun City

The SAPICS Annual Conference is the Leading Event in Africa for Supply Chain and Operations

Management Professionals.

32nd Annual Conference & Exhibition

T 011 023 6707, F 086 575 2979 or [email protected]. www.sapics.org.za

With the participation of: Principal sponsor:

Silver sponsor: Gold sponsor:

Platinum sponsors:

CONVEYING

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2� BULK HANDLING TODAY May 2010

Has the liner on the outside of the skirtboard steel (yet still on the inside of the sealing system)

Wear liner This is a sacrificial material used to control the pressure of the cargo against the skirt-board and sealing systems. Typically, the liners are installed on the inside of the chute and skirtboard, which makes them difficult to service.

Martin Engineering’s new conveyor architecture has the liner on the outside of the skirtboard steel (yet still on the inside of the sealing system). This “external” wear liner allows easier installation, inspection and replacement, without confined space entry.

Modular componentsNew EVO components ranging from belt-cleaners to impact cradles are designed with track-mounted or mandrel-style support structures, allowing them to be removed and replaced more efficiently. Track-mounted designs deliver ‘slide in/slide out’ convenience and, even if a procedure is only re-quired in-frequently, the time and money savings can be significant.

The new EVO architecture was developed at Martin Engineering World Headquarters in Nepon-set, Illinois, USA and, is available to bulk cargo handlers worldwide. In Africa, EVO technology is available through Martin Engineering in Witbank, Mpumalanga.

Martin Engineering has been a leading supplier of material flow technology for more than sixty years, with a wide range of systems and services to improve bulk handling.

Nadia Scapin, Martin Engineering, Tel: (013) 656-5135, Fax: (011) 656-5129, Email: [email protected], Website: www.martin-eng.co.za

safety and serviceability.

Much of Martin Engineering’s development in re-cent years has been concentrated around conveyor transfer point areas to control dust (health/safety), fugitive material (safety, cost and environmental control), and ease of maintenance (safety and efficiency).

New shapesThe new architecture incorporates a ‘re-think’ of many of a conveyor system’s design details, in particular, as they relate to any of the aforemen-tioned criteria.

A typical ‘re-think’ area would be traditional con-veyor stringers designed from C-channel with angle iron bracing. These shapes allow dust and spillage to accumulate leading to material waste, long-term corrosion, explosion hazards, clean-up labour costs and safety risks.

In the new design, structural members are orienta-ted at 45 degrees to horizontal, reducing the ac-cumulation of dust and spillage without an increase in the weight (or cost) of the structure.

When the cross-braces are orientated “point-up,” they shed, rather than accumulate fugitive materials.

The stringers in the new conveyor architecture com-bine the convenience of a standard C-channel with the material-shedding capabilities of a 45 degree flange. This dust accumulation-resistant structure is comparable in strength to common C-channels at a similar weight and, it accommodates conventional idlers, impact beds and slider cradles.

CONVEYING

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We meet with the current owners of Technique Avant Garde, Lesley Masilo and Steve Alset, who bought the company about a year ago from

the family of Belgium founder, Justin Met after he passed away.

“The company and the product, the Dirtwhacker, is well established in South Africa, so we decided to keep the name,” says Lesley. “I had known Jus-tin for many years while I was on the mines and had learnt all the in’s and out’s of the product, so when the company came up for sale I jumped at the opportunity.”

Lesley comes from a mining background where he systematically worked his way up to become the first black foreman in a senior position. “My father had a fleet of taxis and naturally I also ventured into this business on the side to complement my income. But since Technique Avant Garde, I’ve sold it all,” says Lesley with a chuckle. “Now I have some land where I try my hand at farming whenever there’s time.”

PartnerLesley first indicated that he wanted to buy the business in the middle of the economic downturn but he simply could not get any of the banks to help with a loan. “It was risky times but I needed capital, so I approached a life-long friend Steve

to join me. In spite of my knowledge and confidence in the Dirtwhacker system, it was hard work to con-vince Steve and his wife to join me in the venture,” adds Lesley.

“Fortunately we’ve known each other since youth and we both come from technical backgrounds, making the partnership a huge success because we understand each other and can sort out differences amicably.”

