Australian Bulk Handling Review January - February 2023

FLEXI-DISC® Tubular Cable Conveyors gently slide fragile foods and non-foods through smooth stainless steel tubing routed horizontally, vertically or at any angle, over short or long distances, dust-free. Single or multiple inlets and outlets.

FLEXICON® Manual Dumping Stations allow dust-free dumping of bulk material from bags and other containers. Automatic reversepulse filter cleaning allows continuous, efficient operation. Available with integral bag compactors for total dust containment.

BULK-OUT® Bulk Bag Dischargers unload free- and non-free-flowing solids from bulk bags automatically. Allows untying, discharging, retying and collapsing of bulk bags—all dust-free. Available with weigh batching controls.

BLOCK-BUSTER® Bulk Bag Conditioners loosen bulk materials that have solidified during storage and shipment. Variable height turntable positions bag for hydraulic rams with contoured conditioning plates to press bag on all sides at all heights.

SWING-DOWN®, REAR-POST and TWIN-CENTREPOST™ Bulk Bag Fillers can fill one bulk bag per week or 20 per hour at the lowest cost per bag. Numerous performance options. Available to industrial or sanitary standards.

FLEXICON® Flexible Screw Conveyors transport free- and non-free-flowing bulk solid materials from large pellets to sub-micron powders, including products that pack, cake or smear, with no separation of blends, dust-free at low cost. No bearings contact material. Easy to clean quickly, thoroughly.

PNEUMATI-CON®

Pneumatic Conveying Systems move a broad range of bulk materials over short or long distances, between single or multiple inlet and discharge points in low to high capacities. Available as dilute-phase vacuum or positive pressure systems, fully integrated with your process.

TIP-TITE® Container Tippers dump bulk material from drums (shown), boxes or other containers into vessels up to 3 metres high. Dust-tight (shown) or open chute models improve efficiency and safety of an age-old task.

The FLEXICON® Lifetime Performance Guarantee* assures you of a successful result, whether you purchase one piece of equipment or an engineered, automated plant-wide system. From initial testing in large-scale laboratories, to single-source project management, to after-sale support by a worldwide network of factory experts, you can trust your process— and your reputation— to Flexicon.

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EDITORIAL

Embracing automation

Automated technologies are coming – in fact, they’re already here. Robots are no longer the realm of science fiction authors, they’re vital tools that are helping manufacturers and bulk handlers across the world.

Machine learning, artificial intelligence and advanced robotics are already beginning to transform Australia’s economy, and it couldn’t have come at a more important time.

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted several issues within the industry, particularly when it comes to staffing and labour. It’s becoming a lot harder to find new employees to perform dirty, dangerous and dull jobs. Add a virus into the mix and a factory supporting an essential industry could face temporary shutdowns and a serious restriction of productivity.

The technology is also aiding companies at all sizes. Major mining companies are designing robots to haul iron ore to ports, improve safety on site and optimise the maintenance of equipment.

Smaller businesses are also able to get involved, with companies like Aurora Process Solutions providing flexible automated packaging and palletising lines.

McKinsey’s Australia’s automation opportunity report highlighted the benefits of embracing the technology. It found there was an opportunity for up to 150 per cent increases in annual productivity, $4000 to $15,000 in additional income per Australian by 2030, and an addition $170 to $600 billion annual GDP by 2030.

The authors said that capturing the potential upsides of automation will not magically happen on its own though. To overcome the risks of disruption, and to benefit from the opportunities, Australia needs the twin national efforts of accelerating automation while ensuring social inclusion, with national mechanisms for policy and coordination.

“Automation holds great promise for Australia and could help to rekindle the kind of economic growth that delivers higher living standards and more choices for everyone,” the report states.

“Of course, automation will inevitably create challenges, but Australia has in the past confronted similar challenges head on and found ways to maximise opportunities to build sustainable and inclusive growth for all.”

William Arnott Editor - ABHR

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PROVIDING SOLUTIONS

For over 45 years, Vortex has supplied dry material handling components to a global network of Original Equipment Manufacturers, Fortune 500 companies, and process engineering firms. Throughout the world, over 15,000 companies have utilized Vortex’s innovative slide gates, diverters, iris valves, loading solutions and custom engineered products to improve process efficiency.

With sales and service offices located in North America, Europe, Asia and Latin America, Vortex’s success comes from a philosophy, which includes focus on quality, timely customer service and dedication to adding value to our clients’ processes.

PROVIDING SOLUTIONS

Each Vortex component is appropriately selected to meet the demands in every application. With an in-house team of engineers, Vortex product designs can be completely customized for individual applications or special installations. Vortex understands the value of your process. Our team of application engineers have more than 150 years of combined dry material handling experience. Vortex’s knowledge of handling dry material characteristics in pneumatic, vacuum and gravity flow applications is unsurpassed. Vortex delivers intelligent, cost effective solutions for all dry bulk materials. No application is too large, too small or too difficult to handle.

Aerobelt breaks into American market

AEROBELT AUSTRALIA HAS MADE extensive investments into the United States across the past five years.

The company began exporting its unique conveyor systems to the regions, specifically targeting the rice industry.

Aerobelt’s agent in the US was Premier Tech Prairie, part of the Premier Tech Systems and Automation Group based in Johnstone, Iowa.

The company has supplied six conveyors to Kennedy Rice in Louisiana, which include a 400-millimetre-wide belt and five 500-millimetre-wide belts for 50 tonnes per hour and 100 tonnes per hour of food grade rice. Lengths vary from 16 metres to 48 metres long.

The 400-millimetre conveyor was shipped in mid-2020, followed by the 500-millimetre conveyors later in the year.

The conveyors all performed as per the design and faced no operational issues.

Aerobelt has also delivered two 400-millimetre conveyors to Farmers’ Rice Cooperative based in Sacramento, California.

The first conveyor has been installed, with the second planned for installation in 2023.

The conveyors replace an existing conventional roller conveyor

with Aerobelt’s air plenum-based technology.

Steve Hartshorn, who is Aerobelt’s contact that helped supply the conveyors has now launched his

own company, Dependable Conveyor Systems.

Aerobelt will work alongside Dependable Conveyor Systems for all its future endeavours in the Americas.

Cement Australia implements carbon capture at Gladstone plant

THE MITSUBISHI GAS CHEMICAL Company (MGC) and Cement Australia (CA) will implement Circular Carbon Methanol production technology to capture carbon dioxide from CA’s Gladstone plant.

Queensland Treasurer and Trade and Investment Minister Cameron Dick welcomed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to further the commercialisation of methanol production, using green hydrogen in

Gladstone.

“This joint feasibility study into the $150 million first-stage green methanol plant underlines the strong investment climate created by our government’s $62 billion Queensland Jobs and Energy

Aerobelt installed a conveyor for the Farmers’ Rice Cooperative based in Sacramento, California.

Plan,” he said.

“It also shows the array of potential opportunities for new and emerging industries to build a footprint in Gladstone.”

Dick met with MGC Representative Director and President Masashi Fujii, during his trade mission to Japan.

Phase one of the commercial operation is expected to start in mid2028 with a production capacity of up to 100,000 tonnes of green methanol per annum.

The Gladstone plant would be MGC’s first major investment in Australia and has been facilitated by Trade and Investment Queensland’s Tokyo, Brisbane and Gladstone offices.

“The potential of green methanol shows the breadth of derivative industries where Gladstone’s emerging green hydrogen industry can lead,” Dick said.

“First mover advantage would

position Queensland as a leading producer of green methanol for export to Asia and beyond.”

Gladstone has a unique set of attributes to be a global player in the production of green hydrogen and related products, including a deepwater port

with space for expansion, electricity and gas transmission infrastructure and a highly skilled workforce.

onto WA soil for the benefit of mining companies and successive generations of Western Australians.”

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Our vibrators are designed for industrial applications in all sectors, from the most extreme environments such as quarries, mines and foundries to the food and pharmaceutical.

Phase one of the commercial operation is expected to start in mid-2028.

Continental acquires Swedish conveyor company

CONTINENTAL HAS acquired Backes Transportbandservice AB, a service provider for the material handling industry in the southeast of Sweden.

The move expands Continental’s industrial business and further strengthens its presence in the region.

Continental global head of conveying solutions, Song Qi, said the company will soon be able to offer customers from southeastern Sweden a complete service and solution package in addition to the current Continental product portfolio.

“For this, we will build up a strong service presence. This way, we will not only be able to offer individual services

or belts, but also complete solutions throughout Sweden in the future,” Qi said.

The acquisition is subject to approval by the relevant antitrust authorities. Both sides have agreed not to disclose the purchase price.

