Wear solutions provider Multotec Wear Linings launched its latest wear solutions to the materials handling sector, comprising the MultoCano transfer chute and the Quick Fit Panel, incorporating the Green Dot ceramic tile, at the Electra Mining Africa trade show, which took place at the Nasrec Expo Centre in September last year.

Multotec Wear Linings MD Mike Dexter tells Engineering News that the MultoCano system comprises several standardised structural elements, which can be assembled into a transfer chute or underpan. By keeping the assembled MultoCano system within standardised parameters, assembly costs and the number of spare parts required are reduced.

“We believe wear can be eliminated from a materials handling operation. When we conduct a wear audit at a plant, we identify areas that are particularly troublesome and costly for a customer. We look for design improvements to help mitigate the issues and costs associated with wear, which might result in replacing some of the hardware and not only the lining inside an existing transfer point. In this case, we will redesign, fabricate and commission a new solution,” he explains.

Dexter adds that this can be challenging as this approach requires large components to be manufactured, which can only be installed during a yearly or planned shutdown. “Depending on the size of the plant and where the installation needs to take place, certain pieces of equipment will need to be moved to install the redesigned piece of equipment.”

He adds that this is a costly exercise and results in long downtimes and, in some instances, companies do not buy the new equipment because of the disruption to operations that will occur during installation.

However, Dexter asserts that the MultoCano system is designed to enable two people to carry and assemble the parts of a transfer chute or underpan, as none of the parts weigh more than 40 kg.

“The MultoCano system can be erected at the point of use without disrupting other operations within a plant,” he highlights.

It can also be assembled in areas with low overhead clearances, which could make the installation of preassembled transfer chutes or underpans challenging.

The system is also more cost effective, as it does not require expensive rigging equipment to move any surrounding equipment. The MultoCano system offers additional savings, as it can be flat-packed, making it significantly easier and cheaper to transport, compared with preassembled transfer chutes and underpans.

The MultoCano system is used in conjunction with Multotec’s Quick Fit Panels, which functions as the wear lining between the structural members of the system and the transfer material.

A Quick Fit Panel comprises nine ceramic tiles preassembled on a 300 mm × 300 mm polyurethane composite panel. Each of the tiles has four predrilled holes that will line up to studs, must be welded to the inside of the transfer chute prior to installation. The panel is then bolted to the studs and ceramic caps are placed over the bolts.

“Before the introduction of the Quick Fit Panel, replacing the ceramic lining inside a transfer chute would require the installation crew to break the tiles using a hammer and to use a cutting torch to heat the old adhesive and then scrape the adhesive off the chute. Only after this can the new lining be installed with an epoxy adhesive. This is a time consuming method, as the typical curing time of the adhesive is between five and eight hours,” Dexter states, adding that the typical installation time of 1 m2 of Quick Fit Panels, including stud welding, takes less than an hour.

He illustrates that a Quick Fit Panel incorporates Multotec’s Green Dot ceramic tiles, which have a wear indicator that turns from green to red once the tile has reached 25% of its original thickness, providing operators with a visual means to determine when a tile or panel needs to be replaced.

Dexter points out that without the visual indicator, it is difficult to determine the thickness of a ceramic tile from the outside of a transfer chute, requiring operations to be halted so that an operator can enter the transfer chute to determine the remaining thickness of the wear lining.

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Dexter tells Engineering News that these products have been developed as a result of the South African materials handling sector’s approach to maintenance.

“In South Africa, the trend is to focus on cost, which is often a short-term view on wear. I believe this is impacting negatively on plant throughputs and availabilities, owing to unnecessary plant shutdowns, as a result of maintenance needing to take place,” he posits.

He points out that other countries, particularly Australia, have a different approach to maintenance, which is to ensure that materials handling equipment lasts between scheduled shutdowns.

“The mean time to failure is an important measure for plant operators in Australia, as plants are often located in remote areas that receive scheduled maintenance from roving teams. As such, any breakdown in between scheduled shutdowns is unacceptable.”

Dexter comments that Multotec is attempting to highlight the need for preventive maintenance and to allow for shorter plant shutdowns, specifically when installing ceramic linings. “With our new solutions, plants will not have to wait long for adhesives to cure before it can resume operations. We believe that these new developments can revolutionise wear lining and transfer points in the materials handling sector,” Dexter concludes.