Spillage solutionIn his years on the mine, Lesley thoroughly learnt the advantages of the product and, in fact, helped the for-mer owner, Justin, sort out some initial problems they

Fighting Belt SpillageAvant-garde is a French word meaning to push the boundaries of what is accepted as the norm or the status quo. In finding this definition, it soon made sense to us at “Bulk Handling Today”

that the manufacturer of a unique conveyor belt scraper named his company, Technique Avant Garde. Their stuff is not only ad-vanced technology but also literally an advanced guard that pro-

tects the conveyor belt and rollers from excessive wear.

Lesley Masilo (right) and Steve Alset of Technique Avant Garde

Scrapers being assembled in the workshop

CONVEYING

It was the end of our problems in terms of spillage-related breakdowns

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had with the Dirtwhacker, as he was in charge of the conveyor systems at the mine. “This mine has the first man-riding conveyor system installed in South Africa, but at the time we had huge problems with

spillage and were seeking a solution when I came across the Dirtwhacker for the first time,” recalls Lesley.

“I met Justin at a mining expo, saw the product and decided to give them a chance to do a test trial on our belt. It was the end of our problems in terms of spillage-related breakdowns as well as excessive wear on the belt and idlers. We never looked back.”

Local salesToday the Dirtwhacker is established as a proven belt cleaning solution on mines across the globe with sales steadily growing since Lesley and Steve took over. “Overall the business has grown by about 30%,” says Lesley. “When we started, sales

were spilt at 60% export and 40% local sales, but we’ve since grown to an equal split between local installations and exporting the product.”

The Dirtwhacker, which is known as the Scavenger in the United States (nobody knows why?) has many unique features that has made it a cut above

The pneumatic system that controls pressure on the belt

No specially-trained technicians are required to constantly adjust the scraper

CONVEYING

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the rest. “One of the main features is the fact that it is a system that automatically adjusts itself and therefore no specially-trained technicians are required to constantly adjust the scraper,” explains Lesley. “Pneumatic pres-surisation of a rubber sleeve alters the angles within the parallelogram modules, thereby providing precise and uniform pressure on the belt surface while the system automatically compensates for blade wear.

No-load“The constant blade-to-belt angle and the even blade-to-belt pressure over the full width of the belt are also unique features,” explains Lesley. “In addition the sys-tem is very flexible in that we can customise it to suit different applications and products being conveyed. The system is fully com-patible with a reverse belt system and blade pressure adjustments can be done remotely if required.

“We also have an option to fit a no-load sensoring device to the system,” adds Lesley. “When a belt is running but not conveying material, there is no reason for the cleaning system to be activated, particularly with a fast running belt as it causes unnecessary mechanical and thermal wear on both the belt and the scraper blade. The no-load ultrasonic sensor device detects no-load conditions and simply reduces pres-sure on the pressurised tube that holds the blade in position, thereby moving the blade off the belt for the duration of the dry run.”

Constant watchAlthough the design has proved itself, Technique Avant Garde has regular technical meetings with staff and customers to keep an eye on problems that might crop up in terms of specific applica-tions. “Since we’ve taken over nothing has been changed in the design as such, we’ve just improved on material selection for some of the components and are in the process of streamlining our produc-

The adjustable skirting board system

The Dirtwhacker installed on the end pulley

tion line,” says Lesley in conclusion.

“However, we’ve come up with some complementary new ideas such as an easily-adjustable skirting board system that requires no special tools to adjust. As we’re constantly on the look-out for anything that makes the control of spillage easier, our customers can sleep peacefully every night.”

Lesley Masilo, Technique Avant Garde, Tel: (011) 762-2560, Email: [email protected]

An easily-adjustable skirting board system that requires no special tools to adjust

CONVEYING

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The guide will advise industry users on how to choose, use and maintain lifting equipment that is ‘tailor-made’ for their specific needs and appli-

cations. Generic type of cranes and their specifications are discussed in detail, along with other useful information such as chains, hoists, slings, etc.

But any machine is only as good as the per-son who operates it, so we will also discuss driver training, proper maintenance, health and safety requirements, inspections and much more.

The publication is endorsed by: LEEASA (Lifting Equipment Engineering Association of SA); CMA (Conveyor Manufacturers As-sociation); SAIMechE (SA Institution of Me-chanical Engineering), SAIMH (SA Institute of Material Handling), and the RFA (Road Freight Association).

If you would like your product or service to feature in this definitive lifting guide, I will be happy to provide you with further information so please do not hesitate to contact me.