Backes Transportbandservice AB was founded in 2008 by the previous owner Jan Backes. The privately owned conveyor belt and maintenance company is a service provider for the conveyor industry and conducts its business from Växjö, an industrial city with a population of just over 70,000.

Backes supplies belts, belt scrapers, industrial hoses, screens, wear rubber,

light conveyor belts, engineering plastics, air springs, drive belts, and vibration control products.

Continental conveying solutions is a global supplier of conveying and offhighway solutions. The business area supplies customers in key industries such as mining, agriculture, automotive and plant engineering.

Conveying solutions individually targets the needs of customers and offers holistic solutions for every transport task as environmentally friendly as possible – from plant planning to production and installation to preventive maintenance and repair.

Backes supplies belts, belt scrapers, industrial hoses, screens, wear rubber, light conveyor belts, engineering plastics, air springs, drive belts, and vibration control products.

Australian study uses blockchain to trace sugar supply chain

AUSTRALIA IS SET TO pioneer a new era of sustainable sugar exports, according to Queensland sugar cane farmer advocacy group, Canegrowers.

In a world first, the sugar produced from cane grown by Smartcane BMP accredited growers, will be traceable through the supply chain to the end user in South Korea.

The proof-of-concept trial is the culmination of years of work by Canegrowers and KPMG Origins, working with a range of supply chain partners to create a platform that would use blockchain technology to trace the provenance of sugar from paddock to package.

The KPMG Origins blockchain technology was tested in Tully and Mackay to show traceability of Smartcane BMP accredited sugarcane from farm to mill.

The export pilot will test traceability from the bulk sugar terminal to the customer and will involve a 25,000-tonne shipment of sugar sold by Queensland Sugar Limited (QSL), through sugar trader Czarnikow, and delivered to the buyer in

South Korea.

Canegrowers Chairman Owen Menkens said there has been a huge growth in consumer demand for sustainable products across all sectors of the economy, and sugar is no different.

“While proving sustainability can be difficult, through the hard work of growers across the state we have a head start in this area,” Menkens said.

“Over many years, Canegrowers has been implementing the industry-led best management practice program, Smartcane BMP, and today almost 40 per cent of Queensland’s cane land is accredited in the program.

“In addition to this, Smartcane BMP has itself been recognised by global sugar sustainability programs, Bonsucro, Czarnikow VIVE, and ProTerra as aligning with their respective sugar sustainability frameworks.”

Menkens said the driving force behind the project was a desire to keep Australia’s sugar industry at the cutting edge of innovation, while also developing a system that could improve market access

for Australian sugar, as well as claim a possible premium for growers.

“Growers continue to innovate and improve farming practices to build both environmental sustainability and improve productivity,” Menkens said.

“Often these efforts have gone unrecognised by both markets and government. But as demand increases for certified, traceable, sustainable sugar, growers will need to see these efforts rewarded.”

QSL general manager marketing Mark Hampson said the pilot shipment was an important first step into an evolving market.

“As is the case with countless other products, changing consumer sentiment is not only driving the demand for ethically produced, sustainable sugar, but making it a key pillar of market access,” Hampson said.

“Initiatives such as these are essential to ensure we not only meet that demand, but keep Queensland sugar the product of choice in highpaying markets.”

The proof-of-concept trial is the culmination of years of work by Canegrowers and KPMG Origins.

Inside Construction Expo launches next year

A BRAND NEW EXPO IS SET TO help the construction and related industries “engineer the future” of Australia.

The Inside Construction Expo 2023 will be held on the 20-21 September 2023 at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre.

With investments in new and existing infrastructure projects in every state and territory, the Australian Government’s national rolling 10-year infrastructure investment pipeline will increase from $110 billion to $120 billion, a new record, significantly boosting the sector.

The 2022-23 Victorian Budget

continues the State’s investment in a major pipeline of projects, with $85.3 billion in general government spending on infrastructure over the next four years.

This boom is expected to create increased demand for bulk materials like cement, iron, aggregates, and recycled materials.

However, the construction sector is facing significant challenges. Inside Construction Expo 2023 will provide the ideal environment to present and discuss answers to these issues.

Discussions regarding the skills shortage in the sector, the continuing digital transformation of the industry

and safety will take place at the expo to highlight the way forward.

The conference will focus on major projects and civil construction, with the conference and world-class exhibition providing a platform for construction

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equipment and companies, alongside industry leaders, to present ideas and equipment that are best suited to the current concerns in the industry.

The centrepiece to the event will be about Victoria’s Big Build, expanding out to showcase construction on other significant infrastructure taking place around Victoria.

With the exhibition spanning 15,000sqm across 10 bays at the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition

Centre, Inside Construction Expo provides the best opportunity to meet with your target audience.

If you specialise in one of the following areas, Inside Construction Expo is right for you:

• Site equipment

Construction technology Lifting, handling & transportation

• Subsurface, quarrying & mining

• Plant, machinery & vehicles Urban design & landscaping

Sports & playgrounds

• Building envelope

• Building interiors & finishes

• Building automation Construction tools

• MEP services

• Heating, ventilation & air conditioning.

To find out more information and to enquire about attendance and exhibiting, visit: insideconstructionexpo.com.au

CBH Group to invest $4B into bulk infrastructure

THE CBH GROUP

PLANS

TO INVEST

$4 billion over the next 10 years into its network infrastructure and assets.

The co-operative will invest between $350 and $450 million each year to expand and improve current receival, storage and outloading

infrastructure in line with its strategy to reach a monthly export capacity of 3 million tonnes by 2033 or sooner Network investment projects for

CBH is in the process of purchasing new rail rollingstock.

2023 include site expansions, storage refurbishments, temporary storage builds, accommodation, throughput enhancements, receival equipment upgrades and rapid rail outloading facilities.

In addition, CBH is in the process of purchasing new rail rollingstock, and unlocking supply chain capacity in the Kwinana Zones by progressing work on the Avon narrow-gauge/standardgauge transfer facility.

Chief Operations Officer Mick Daw said last year’s record crop reinforced the need for CBH to continue with increased levels of investment in the network, particularly in outloading projects that are critical in generating price value for growers in the first half of the year.

“As the crop size continues to grow, we must invest more to improve our ability to receive the harvest efficiently, sustain current assets, and

build infrastructure to increase the tonnes to customer capability of the network,” Daw said.

“Over the last five years, CBH has invested more than $1.2 billion in the network, and we are pleased to commit to investing $4 billion over the next 10 years.

“Increasing the capacity of our network is critical to maximising the value of growers’ grain in international markets, and sustainably creating value for WA growers, both current and future.”

The $350 to $450 million range is a significant increase on previous years’ network investment. Over the past five years, CBH has invested an average $240 million per year, with $285.3 million the most invested in FY2018/19.

Over the past two years, CBH has added an extra five million tonnes of permanent and temporary storage to the network.

Chief Project Delivery Officer

Sam Gliddon said temporary storage played a significant role in bringing in last year’s record crop and will be an important part of the network infrastructure mix moving forward.

“If we look at how much temporary storage has been added to and planned for the network over the past two years, CBH will have increased its entire network storage capacity by over 20 per cent in just 12 months,” Gliddon said.

“This is a phenomenal effort, and much needed across all zones. Our strategy includes converting many of these temporary storages to permanent specifications in the future.”

CBH will work through the approvals process with government stakeholders while procuring long lead items for track and outloading facilities, including steel, sleepers, bins and conveyors.

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Milestone hit for Port Botany Rail Duplication and Cabramatta Loop

“This will further bolster the economy, with more than 620 people employed by the two major contractors and their subcontractors at the peak of construction.

“Each extra freight train travelling on the Port Botany Rail Line will take up to 54 trucks off Sydney’s roads and that will be well received by local road users.”

THE AUSTRALIAN RAIL TRACK Corporation (ARTC) has successfully carried out vital bridge beam lifts on the Port Botany Rail Duplication and Cabramatta Loop projects.

ARTC lifted four 15 metre bridge beams weighing 45 tonnes each for the new, 31 metre Mill Stream Bridge on the Port Botany Rail Duplication project, using a 750-tonne crane, with nearly 300 cubic metres of concrete used for the structure.

The Cabramatta Creek Bridge works, part of the Cabramatta Loop project, saw the installation of 48 bridge beams that are 14-metres-long, weighing up to 30 tonnes each.

The lifts are the first to be completed for the two major projects, with both bridges expected to be complete by early 2023.

ARTC group executive major construction projects, Mike Zambelli, said major construction works are on track with both projects expected to be complete in 2024.

“Not only will these transformational projects increase freight capacity, they will also encourage more freight movements to be made by rail – helping to shift freight away from road transport and reduce truck movements and associated traffic congestion,” Zambelli said.

