Unreliable and time consuming methods of monitoring the condition of mill liners are now a thing of the past, as mines can now ensure higher efficiencies by tracking liner wear in real time.

With the introduction of MultoScan by Multotec Rubber, milling plants can accurately measure a mill’s liner profile and predict the point at which the mill will start becoming inefficient. The automatic measurement and display of the charge level confirms that the operation of the mill is correct.

According to Matthew Fitzsimons, technical manager at Multotec Rubber, wear rates of liners are not linear, as the increased slippage of the charge on worn liners tends to exponentially increase the wear rate.

Data generated by the MultoScan is analysed and interpreted by highly skilled technicians using Multotec’s Hawkeye proprietary programme, so there is no time lag, allowing plants much quicker responsiveness.

“When combined with critical mill operating parameters, this data can help predict the point where the liner becomes inefficient and hence when the mill itself will become inefficient,” says Fitzsimons. “Customers can receive immediate feedback on the condition of the liners, so any urgent issues can also be timeously addressed.”

The traditional way of monitoring liner wear was the time consuming and often inaccurate pin-gauge method. The MultoScan now provides an effective alternative, while also being much more affordable than the highly sophisticated but expensive monitoring technology in the market.

Repeatability of the MultoScan results means that there is hardly any room for human error in this system. It also saves mines significantly in terms of the time value of mill stoppages for taking manual wear readings.

Further savings can be harnessed by reducing the stockholding of liners that mines need to keep; this is due to better information on the liner profile, giving maintenance crews the ability to set the trigger point for the liner inventory as and when they need it.

Fitzsimons highlights the potential that MultoScan offers, as individual plants can map key performance indicators of their mills and link these to the liner profile condition, extending the capability of the monitoring system by allowing mines to select specific criteria.

Field trials have proven how well the system works in some of Africa’s most arduous milling conditions; more recently, the technology has even been exported to Australian customers.

He emphasises the commercial value that plants can leverage by optimising their mill performance through access to this pioneering technology, alongside Multotec’s market-leading technical expertise and support.