Make sure you’re in this comprehensive refer-ence publication!

Kind regards, Surita Marx, Advertising Sales Consultant, Bulk Handling Today, Tel: (011) 781- 1401 / 083 281 5761, E-mail: [email protected]

Surita Marx

2010 Lifting Guide“Bulk Handling Today”, will be publishing the first ever

LIFTING GUIDE in July 2010. The guide will be distributed together with the July 2010 edition of “Bulk Handling Today”, from our stand at Electra Mining in October 2010 and at vari-ous seminars and conferences throughout the year. We are of-fering you a golden opportunity to put your product or service

on the map.

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Market Forum

A Metso Minerals Lokotrack ST358 mobile screening unit in operation on a site in Namibia. The next generation ST3.8 will be fitted with a Cat C4.4 Tier 3 engine as a standard OEM fitment

Tracked screeners rebrandedCoinciding with the relocation of Metso Minerals’ mobile screening factory to the company’s existing crusher plant in Tampere, Finland, is the 2010 launch of the re-branded Lokotrack ST track mounted screen series, which comes with a host of new technological enhancements.

Within the southern African market, the new ST range will complement a growing population of Metso Minerals mobile units already performing sterling service on mining, quar-rying and construction sites across the region. Locally, the Metso mobile range is sold and supported by Barloworld Equipment, which is also the exclusive southern African Caterpillar distributor.

“One of the major new developments on the ST range is Metso Minerals’ decision to fit Caterpillar C4.4 Tier 3 engines as a standard OEM item across the series,” explains Trevor Garden, general manager: Metso, at Barloworld Equipment.

The well-proven Metso ST358 and ST458 models have now been re-named as the ST3.8 and ST4.8, which best describes the tasks which these machines are designed to perform. For example, on the ST3.8, ‘S’ stands for Screen, ‘T’ for tracked, ‘3’ indicates the number of discharge conveyors, and ‘8’ the area in square metres to the nearest whole number.

Technological enhancements include improved bearing qual-ity and remote greasing. Additional protection is now also provided for the hopper skirts to improve skirt life; whilst a revised adjustable covered discharge chute design further increases material flow efficiencies. On the main and fines conveyors, additional rollers have been added to reduce the risk of spillage to a minimum.

Barloworld Equipment, Tel: (011) 929-000, Website: www.barloworld-equipment.com

High-lift crane leaderCondra has reported recent deliveries of four high-lift hoists to local customers, one of them an articulated machine with a capacity of 45-tons, another with a very high lift of 112 metres. The company has received enquiries for similar equipment from two neighbouring states.

The modular design of Condra’s K-Series allows rapid modifi-

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�2 BULK HANDLING TODAY May 2010

Market Forum

cation to specific high-lift application requirements, resulting in delivery times that are usually the shortest available.

Competitive prices are the result of long production runs of standard parts.

Condra uses silumin rotor cores to enhance K-Series mo-tor-starting torque in the high-lift role, and has developed

Typical Condra K-Series hoist

Line of cone crushersWith the Nordberg MP1250cone crusher Metso is provid-ing up to 30% increase in capacity as a result of advanced crushing dynamics, while increasing the horsepower to 1250 HP. All of this, with an installation that uses the same foot-print as the MP1000, means greater productivity without additional expense.

variable speed control levels on the drives to enable precise load positioning even on lifts of 100 metres and more. Hoist speeds of between zero and 18 metres per minute, and travel speeds of between zero and 200 metres per minute, are possible.

The company has in the past manufactured mine headgear maintenance cranes with lift heights in ex-

cess of 80 metres, more than three times the 25-metres classified by international standards as very high.

Hoists above 2-tons are manufactured in Gauteng, at the company’s custom made premises in Raceway Industrial Park. For lift applications below 2-tons, Condra serves as the sole South African distributor of Hitachi electric chain hoists.

Josef Kleiner, Condra (Pty) Ltd, Tel: (011) 021-3712, Fax: 086-669-2372, Email: [email protected]

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Market Forum

Work harder or notNewElec’s 330 Series low voltage electronic motor protec-tion relay is designed to protect wound rotor motors used on winches or overhead cranes.

The motor duty class, starting class, cyclic duration factor, power and load current value are of fundamental importance and permit accurate full load protection and adjustment. The inverse thermal curve caters for a cyclic duration factor that offers both stator and rotor protection. This allows the motor to be used to its full duty class and CDF, but still maintain accurate, repeatable protection on small or marginal loads. Maximum load threshold is adjustable between 30% and 100% of the CT primary current.