The Australian Government is fully funding ARTC to deliver the $400 million Port Botany Rail Line Duplication and Cabramatta Loop projects, which aim to deliver better access to global export markets via Port Botany, improve freight supply chains across New South Wales and help ease local road congestion.

The Botany Rail Duplication will duplicate the remaining 2.9km section of single line track to Port Botany, allowing freight to be moved more efficiently and effectively.

The Cabramatta Loop Project will increase rail freight capacity through metropolitan Sydney by allowing freight trains travelling in either direction to pass each other on the Southern Sydney Freight Line. The new 1.65km passing loop will allow for trains up to 1.3km in length.

Sumitomo selects new director

WAYNE DUNSTAN HAS BEEN appointed as the new managing director for Sumitomo Hansen Australia, taking the reins from Robert Proietti who was in the role for 16 years.

During Proietti’s tenure, Sumitomo saw significant growth throughout its industrial gearbox product range and service offerings.

Dunstan has been with the Sumitomo business for more than ten years, commencing as a sales engineer before progressing to QLD manager

and most recently national product manager for large gearboxes.

He will come to the role with a wealth of knowledge of the Sumitomo and Hansen business. Dunstan has been involved with some of the company’s largest projects in the QLD mining industry and has led the Queensland business over that time.

His key focus will be to continue the culture of delivering quality products along with exceptional customer service in both Australia and New Zealand.

“It’s a real privilege to be appointed

to the role of managing director of Sumitomo Hansen,” Dunstan said.

“I am looking forward to taking on the leadership role and working with and supporting the Sumitomo Hansen team.

“The company has an excellent reputation, and our products are highly regarded across the industry. The business is in a great position with strong foundations for growth. I am confident that we can continue to build on this success and drive our strategic vision forward.”

The co-operative will invest between $350 and $450 million each year to expand and improve its infrastructure.

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MARTIN’S NEW BELT CLEANER DELIVERS UP TO 5X LONGER SERVICE

True story: One of the world’s largest iron ore producers had a very big problem. Conventional belt cleaners wore out much too fast — requiring frequent maintenance and losing significant time and money. Searching for a more productive, cost-effective solution to this troublesome situation, this operator turned to Martin Engineering’s award-winning CleanScrape® .

Featuring tough tungsten carbide scrapers, and low contact pressure that assures minimum damage to the belts, CleanScrape has provided vastly improved carryback removal and up to 5X the service life of typical belt cleaners. Its slim design, simple installation and low maintenance requirements reduced overall downtime by nearly 40 hours per year, saving more than $20,000.

And with our “No Excuses Guarantee” we ensure CleanScrape will clean better, last longer and perform to your total satisfaction.

Celebrating outstanding achievements and successes that have demonstrated innovative practices and superior performances.

Award for Innovative Technology Australian Bulk Handling Magazine

Winners of the 2022 Prospect Awards announced

The 2022 Australian Mining Prospect Awards gave the industry a chance to recognise and reward those who have gone above and beyond in the mining sector.

AUSTRALIA IS THE UNOFFICIAL mining capital of the world and the people who work tirelessly to support it deserve to be recognised for their efforts.

And since 2004, the Australian Mining Prospect Awards have been the premier event to do just that.

The Prospect Awards have long been the only national awards program to take a step back and appreciate what the mining industry is doing by rewarding those who are excelling and going above and beyond, recognising and rewarding innovation.

The 2022 iteration of the awards was held on November 17 in Perth. Western Australia played host for the first time in recognition of the vibrancy and importance of the state’s thriving recourses sector.

There was even more to celebrate in 2022, with five new or updated awards making their debut: Project Lead of the Year, Outstanding Mine Performance, Mine Project Success of the Year, Discovery of the Year and Sustainability Project of the Year.

Altogether, the 12 awards celebrate a wide range of achievements in the industry, including safety, environmental and discoveries.

Here are the Prospect Awards winners for 2022:

Lifetime Achievement Award: Ron Sayers

Ron Sayers founded mining services company Ausdrill with a single drill rig back in 1987.

From this humble beginning in his hometown, Kalgoorlie, Mr Sayers grew his business into a billion-dollar ASX200 global mining services company, now known as Perenti Group.

Sayers was passionate about his employees and fostering an outstanding

workplace culture, creating an environment where people enjoy going to work, and look out for each other.

Sayers has been described as a ‘legend of Kalgoorlie’ and has received previous accolades for his services to the mining industry.

The Lifetime Achievement Award is proudly sponsored by Liebherr.

Australian Mine of the Year: Kestrel Coal Resources

The most prestigious award of the night, the Australian Ming of the Year award recognises a mine site that has reached its production goals while also implementing commendable safety controls, environmental and sustainability programs and has shown capacity to innovate.

This award is imparted to the winner of one of the other categories, and this year, Kestrel Coal Resources took home the award.

“Through capable and confident leaders, we’re determined to deliver our compelling vision and solid strategy to

become the mining industry’s employer of choice — the company where you can do your best work, receive support, learn and develop, and to realise your true potential,” Kestrel underground operations manager Daniel Proffitt said.

The Australian Mine of the Year award is proudly sponsored by National Group.

Indigenous and Community Engagement Award: Atlas Iron

Recognising collaboration between Aboriginal-owned businesses and mining and minerals processing companies operating within Australia, this award was presented to Atlas Iron for its major mining contract with East West Pilbara (EWP).

Atlas Iron awarded a joint venture mining contract to EWP in August 2021 entailing load and haul, and drill and blast services at Miralga Creek.

The major mining contract was the first of its kind to be awarded on traditional land and is unique in that it is not a provision of a particular narrow service or activity, instead being

The Australian Mining Prospect Awards have been the premier event for recognising the mining industry since 2004.

all encompassing.

The Indigenous and Community Engagement Award is proudly sponsored by Schenck Process.

Excellence in IIot Application: Flexco Australia

With new IIoT (Industrial Internet of Things) applications being realised every day, this award seeks to recognise an outstanding implementation of IIoT that enhances mining and mineral processing operations.

And the Flexco Elevate by Flexco Australia was this year’s worthy winner.

The Flexco Elevate belt cleaning monitoring allows mining operations to remotely gather critical data and perform real-time analysis to boost belt conveyor efficiency.

The Excellence in IIoT Application award is proudly sponsored by ifm.

Mine Project Success of the Year: Roy Hill

The Mine Project Success of the Year award was one of five new or updated categories presented at the Prospect Awards this year.

This award recognises a significant engineering and/or contract mining project that has been undertaken on a mine site and was awarded to Roy Hill for its WHIMS Expansion Project.

The Wet High Intensity Magnetic Separator (WHIMS) plant was opened in December 2019 and allowed the capture of high-grade ultrafine iron ore units which would otherwise have ended up as waste.

Roy Hill has since expanded the plant, and the WHIMS Expansion plant (WHIMS 1.5) opened in April 2022.

The Mine Project Success of the Year award is proudly sponsored by Epiroc.

Excellence in Environmental Management and Sustainability: IGO

This award recognises a mine, company, or project that has developed or carried out an innovative, environmentally focused program.

IGO was 2022’s worthy winner for its Internal Carbon Price and Decarbonisation Fund.

Internal carbon pricing (ICP) is a mechanism adopted by IGO to increase the pace of decarbonisation across its total

carbon footprint.

The Excellence in Environmental Management and Sustainability award is proudly sponsored by Metso Outotec.

Excellence in Mine Safety, OH&S: GCG

This award seeks to recognise a mine, company, or project that has developed or carried out a program that increased safety, removes risk, or cuts worker issues on a project or mine.

GCG took home the award for its Real-Time Monitoring App (RTM App), an advanced software solution developed to provide intelligent dust exposure controls management for smarter, faster dust exposure control decisions.

The Excellence in Mine Safety, OH&S award is proudly sponsored by Vocus.

Outstanding Mine Performance: Kestrel Coal

The Outstanding Mine Performance is another of the new or updated awards presented for the first time at this year’s gala night.

This award seeks to recognise a rock mine that is performing well and has carried out an innovative project, partnership, initiative or program and merges the Coal Mine of the Year and the Hard Rock Mine of the Year awards into a single category.

Kestrel Coal, who also took home the Australian Mine of the Year award, took this one home.

The Outstanding Mine Performance award is proudly sponsored by SEW Eurodrive.

Innovative Mining Solution: RattleJack Innovations

This award recognises a mine, company, or project that has developed a unique mining solution and was presented to RattleJack Innovations for the company’s SafetySpear.

The SafetySpear is an innovation that protects underground miners from free falling overhead hazards.

The Innovative Mining Solution award is proudly sponsored by Austmine.

Project Lead of the Year: Stacey Brown

Another updated award, the Project Lead of the Year award is an update of the previous Mine Manager of the Year Award,

which celebrated those who led a mine to success.

The Project Lead of the Year Award recognises an individual who has led a project or mine site to a successful outcome. This could be an internal project at a mine, or a project led by a contract miner or supplier.

Stacey Brown, general manager, projects at Atlas Iron was the deserving winner of this award.

Brown is an experienced mining executive and oversees an expanding projects team at Atlas Iron. She is responsible for an ambitious pipeline of new projects including traditional hematite operations as well as leading two major magnetite studies.

The Project Lead of the Year award is proudly sponsored by Altra Motion.

Safety Advocate of the Year: Nigel Gould

Recognising an individual or team that is committed to ensuring safety – either for an individual site or company, or for the mining industry as a whole, the Safety Advocate of the Year award was presented to Rio Tinto’s Nigel Gould.

Gould is a fierce advocate for men’s health and is an ambassador for Movember.

Speaking on his win at the Prospect Awards, Gould said it was “an absolute honour”.

“I’m very fortunate to be known around the mine sites as someone people can go to for help,” he said.

The Safety Advocate of the Year award is proudly sponsored by Flexco.

Discovery of the Year: Trigg

The Discovery of the Year Award celebrates a significant discovery at either a greenfields or a brownfields site.

Trigg took home this award for its Lake Throssell greenfields discovery; a multi-element deposit containing essential minerals needed for global food security and to help address climate change – potassium, sulphur and magnesium.

The Discovery of the Year award is proudly sponsored by Bonfiglioli.

Congratulations to all finalists and winners of the 2022 Australian Mining Prospect Awards.

Australia’s automation opportunity

Automation could be the key to soaring productivity, thriving businesses and rising incomes. ABHR sat down with Braden Goddin from Aurora Process Solutions to learn how the company is helping manufacturing and processing businesses unlock the benefits.

IT’S A HOT SUMMER DAY IN regional Australia. You work at a company that cleans and bags seeds, moving 20kg bags of product from the packaging line onto pallets. With no air-conditioning, the corrugated iron packing shed soon heats up under the blazing sun.

By the end of the day, you’re exhausted and the next shift is not appealing.

Braden Goddin, sales and marketing manager at Aurora Process Solutions, said this is an all too common occurrence around the country.

“It’s a demanding job, it’s dull, it’s dirty and it’s dangerous,” he told ABHR “It’s a job that ideally shouldn’t be done by a person. We’re seeing more and more people making this conclusion. It’s a credit to those operators who soldier on and get it done, but there is a better way.

“The labour force increasingly doesn’t want to do these kinds of jobs, and the

people currently employed in these positions are getting older.”

Goddin quoted McKinsey’s Australia’s automation opportunity report to further underline the point.

“Australia needs to boost productivity to rekindle the kind of economic growth that spreads income growth across the population, especially given its ageing population. Without a renaissance in productivity, the country risks a future of lower growth and reduced resources to invest,” he said.

With such a tight job market, many workers are often undertaking several other roles in addition to backbreaking physical labour.

Aurora helps small-to-medium businesses in regional areas automate their operations with bag-filling, closing, conveying, palletising and wrapping/ hooding equipment. In particular, the business works with industries dealing with heavy bags, such as the grain,

stockfeed, fertiliser, landscape products, sand and cement industries.

Goddin said that when automation is implemented in a workplace, it allows workers to put more focus on executing the higher value parts of their roles.

“A manual operator who lifts bags onto a pallet can instead be upskilled to operate a forklift and move the pallets from the packaging line to trucks, for example,” he said.

“There’s always a degree of monitoring required with automation, as well. Operators can take ownership of a certain part of the process and be responsible for replenishing consumables like bags or pallet film.

“Quality checks are also important and remain a human role in a lot of industries. Instead of toiling away shifting bags, the operator can ensure every bag, pallet or shipment meets the quality requirements.”

One key advantage we see with small

Automation can provide businesses significantly more control over output.

to medium business is that automation removes the need for management/ owners to spend hours and weekends down on the packing floor. Rather, this time can be spent on growing the business.

Automation of the packaging process can provide businesses significantly more control over output. While machinery can still have unexpected downtime, much of this can be mitigated through scheduled maintenance.

It also means that if staff members can’t make their shift due to illness or leave, productivity remains manageable.

Goddin said the one thing he repeatedly finds when discussing automation is how much easier it is than the customer expected.

“Many people see implementing automation as a complex and intensive process, but the industry has already worked to overcome this perception,” he said.

“For example, Fuji robotics has invested a lot of its resources to ensure its automated palletiser is a reliable workhorse and simple to use, perfect for Australian industry rural and city.”

Goddin said every business’ automation journey is different, which is why Aurora takes a flexible approach. For example, a business could partially automate its packaging process and then upgrade a module at a time as the business grows.

Aurora’s team works closely with its clients to provide detailed return on

investment (ROI) calculations.

In many situations, the benefits of automating a pallet-stacking or bagfilling process can be surprising. Less time, effort and money are needed for manual labour and its associated costs – such as recruitment, management, superannuation, leave and rework.

First-time automators can also visit other Aurora customers that have undergone a similar upgrade to ask question and learn about the process.

Goddin said people are more cautious about overextending now, which is another reason Aurora starts small and helps them through the journey.

“Business owners are pleasantly surprised with the relative ease of the implementation,” he said. “Operators on

the factory floor are just as happy – their work is a lot more meaningful, and a lot less tiring.”

One of the concerns around automation that Aurora often hears is the idea that it requires significant in-house technical resources to manage. This may be the case with some highly complex, high speed process applications but is not the case for general filling, closing, palletising operations.

“Product development has come a long way in regard to user experience and intuitive operation,” Goddin said.

“Ease of use and simplicity has developed to the point where many of the machines can be considered plug-andplay. In a lot of applications, if you can operate a smart phone, then you have the capability.”

Goddin said the technology is developing at a rapid pace, especially when it comes to the implementation of cobots – automated robots that work collaboratively alongside humans to perform tasks.

“The work being done for technology in the industrial environment is exciting to see,” he said. “There are several government grants available, as state and federal governments are looking to incentivise automation.

“Automation isn’t going away –it’s becoming more integral than ever. It’s a question of when, not if, which is why we’re encouraging companies to include automation in their business plans.”

Aurora’s team works closely with its clients.

Auroras works with industries dealing with heavy bags.

Globepak produces hundreds of products on just seven bulk handling lines

The South African company has installed Flexicon equipment to help it keep up with a growing international demand.

WITH THE POPULARITY OF nutrition products booming, Globepak, a subsidiary of the USN Group of Companies, needed to keep pace with growing demand.

However, the intermediate bulk containers and rigid auger conveyors at the company’s former 4000m2 facility were unable to transfer mixtures from blenders to packaging machines at required rates.

“They were starving the packaging lines,” said Jose Da Costa, head of DC Weighing and Control, the firm that

engineered and built Globepak’s new 14,000m2 plant.

Completed in 2021, the facility employs larger blenders and highspeed packaging machines, which are fed by a new automated bulk transfer system supplied by Flexicon Africa.

Each of the plant’s seven lines spans 15m and relies on a Flexicon model BFC Bulk-Out bulk bag discharger with a 250L capacity hopper and a 4.5m long flexible screw conveyor to transfer mixed ingredients from bulk bags to packaging machines.

“All are under automated control for continuous filling and accurate package weights,” Waldo van der Walt, Globepak general manager, said.

‘No-touch’ process faster, easier

To prevent cross contamination, the bulk handling lines and their dedicated operators are separated from adjacent lines by a curtain. Each BFC bulk bag discharger is equipped with a cantilevered I-beam with electric hoist and trolley that suspends a bag lifting frame above the bag for connecting

Operators attach bag loops to the lifting frame with Z-Clip bag strap holders and hoist it into the discharger using a pendant.

bag loops to Z-Clip bag strap holders at floor level. The operator then hoists the bag into the discharger frame using a hand-held pendant, eliminating the need for a forklift.

At the bag spout interface, the operator secures the clean side of the bag spout to the clean side of a Spout-Lock clamp ring positioned atop a Tele-Tube telescoping tube, which applies continual downward tension as the bag empties and elongates, directing material through the bag spout to completely discharge into the floor hopper below.

From the hopper, the 4.5m long Bev-Con flexible screw conveyor transfers material to the packaging line at a 45° incline. The conveyor’s 90 mm diameter plastic tube houses a self-centring, flexible stainless-steel screw, which is the only moving part contacting the material. The screw is driven beyond the point of discharge, preventing material contact with seals or bearings.