The MP1250 has nearly a dozen key features and benefits that include a redesigned mainframe for improved durability; a new eccentric design that provides improved surface fin-ish and protects the eccentric in the event of overload; and a new head bushing design that further reduces head spin during no-load operation without the need for a mechanical clutch assembly.

Design improvements in the mantle locknut make mainte-nance quicker and easier, and there are also upgrades in the hydraulic tramp protection system, bowl adjustment and removal, and faster hydraulic re-pressurization times. Together with the new gradation auto-sizing automation system, these improvements make the MP1250 a formidable addition to Metso’s well-established line of cone crushers. Many of the select upgrade features are also available as individual components.

A higher fulcrum point and increased throw mean more work per cycle. An increased power rating of 1250 HP translates into a 30% potential increase in capacity. Higher power-to-production ratio means more efficient use of energy.

An advanced Gradation Auto-Setting System eliminates the need for frequent calibration and continually monitors product size for more consistent crushing and output. It also automatically adjusts the crusher setting.

Easier maintenance is achievable with bolt-on counterweight liners; a new head-nut or locknut that only requires com-mon hand tools to replace; fewer accumulators to charge

and monitor; fewer adjustment motors to service; and faster bowl removal.

Improved eccentric design reduces bushing wear during re-duced feed conditions. Robust design of the fully-machined sleeved eccentric provides less wear and more protection in overload conditions. A new tramp system provides better protection from mechanical overload, and new drive ring pads provide longer life.

If you are an existing MP1000 cone crusher user, you can expect the same results by using Metso’s MP1250 retrofit kit for upgrading to high-throw and high pivot point. The kit includes a new sleeved, high-throw eccentric; large counter-weight with bolt-on guard; upper head bushing; head ball; and socket liner.

Metso is a global supplier of sustainable technology and services for mining, construction, power generation, automa-tion, recycling and the pulp and paper industries. We have over 28,000 employees in more than 50 countries. www.metso.com

Darryl Moss, Metso Minerals, Tel: (011) 961-4000, Fax: (011) 397-5084, Email: [email protected]

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Market ForumLatched trip LEDs indicate overload and unbalance detection and trip, with a separate trip and thermal lock-out period in process indication.

When the 330 Series relay is placed in the crane operator’s cabin, this will provide him with a visual display of the op-erational state of his crane motor in terms of workload. He will be able to see whether or not he can work the crane harder or whether he needs to reduce speed.

Luc Dutrieux, NewElec, Tel: (012) 327-1729, Fax: (012) 327-1733, E-mail: [email protected], Web: www.newelec.co.za

Now in springs Bearing Services Springs, a division of Bearing Services Africa (Pty) Ltd, the only authorised distributor of SKF products and services for the Springs and surrounding areas, is proud to be the first authorised SKF Distributor to introduce a SISI (Stock it – Sell it) order system comprising SKF branded power transmission products to deliver value added service to their customers.

“When Bearing Services Africa acquired the SKF Springs branch in August 2005, we consolidated the basics by increasing and expanding the stockholding and by putting the right staff mix into place to be able to offer exceptional customer service and a full range of SKF products”,

Michele Coetzee, Bearing Services Springs Branch Manager supplying SKF branded power transmission products

says Branch Manager, Michele Coetzee.

“The phenomenal success that followed these measures necessitated further expansion and we recently added another SKF core technology, power transmission, to our product and service offering. Everything is now in place to deliver an expanded product range and services to existing and potential customers across industry”.

Michele, who was appointed Bearing Services Springs Branch Manager in October 2005, had been with SKF South Africa

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Market Forumfor 20 years. “For most of my long career with SKF South Africa, I worked in the Springs area so I am well versed with the market and the environment. I know the custom-ers well and I think I can confidently say that they trust my commitment to them.”

Springs is considered to be one of Gauteng’s major industrial sites, housing some of South Africa’s main players in pulp and paper, food and beverage, mining and other industries. “Stocking industrial power transmission products was simply a logical step”, says Michele.

“When our technicians do testing on belt tensioning and identify worn belts, we can now also supply the required item off the shelf. This not only makes good business sense but more importantly, we are adding value for our customers; by including the SKF core technologies, we have the products to satisfy virtually every diverse application requirement.” Michele says that, cost consideration aside, customers demand professional after sales service and product availability.

Samantha Joubert, MarComm Assistant, SKF South Africa (Pty) Ltd, Tel: (011)821-3500, Fax: (011)821-3501, Email: [email protected], Web: www.skf.co.za

Sound economic senseReducing vehicle tare weight reduces rolling resistance and therefore CO2 emissions.

Serco’s Super Reefer Lite, launched in 2009 achieves a substantial weight saving against the standard trailer of up to 1000kg’s. The ultra lightweight

30 pallet show trailer which weighed in at an impressive 8 380kg’s including the cooler unit. This weight saving will deliver a reduction over a seven-year period of 37 tons in CO2 emissions and a reduction of 0,81 litres of fuel per 100km in comparison to a standard trailer with single tyres. This amount increases to a 58,9-ton saving in CO2 emissions and a 1,27 litre saving in fuel per 100km when compared with a trailer with dual tyres.

In a recent survey, it was found that almost a quarter of vehicles inspected had under inflated tyres which increase fuel consumption and emissions. In this respect Serco have introduced the ‘P-eye’ tyre pressure sensors as a simple but effective way to remedy this problem while saving on tyre wear and fuel at the same time.

Maintaining the thermal efficiency of the body is paramount to reduce fuel consumption of the fridge motor. Prompt at-tention to attend to damage to the body will help reduce water ingress. Door seals and heat bridges will also impact on the thermal efficiency of the body.

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deal with client assets to the value of millions of Rands, where each failure is disruptive to production and very costly. At the same time, they adhere to stringent occupational health, safety and environmental regulations.

The main objective of implementing an Enterprise Asset Man-agement is to strike an optimal balance between maximising Overall Asset Productivity (OAP) and minimising Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) and Maximizing ROI.

Rema decided on a software solution that is much more than computerised maintenance management software (CMMS), which captures only standard transaction main-tenance metrics.

The EAM software solution addresses; scheduled mainte-nance; reliability and risk management; strategic planning —increase visibility into asset performance management to better align these resources with corporate goals and inven-tory and warranty —optimise inventory and purchasing to save money.

Uptime —forecast likely failure points and the causes to improve uptime.

Adslen Exall Rema Tip Top South Africa, Tel: (011) 813-2223, Fax: (011) 817-2227, Email: [email protected], Web: www.rema-tiptop.com

Market Forum

Organisation-wide impactHistorically Rema Tip Top South Africa, like many other companies, ran on reactive (run-to-failure) service models, but the company now beginning to embrace a TCO model (Total Cost of Ownership), complete life cycle management, planning and costing, planned maintenance and best prac-tices that sets their focus to proactive maintenance rather than reactive.

By managing the assets across their own as well as their client facilities, Rema Tip Top is out to improve utilisation and performance, reduce costs, extend asset life and improve ROI (Return On Investment) and ROA (Return on Assets).

Providing services and solutions in the bulk material handling and processing industry, Rema Tip Top, also faces the harsh realities of operating in this highly competitive market. They

This Cat 785C automatically burns waste oil during its daily production tasks thanks to the fitment of Caterpillar’s Oil Renewal System

Oil renewal systemDesigned to help lower greenhouse gas emissions, Caterpillar’s Oil Renewal System (or ORS) provides a new, cost-effective and environmentally-friendly way of managing oil usage, its maintenance and disposal on Cat’s 3500B off-highway truck engine series.

“By injecting controlled amounts of used oil from the crankcase into the engine’s fuel return line, ORS burns off waste oil as

The type of refrigerant used is also a major factor. Certain CFC refrigerants have now been banned and we are seeing more efficient motors which use less fuel being introduced.

Numerous other aspects can be considered when making the choice to be responsible. It is however; clear that going green can also make sound economic sense.

Serco (Pty) Ltd, Clinton Holcroft Tel: (031) 508-1000

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Market Forumthe machine operates,” explains Wally Parsons, senior product manager: after-sales at Barloworld Equipment, the exclusive Caterpillar dealer in south-ern Africa.

With the addition of re-placement oil at strategic intervals, ORS dramati-cally extends the period between oil changes; reduces servicing time; and cuts both the costs and environmental im-pacts of handling waste engine oil.