“We now have a no-touch process. The material remains completely sealed during the entire transfer from bulk bag to packaging machine,

assuring no contamination up to the filling point,” van der Walt said.

Feeding packaging lines without interruption

Low- and high-level sensors on each packaging machine surge hopper signal a PLC when to start and stop its respective flexible screw conveyor, allowing non-stop operation.

An alarm sounds when a bulk bag becomes empty, alerting the operator to load a full bag and press restart.

“The flow to the packaging lines is continuous, with consistently accurate package weights,” van der Walt said.

The system handles USN’s line of 360 different products-mostly whey protein based-whose characteristics range from sticky to free-flowing to fine and dusty.

“The Bev-Con spiral design accommodates all of the materials very well,” Da Costa said.

Cleaning and product changeovers proceed smoothly. In 15 minutes, an operator can clean the conveyor tube and spiral and load a new bulk bag with a different flavour.

“GlobePak can run chocolate

powder, for example, and then quickly switch to strawberry flavour, with no issues,” Da Costa said.

To clean, the operator opens the conveyor tube end cap, pulls out the spiral, and blows it off with compressed air. “No product sticks to the tubes,” he said.

The cleanliness of the bulk handling system and its operation complies with Good Manufacturing Practices, meeting pharmaceutical specifications, as nutritional supplements in South Africa are recognised as pharmaceuticals.

Expanding markets and production capacity

With its diverse range of products and newfound production capacity, USN are eyeing additional European, UK and US markets, and looking at launching a plant in Kenya to service central and west Africa.

Da Costa adds that Globepak has seen “massive improvements” with the bulk handling system, all the while keeping running costs low and conserving floor space – and with ample capacity to accommodate future growth. “The packaging machines are never hungry.”

The flexible screw conveyor’s drive is located beyond the point of discharge, preventing material contact with seals or bearings.

An automated packaging line, with bulk bag discharger and packaging machine. It is one of seven identical lines.

What makes a supplier of the year?

ABHR sat down with one of the founders of Kinder Australia to find out what makes the family business tick.

have you to knock on the door and tremble. That’s not the way I want to run a business,” he said.

“There are no offices at our facility and few closed doors. Apart from a private room for meeting, it’s all open so that talent can be shared openly.”

Kinder also maintains a very open mind when it comes to the kinds of people that are employed at Kinder.

“They don’t need to fit into a model about what an engineer should look like,” he said. “You have to be totally open-minded, sit back, and accept that there’s a lot of great talent out there.

“I want to lead the business to greatness, not to the grave, and the only way to do that is to employ smart, young people from all walks of life and ethnicities.”

“I WAS SO SURPRISED AND JUST over the moon about it.”

When Neil Kinder found out his company had won the Australian Bulk Handling Award for Supplier of the Year, he was blown away.

“I had no idea that we would have pulled that off,” he told ABHR “I had a look at some of the other organisations that were up for the award and thought, ‘that’s pretty stiff competition’.

“When our name was called out, I jumped straight out of my seat.”

The Australian Bulk Handling Awards are an annual opportunity to shine a spotlight on the individuals and organisations that have made outstanding achievements within the industry. They took place at a gala dinner in Melbourne, during BULK2022, and were held in conjunction with the MHD Mercury awards.

Finalists for the Supplier of the Year Award were assessed on their ability to enhance productivity

and output levels, save costs, and improve customer sustainability and safety.

Kinder Australia was a worthy winner in 2022.

The company has accumulated more than three decades of experience, expertise, and credibility as a manufacturer of material handling solutions.

Kinder said to win the award was a remarkable achievement for the family-owned business.

“It’s our organisation and our people that got us there,” he said. “Even though my name is on the company, it wasn’t me – it was the amazing talent we have as a team.”

Kinder himself has a sales background. His first job at the age of 18 was as a sales trainee at an earthmoving machinery company, where he learned several important life skills that he implements at his own company to this day.

“I was brought up in the old school, where the manager would

Engineering is the driving force at Kinder Australia, and this has resulted in significant investments in conveyor engineering, prediction, and design software. This technical knowledge base, combined with its on-site field exposure, is what gives the company its understanding of diagnostics and the confidence to recommend a solution.

Marketing is another key part of Kinder Australia’s business. Getting the word out about new and existing solutions is critical to ensuring the products get used in the bulk handling industry.

Kinder believes that you can make the best product around, but it won’t be of much use if nobody has heard of it.

“Our brand – the Kinder ‘K’ –was driven by our company saying we’re not going to promote other companies’ businesses. We want to take responsibility of the products under our own name and provide consistent quality,” he said.

Kinder Australia’s product range

Neil Kinder said to win the award was a remarkable achievement for the family business.

has seen dramatic growth over the past five years. While much of its equipment is based on the original products it took to market 30 years ago, there have been several new additions.

The company’s engineering talent has helped this effort, as the equipment undergoes redesigns, optimisations and improvements based on customer feedback and technological advancements.

One of the most significant changes was when Kinder Australia began using polyurethane instead of rubber for its skirting products. Rubber was inexpensive and was the traditionally used material, but the extended lifespan of polyurethane proved to be popular in the bulk handling sector.

Kinder said the company’s highdensity polyethylene (HDPE) rollers were another innovation that made sense in the Australian market.

“Before we came along, HDPE rollers were on the market but

mostly used overseas. They were promoted in Australia for their noncorrosiveness,” he said.

“We started selling them as a low-noise and low-weight perspective. The safety benefits from an easier-to-handle roller

made them an attractive alternative to heavy and cumbersome steel rollers.”

Kinder said safety and reducing the environmental impacts of an operation have also become a much more important part of the industry.

Christine Kinder, Neil Kinder, and SEW Eurodrive’s Leandro Pereira.

In addition, labour shortages are putting more pressure on bulk handlers to be as efficient as possible, especially in rural areas. Conveyor belts that mistrack, creating spillage or excessive dust, are losing valuable product and will often require someone to clean up any messes that are made.

“As people become more skilled, they’re less likely to want to shovel spillage – and it’s a waste of valuable talent,” Kinder said.

“Equipment like ours helps reduce spillage, dust and maintenance, increasing the overall efficiency of an operation and improving site safety.”

The company’s field sales team is a critical to ensuring its equipment can best help customers. Kinder said the team hates to see a plant operating inefficiently with a workforce that’s tired and lost interest in the plant.

“A lot of our customers might not understand the vital importance of

their conveyors,” he said.

“The field sales team helps them get a better understanding about their operation. They find out what is going wrong and can offer a solution.”

Kinder Australia plans to continue its growth as a supplier, with the aim

to expand its international offering. The business already employs people in South Africa and Indonesia, with additional representation in Thailand, New Zealand and Peru.

“It’s all built on trust and relationships that have been built up over years,” Kinder said.

Neil Kinder was blown away when he found out his company was named Supplier of the Year.

Kinder aims to employs people from all walks of life and ethnicities.

If you need a better way to store dry bulk solids, Nelson can deliver it. Nelson are totally committed to innovative design and product development, and are now engineering silos with a proven 4-leg base design mounted on load cells. This unique Nelson design development ensures accurate weight measurement. For grain, legumes, sugar and flour, and plastic granules, Nelson 4-leg design silos are available in pre-painted steel. For flour, sugar, plc and industrial powder, Nelson are building fully welded stainless steel silos, also with the proven 4-leg design, mounted on load-cells.

With the Nelson CAD programme, we have the capacity to develop a cost effective design package to meet the needs of the industry. We can then engineer your order in our own complex - with a fixed price that will save you up to 50% of the cost of on-site construction.

And Nelson can deliver, install and commission purpose-built silos, with an absolute minimum of lead time.

Comprehensive replacement program for conveyor cleaner blades

Martin Engineering has launched a new initiative to ensure its customers have accurately sized and professionally installed conveyor cleaner blades, direct from the factory.

and require an experienced eye. Beyond carryback, dust and spillage, allowing a cleaner to go too long can lead to pull-through or detachment from the assembly, resulting in belt damage, potential equipment replacement and unscheduled downtime.

To ensure its customers have the right blade for the task, Martin Engineering has announced a new factory-direct replacement program to deliver freshly-molded polyurethane cleaner blades.

Custom-fitted on-site and installed free of charge, customers pay only for the replacement blades. The program assures customers of accurately sized and professionally installed replacement blades that are matched to their specific application, providing optimum cleaning performance and service life to minimise the cost of ownership.

PROPERLY MAINTAINED

conveyor belt cleaners reduce the accumulation of carryback under the conveyor and minimise dust buildup on rollers, a boon for both safety and production.