During day-to-day opera-tions, ORS activates auto-matically when operating parameters, such as opti-mal engine temperature, are reached. Measured in five minute intervals, the amount of oil injected var-ies according to the rate of fuel consumed and the load factor.

“The ratio of oil to fuel can also be adjusted to suit specific job site conditions and applications by using Cat’s Electronic Technician (Cat ET) service tool, says Wally.

Initially, ORS has been approved for use on the Cat 777D, 785C, 789C, 793C, 797 and 797B.

Wally Parsons, After-sales, Tel: (011)-929-0000, E-mail: [email protected]. Alastair Currie, Media Relations Man-ager, Barloworld Equipment, Tel: (011)-929-0000, E-mail: [email protected]

New R-Series ‘Bling’ V8Scania Southern Africa launched the new R-Series truck range in April only months after the it won the International Truck of the Year Award last December. Scania is offering diehard V8 customers the new R580 V8 6x4 Highline tractor in a stunning Limited Edition ‘bling’ version.

The truck features a stunning ‘liquid gold’ colour scheme with matching bumpers, mirrors and roof deflector, and large, stylised griffin decals on each side of the cab. Commemora-

tive ITOY logos appear on the doors, along with the ‘edition number’. The wheels and fuel tanks are polished alloy, and the nose has a dark chrome Swedish bull bar with four Bosch spotlights, complete with griffin imprinted lens covers. There’s a chromed high-rise exhaust pipe behind the cab.

The interior is spectacular, with a two-tone leather covered steering wheel, luxury leather seats with embossed griffin logos and integral armrests, and three-tone leather and fabric upholstery with leather window sill elbow pads. The

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Market Forum

AMD Rotolok 36

AST Outside / Inside Front Cover

Brelko 37

Chorus Call 23

Clyde Materials Handling 10

Engineer Placements 23

JIP 12

Joy Mining Machinery Outside Back Cover

Martin Engineering 12, 28

Quadrant 30

RFA Inside Back Cover

Rula 8

Sapics 24

Scania 14

Technique Avant Garde 16

ThyssenKrupp 34, 35

Wilec 13

Waloni Industries/Sureguide 32

Index to Advertisers

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Touch industriesInstrotech’s range of rotary incremental encoders have been sold in their thousands for use in the toughest environments where precision is required under high mechanical stress.

Known for durability due to a heavy duty zinc die cast housing with waterproof connector, the encoders are available in both through hollow shaft and solid shaft. An ideal application is for belt weigher’s with pulley and counter weight to run under the belt. Both single channel (for speed measurement) or dual channel with reference pulse ( for quadrature positioning) are avai l -able.

Resolut ion is a maximum 1024 pulses/revolution and the encoder provides vari-ous electronic outputs such as PP, LD, LD24 and OC to ensure compat-ibility with connecting devices.

The Siko model 1G07 has through hollow shaft diameters of up to 20mm, while the IG17 solid shaft unit diameters are up to 16mm and also offered in an IP68 version as an option.

Pieter Deysel, Instrotech (Pty) Ltd, Tel: (011) 462-1920, Fax: (011) 462-1958, Email: [email protected]

door panels feature leather upholstery also with beautifully embossed griffin motifs.

“The new Limited Edition R580 is the ultimate Scania V8 for all our die-hard V8 customers,” says Alec Mack, Scania’s National Sales Director. “The new R-Series introduces a new dimension in safety, fuel efficiency and driver comfort to trucking in South Africa, and we are thrilled to be able to offer it to our customers,” concludes Mack.

The #1 Limited Edition V8 was handed over to Time Link Cargo at the official R-Series launch event in April.

Scania South Africa, Tel: (011) 661-9600, www.scania.co.za

RFA Convention 2010

RFA Convention 2010

Wild Coast Sun

WITHOUT TRUCKS, SOUTH AFRICA STOPS!

Sunday 22 August to Tuesday 24 August 2010Shift into Overdrive

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BULK HANDLING TODAY May 2010 ��

RFA Convention 2010

RFA Convention 2010

Wild Coast Sun

WITHOUT TRUCKS, SOUTH AFRICA STOPS!

Sunday 22 August to Tuesday 24 August 2010Shift into Overdrive

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The Scania R-series.International Truck of the year.

Scania Southern AfricaAngola, Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique, NamibiaSouth Africa, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe

Scania. Destined to Lead.

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