Excessive dust and spillage can foul rolling components and cause abrasion on the belt, reducing the life of equipment by as much as 30%. While a multiple-cleaner system can be abrasive when in contact with the belt, it often contributes less than 5% to the overall belt wear, delivering a significant net benefit.

The belt is typically the most expensive piece of equipment on a

conveyor, so not removing carryback at the discharge will contribute to premature belt failure. Material buildup on the face of idlers and rollers due to inadequate cleaning is one of the primary reasons a belt will mistrack, causing it to drift toward the stringer and damaging its edges. Fouled idlers and rollers can also erode the covers of the belt through abrasion, leading to premature replacement.

Bulk handlers commonly have several conveyors carrying different types, sizes or grades of materials. Depending on the number of belts, monitoring belt cleaner wear and effectiveness can be labour intensive

Martin’s replacement blades are made with specially formulated, colorcoded urethane to suit virtually any application. The blades have up to 53% more urethane in the wearable area than competitive designs, extending equipment life and durability.

To achieve consistent cleaning throughout all stages of blade life, Martin’s constant angle radial pressure technology incorporates a specially engineered curved blade to maintain optimum cleaning performance and efficiency.

Martin has designed its own equipment to manufacture molded blades, which improves quality control and eliminates shipping and labour costs.

Timing the replacement

Martin’s N2 remote monitoring system

Martin Engineering’s belt cleaner replacement program ensures fresh polyurethane blades, custom-fitted on-site.

Fast Fact

Martin Engineering has been a global innovator in the bulk material handling industry for more than 75 years, developing new solutions to common problems and participating in industry organisations to improve safety and productivity.

The company’s series of Foundations books is an internationallyrecognised resource for safety, maintenance and operations training – with more than 22,000 print copies in circulation around the world. The 500+ page reference books are available in several languages and have been downloaded thousands of times as free PDFs from the Martin website.

Martin Engineering products, sales, service and training are available from 16 factory-owned facilities worldwide, with wholly-owned business units in Australia, Brazil, China, Colombia, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Mexico, Peru, Spain, South Africa, Turkey, the USA and UK. The firm employs more than 1000 people, around 400 of whom hold advanced degrees.

can track tension and wear on all cleaners without having to physically visit the equipment.

This technology offers the ability to monitor primary belt cleaner blades in real time and minimises the need for manual inspections. Customers have immediate access to details on the mounting assembly, tensioner and blade wear, along with total annual cost information for budgeting purposes.

The system notifies technicians and plant operations personnel before re-tensioning or replacement is required and/or when abnormal conditions occur. This reduces the need to expose personnel to moving

conveyors, improving both efficiency and safety while lowering costs. It also allows service personnel to deliver and install replacement wear parts during scheduled outages.

Martin offers the components and monitoring service free of charge for qualifying customers. The company also supports the components with factory-direct service and provides customer alerts without cost. The factory-direct replacement program is just one element of the company’s decadeslong push to develop new and evolving technologies, improve bulk material handling efficiency and reduce safety hazards.

Carryback from inadequate cleaning affects components and safety along the entire system.

Factory-trained and MSHA-certified Martin technicians provide custom fitting, installation and tensioning.

TS Global launches new Defender dynamic impact beds

Bulk handling equipment manufacturer TS Global has designed a new range of impact beds that provide a new and innovative solution to an old problem

WHEN TS GLOBAL BEGAN

investigating impact beds, it found two extremes. Graham Holford, the company’s managing director, said “at one end, there were a myriad of low-cost options that did not provide longevity. At the other end there were a handful of very expensive springloaded, overdesigned options that were unaffordable for many clients,” he told ABHR

It motivated the company to take the high-end product, remove unnecessary steelwork and provide a solution that has industry-leading

performance without the high price tag.

The impact beds provide a high level of shock absorption and ease of maintenance, at a price level that minimises total cost of ownership.

TS Global’s impact beds utilise Rosta/Mackay anti-vibration mounts, which are the company’s go-to solution for high impact problems. The units provide a small amount of deflection under impact, reducing the severity of load spikes on supporting steelwork. The fully supported design also reduces the instances of sharp material spearing through the belt between roller frames.

TS Global has operated as an Australian owned business, specialising in the manufacture of a comprehensive range of highquality conveyor accessories and polyurethane components for more than 20 years.

Its engineering and manufacturing expertise delivers conveyor and polyurethane solutions that are built to withstand the harshest conditions.

TS Global aims to satisfy the needs of its customers in the materials handling and mining industries by supplying a complete range of innovative products and services.

The company has recently also developed a range of pulley lifting beams that reduce the manual handling risks associated with removing and replacing conveyor pulleys.

Fast Fact

TS Global Defender Impact Beds utilise anti-vibration mounts.

Jamie Whybrow, TS Global’s Technical Services Manager, said the company chose to steer away from rubber impact bars as the friction between the belt and the impact bars is just too great once the low friction surface has worn off.

“This can cause increased power draw on the conveyor drive and may also reduce the life of the belt.”

TS Global’s impact bars can wear down to a very low minimum thickness, with fasteners protecting the belt from contact throughout the life of the bars. To replace them, one or two rollers are removed at the end of the unit, which allows the bars to slide out. In many cases, bars may be reversed and re-installed to extend life.

The product has been designed to suit a range of options, ranging from a low cost, single-piece unit that is adequate for most applications, providing industry-leading impact absorption. In areas where skirt sealing is critical, TS Global’s fixed wing model can be implemented.

Where accessibility is limited or fast change-out times are needed, the company offers a retractable design that allows structural components to be removed and impact bars to be changed away from the installation. This design also allows for rotable components to be used, so that impact bars can be changed with minimal conveyor downtime.

In some cases, high belt speeds do not allow for the economical use of conventional impact beds, due to the wear encountered on the impact bars. This is particularly noticeable in applications where impact loads are high, and the material being conveyed contains a high degree of fines.

“We have all seen instances of conventional impact bars being subjected to a high degree of wear causing reduced life, so we made sure to address this in our design,” Whybrow said.

To resolve issues with high belt speeds, TS Global can adapt designs to adopt standard impact rolls in the centre trough of the beds. This allows the product to be applied to a wider range of applications and can reduce maintenance intervals in critical applications.

“Whilst most competitors impact beds are manufactured from mild steel, we also offer Defender Impact Beds manufactured in stainless steel for additional corrosion protection,” Whybrow said.

The company chose to steer away from rubber impact bars to improve reliability.

Lincom expands westward

The Lincom Group has created a new business entity to manage its Western Australian operations. ABHR spoke with Mark Crestani, the newly appointed general manager, to learn more.

THE LINCOM GROUP, A FAMILYowned Australian business, has been providing customers in the Oceania region with screening, crushing and bulk handling equipment for decades.

The Queensland-based business has operations throughout Australia, Papua New Guinea, and the Pacific Islands, where it has been able to build strong relationship with local industry.

However, the company has recently changed its strategy and is now looking to expand its local focus. The business was recently certified as Australian owned and has sold its New Zealand business to the Stevens Group to reinvest heavily into its Australian operations.

And Western Australia is a key part of this plan. To improve its support and to simplify its regional transactions, the Lincom Group has created a new entity, Lincom WA Pty Ltd.

Stephen Watterson, Lincom Group chief executive officer, said the new strategy builds on the company’s initial investment and transforms its operations.

“While initial efforts will be focused on expanding our current team and stocking up inventory, we look forward to successfully developing Lincom WA,” he told ABHR

Mark Crestani was appointed to lead the WA team. He has worked for the Lincom Group for more than 12 years, initially as a parts interpreter, then as Queensland store manager, before moving to his current role of group parts manager.

As general manager for Lincom WA, Crestani will aim to leverage the existing traction in the region to profoundly grow the business and brand. He told ABHR he is excited to hit the ground running to execute the planned growth roadmap.

“The new business model provides us with more focus on WA customers and helps us align with the local market,” he said. “Traditionally, the WA area was supported from the east coast, so the restructuring will mean it is easier to provide local support.

“We are investing heavily into the region and are already bringing new and existing machinery that will match the market demand.”

The Lincom Group provides equipment for several industries, including quarrying, mining, recycling, and forestry. Due to the scale of these industries, heavier duty machinery is a major selling point.

Minimising downtime is also key for the company’s WA customers, which is why Lincom WA operates a one-stop shop at its Henderson facility.

Crestani said the branch has a fully equipped workshop that caters

The Lincom Group has operations throughout Australia.

for machine rebuilds and repairs.

“We handle sales, hire, spare parts and service all under the one roof,” he said. “With the restructuring, we are looking to make the best use of the facility and grow its potential significantly.”

Lincom values the local knowledge it has cultivated in its WA team, which has proven to be extremely valuable in developing its strategy. Local service expertise was identified as a critical factor to support Lincom’s customers in different industries, whether they are large contractors or small businesses.

Crestani said Lincom’s team members are its most valuable asset, and that the business plans to increase its capacity through hiring even more local talent. He is also looking forward to joining the Perth community.

“It’s an exciting time,” he said. “I love the culture and the feel of WA, so on a personal level I’m thrilled to be part of the community.”

Mark Crestani was appointed to lead the Lincom WA team.

Settling down bulk material

NetterVibration Australia is helping bulk handlers reduce packaging costs and waste with its range of custom vibrating tables.

IT CAN SEEM SURPRISING, but when bulk solids like sugar, flour or sand are tipped out onto a flat surface, the pointed mount will form in the same shape almost every time.

This is because all solid materials have an angle of repose, which is the angle of the cone formed when it’s poured out of a ontainer.

According to John Isherwood, managing director at NetterVibration Australia, this poses a problem for packaging companies that are trying to get the most possible product into a box or bag.

“The solids won’t automatically fill the container and with larger and unevenly sized products, like carrots, it may even make closing the container difficult,” he told ABHR

“In all these situations, a vibrating table can help by gently settling the product. This will enable the container to be filled to capacity.

“For example, aerated material will settle and allow a 1000kg bulker bag to be filled to maximum rating rather than only, say, 800kg. At 800 kg, transport vibration will then settle the product so that, effectively, empty space is being transported.”

NetterVibration Australia works closely with customers to solve the problems they are facing. Prospective clients provide information like the size of containers, and the type of material being packaged and its properties.

From there, Isherwood and his team design and develop a solution that can be incorporated into the bulk handling process.

“We can supply vibrating tables for pretty much any product, from ceramic powder to broccoli to tweezers,” Isherwood said.

“Product compaction is also one of the uses for these tables. They are used to manufacture high-quality concrete slabs and pavers, ‘densifying’ the concrete by

vibrating table can gently settle product into packaging.

eliminating voids and allowing the water to rise to the surface, giving good strength to the slabs.”

NetterVibration had previously supplied its products to Australian customers through an agent since the 1970s, but the company decided to change its strategy in 2019. The German company approached Isherwood to lead the company through the joint venture called NetterVibration Australia.

NetterVibration Australia’s range includes electric, pneumatic and hydraulic vibrators, with force outputs from 14N to in excess of 170,000N. The vibrators are manufactured to extremely high quality in Europe, with ATEX rating as standard on most electric models, and rating 1 and 2 available to order on all models.

Isherwood said the company has developed a strong reputation around the world.

“It has been manufacturing vibrators

for almost 70 years, and you can rely on the European standards of quality,” he said.

“Over that time, the business has only focused on vibration and improving its products. It’s developed specialist expertise and understands what works and what doesn’t.

“It’s a global company, with seven branches and about 40 agents located around the world that share knowledge and support.”

The vibrating tables use electric or pneumatic drives from Germany, while the tables are designed and manufactured locally.

Isherwood said the company is continuing to grow in the Australian market.

“We’re working close with clients to help them achieve optimum outcomes in their processes,” he said.

A

A new philosophy for VEGA Australia

Simplicity, humanity, connectivity and curiosity are set to be the driving forces behind VEGA Australia’s growth in 2023. ABHR learns more.

BUSINESSES WORK HARD ON

Businesses work hard on creating a brand that sticks in the mind of customers.

Coca-Cola and McDonald’s are among the select few that have achieved true global status as a household name.

VEGA wants to become the CocaCola of the world of instrumentation and sensors.

John Leadbetter, managing director of VEGA Australia, said the business wants to be the first name customers think of for measurement.

“We want to be the market leader, the example, the go-to company that people think of immediately because of what we’ve proven to them already,”

he told ABHR

To achieve this goal, the company has unveiled a new global mission statement.

VEGA plans to use its innovative technologies and services to develop solutions that inspire, while maintaining a sense of simplicity and focus on people. The company is looking to the future with a curiosity that is locally grounded and globally connected.

“In 2023, we are moving forward with these four pillars – curiosity, humanity, simplicity and connectedness – all the way through the business and with our customers,” Leadbetter said.

“We’re all on the same page and support each other, whether you’re in

Germany, Australia or anywhere else VEGA operates.”

The company has grown significantly during the past few years, as Australia’s infrastructure industry boomed. The sensor manufacturer also increased its market share in growth sectors, including the food and marine sectors.

During this time, VEGA has also developed new technologies, including the VEGAPULS 6X, which can reliably measure across a broad range of characteristics such as hot, cold, liquid, solid, hazardous and corrosive materials.

Leadbetter said the company’s reputation has also improved during the COVID-19 pandemic and its

VEGA has adopted new values to guide its growth.

VEGA’s remote access capabilities helped customers contact the business.

associated lockdowns.

“People are looking for surety and reliability, especially during times of crisis,” he said. “We stayed open and helped to service our customers throughout 2020 and 2021, even when there was disruption in global supply chains.

“Our remote access capabilities helped us a lot and let customers contact and rely on us, even if we couldn’t arrive on site. We built up our stock holding as well to ensure we could always provide a solution when needed.

“From a customer perspective, they want to buy from people that work with them. Providing a smooth purchasing and after-sales support experience is often more important than the product itself.”

VEGA’s philosophy is to treat the customer as the most important part of the transaction and to understand the problems they are facing. Its customers

create products that will be sold on to another part of the market, meaning they are facing their own demands and timelines. If there is a breakdown in the supply chain, it will invariably affect them.

Industrial businesses are also beginning to downsize – there is less available labour for these industries, which means the businesses will often need to rely more on contract labour and automation to keep up.

In this environment, Leadbetter said, just selling a product isn’t sufficient. Customers need suppliers to work with them on a technical level.

“We like to say that VEGA doesn’t sell instruments, we sell solutions. We provide advice for applications and take responsibility to solve the challenges our customers are facing,” he said.

“This is why connectedness, humanity and curiosity are such vital

values for us to have. Customers are looking for reliable, honest and technical support to put their mind at ease.

“We sit down with them, work together on a solution, and develop the solution with the customer as partners. It’s important we know the problems they are facing as a business so that we can be in tune with our solution.”

Simplicity it another important value that VEGA uses to find solutions. Its customers want something they can easily use and implement, and that won’t slow down production or require intensive training.

Wireless Bluetooth-enabled technology is how VEGA keeps its solutions simple. Running wires is expensive, and the development of wireless communication through site networks has improved dramatically.

VEGA’s instruments can provide its customers with access to instant information, letting them plan out their operations more effectively, with applications as simple as operating a smartphone.

Leadbetter said the business plans to continue its growth in 2023 and is opening more offices around the world.

“We will develop new types of technologies, expand our operations into areas we are not already in and listen to the demands of the market,” he said.

“VEGA is entering a new stage globally, guided by our updated mission statement and values. We want to champion them to let our customers and partners know that we are real people, with real ideas and have an understanding of what needs to be done.”

VEGA develops solutions with the customer as partners.

Bluetooth technology is how VEGA keeps its solutions simple.

Oli and LGPM grow grain relationships

Oli Australia and LGPM have joined forces to provide high quality vibration equipment to Australia’s expanding grain industry.

RIDLEY IS ONE OF AUSTRALIA’S largest producers of freely traded grain and operates a total of 20 mills across Victoria, New South Wales, Queensland and South Australia.

It produces up to two million tonnes a year of finished feeds.

As demand grows for its products, Ridley needed to expand its feed mill facilities throughout Victoria and Tasmania.

Bulk materials handling process business LGPM was asked to design and build new facilities, and in doing so, incorporated Oli Vibrators into microfeed stations to accurately dose Aquafeed efficiently and reliably.

Oli Australia has established a strong relationship with LGPM’s design team. As its preferred supplier of vibrators, Oli has been involved with many of LGPM’s large and small projects throughout Australia and New Zealand.

Oli was chosen to supply its range of increase safety MVEs for the new facility built in Westbury. Due to the success and reliable application of its range in other Ridley stockfeed

processing facilities, Oli was considered as the catalyst to assist in accurately dosing more than 50,000 tonnes per anum of salmon stockfeed.

Mark Thompson, managing director at Oli Vibrators, said the project was partially government funded, and LGPM had to be competitive to win tender.

“LGPM heavily relied on its suppliers to be competitive, so Oli’s MVE were priced to win,” he said.

“46 MVE500/15X were required for the project. Oli could guarantee prompt supply due to our stock holdings in not only our own local warehouse, but we were also able to draw from ex-works stocks in Italy and Malta, thus ensuring an uninterrupted supply chain.

“Oli’s reliability and track record is proven and the designers at LGPM were comforted in the fact that a local subsidiary was easy to deal with and accessible to answer all technical enquiries.”

As a result of Oli’s success on the project, LGPM selected it to provide its vibrators at Ridley’s new processing facility in St Arnaud, Victoria.

Bruce Stewart, managing director of LGPM, said the scope of works document aims to set out requirements and specification for the supply, installation and commissioning of 12 bulk bag stations at the facility.

“It has been identified the top 12 most used additives, currently hand tipped, make up for 85% of all manually added additives at St Arnaud,” Stewart said.

“The installation of 12 auto-weight bulk bag stations will significantly reduce manual handling whist increasing batch mix efficiency and traceability.

“We utilised Oli vibrators on each of the 12 bulk bag discharging stations to aid poor flowability products empty from bulk bags. We also used pneumatic fluidisers on the three weigh hoppers and vacuum receiving vessel to assist discharge and reduce product build up.”

Good vibrations

Oli Vibrators works with customers across the bulk handling sector. Thompson said one day they might be installing a vibrator to help

Oli Australia has established a strong relationship with LGPM’s design team.

move jellybeans and the next day set up equipment to handle 300 tonnes of rock after it has gone through a crusher.

To do this, the company works closely with the customer to understand the application the vibrators will be used in. Factors like the type of material, its bulk density, moisture content, the volume required of the application, and what it is being installed onto. Oli Vibrators encourages the customer to provide drawings and specifications to help its engineers find the right solution to the flow problem.

Different materials will often have different requirements. Sugar, for example, is hydroscopic and sucks in moisture from the air causing bridging and hang-ups where plastics aren’t. For wet products, vibrators are available with a higher frequency and lower amplitude.

Another example is ammonium nitrate, which is used in fertilisers and explosives. It compacts under its own weight and is made up of small spheres. Vibration is used to move the product out of vessels and into hoppers. Trucks in particular face issues transporting the product, as the

The company’s product range is rated at a T4 Temperature Rating and are manufactured in Italy.

material is compacts in transit.

Thompson said when it comes to grain factors like the explosion risk are considered.

“Oli Vibrators have three ranges of safety – standard, increased safety and explosion-proof. The latter uses heavy duty seals and built-in explosion chambers to ensure that if there is an ignition, it is confined to the motor itself and does not escape,” he said.

The company’s product range is rated at a T4 Temperature Rating and are manufactured in Italy. All of its products conform to international standards and are IECEx and IP66

rated. Oli It can supply vibrators the offer three kilograms of force to 26,000.

Each comes with a two-year warranty and are made from highquality materials to ensure they can handle heavy duty applications. As part of the warranty, Oli Vibrators provides full replacement or repair of the product, including internal and electrical componentry.

Thompson said the manufacturing process for the vibrators uses state-ofthe-art technology and testing.

“We claim to have a price to performance ratio that is second to none,” he says. “It’s part of our goal to remain affordable and available.

“We keep a lot of stock on the shelf. Our customers have a limited timeframe to work in, and the equipment as soon as possible. If a business has a hang up and can’t get its product out of a silo or hopper, we can be there straight away.”

This availability is driven, in part, by Oli Vibrator’s 22 different subsidiaries around the world. Stock can be shared across the company’s different branches to provide any items in needed that are sold out locally.

“The vibrator market is competitive, so we rely on our high-quality products, technical expertise and the ability to provide all the specifications an engineer could possibly want,” Thompson said. “We’ve got all that along with a global network to back us up and specialisation in vibratory equipment.”

Oli uses advanced processes to manufacture its vibrators.

Starting the harvest in full swing

Third generation Australian family business Kotzur has helped a central Queensland grower start the harvest early with a new storage complex, complete with a dedicated grain dryer, cleaning, and full automation.

GRAIN NEEDS TO MEET CERTAIN criteria to sell for the highest possible price, and moisture content is a key factor.

Inclement weather around the harvest can make controlling for grain quality more complex. In addition, storing grain on a farm allows the grower to wait until the demand for grain increases.

This is why a major grower at Dooruna Downs, Queensland, reached out to Kotzur to build a new grain storage facility.

The facility has the capacity for 22,500 tonnes of total grain storage and a conveying capacity of up to 250 tonnes per hour, according to Fraser McIntyre, Kotzur’s rural salesperson for Queensland and northern New South Wales.

“The grain storage is segregated across 14 gas sealed silos, and includes aeration, a dedicated grain drying system and grain cleaning system,” he told ABHR

“It’s a fully automated system, controlled through a central programmable logic controller (PLC). It shows you the grain path and intake settings, so you can nominate which silos the load is to go to with a few clicks.”

Kotzur specialises in designing, manufacturing, and installing bulk solids storage and handling facilities for the agricultural, mining and manufacturing sectors. The company manufactured all of the conveying equipment for the project in Toowoomba, Queensland, and all of the silos at its facility in Walla Walla, NSW.

Easy-to-clean conveyors were specifically selected for the project to help reduce downtime and make it simpler to swap from one grain type to another.

The company worked closely with the end customer, who was on-site to help oversee the project.

McIntyre said Kotzur prides itself on staying in close contact with its clients, so that all parties understand what is happening.

“It means that if any changes need to be made, we can be on top of that,” he said. “At times, you need to tweak little things, and jumping on that quickly can provide huge benefits for the client and our engineering team.”

While the company is used to working with regional businesses, this specific project was located more than 100

kilometres from the nearest small town, and at least three hours from the nearest major city.

McIntyre said the project required a lot of pre-procurement to ensure everything was delivered on time.

“COVID added some additional challenges when it came to the supply of materials, but we made sure we were ahead of the game,” he said.

“We found alternate suppliers for things like the structural steel so that we could ensure everything would be delivered on time. The order of the deliveries was also important, with items delivered to the site in the order they were needed.”

Providing support to regional organisations and communities is a core part of Kotzur’s mission. The family-

The facility has the capacity for 22,500 tonnes of total grain storage.

The grain storage is segregated across 14 gas sealed silos.

owned business employs close to 200 people around Australia and performs as much as it can internally.

It also aims to source much of its materials from local providers to support Australian industry and to ensure its equipment is manufactured to the highest possible standard.

Because Kotzur equipment is built locally, the business adheres to relevant Australian standards. These include AS 3774-1996, which specifies loads on bulk solids containers; AS 2628-2010, which specifies sealing requirements for grainstorage silos; and AS/NZS 1170.2:2011 and AS 1170.4-2007, which specify procedures for determining structural designs to resist wind and seismic forces.

Designing silos that meet these standards provides additional levels of durability and safety, which are critical for the company’s customers.

McIntyre said one of the key things Kotzur learned from the project was how helpful it was to have a standard silo setup.

“Having a standard facility configuration means we can incorporate room for growth down the line,” he said.

“Our plan going forwards is to provide routine inspection and servicing plans for the customer, which will likely change as it gets older and more grain flows

through the system.

“We want to keep a personal touch on every project we do and will often call in after a while to see the site and to discuss any of the issues that might arise as the system ages.”

A long way from Kansas

US-based Vortex Global has built up a range of grain-handling equipment. ABHR spoke with the company’s general manager of sales and engineering to find out how its products help Australia’s agriculture.

FEW REGIONS IN THE US CAN compete with Kansas in terms of grain production. The midwestern state is one of the country’s main producers of wheat and sorghum, with massive amounts of farmland.

It was there, more than 40 years ago, that Vortex Global opened for business. Founded in 1977, the company specialises in the design and manufacture of components to transport and control the flow of dry bulk solids, grain chief among them.

Laurence Millington, Vortex Global’s general manager of sales and engineering, said the company is highly regarded across the state and the world, thanks to the durability of its equipment.

“Grain is highly abrasive, which is why we design critical pieces of infrastructure – such as gate valves and diverters – to have as much abrasion resistance as possible,” he told ABHR

“For example, the Titan Slide Gate was created to improve upon the design of our standard roller gate.”

These gates were designed to tackle some of the most demanding applications when handling heavy-duty abrasive materials such as sand, gravel, coal, metal powders or minerals. They are used in gravity flow applications where positive material shut-off and dust-tight

sealing are required.

The Titan Slide Gate features a live loaded, hard polymer bonnet seals that compensate for wear and provide material seal across the gate.

These seals have a compressed rubber backing to ensure that even as the polymer experiences frictional wear from many actuations over time, the rubber load seals continuously force the polymer seals against the sliding blade. They can also be swapped while the valve is in service, reducing downtime.

When it comes to the grain industry, Millington said, ease of maintenance is a

critical concern for customers.

“Time spent maintaining equipment is lost process time, which can be expensive,” he said.

“Diverters are often high up on towers. I was a maintenance guy for 15 years and the less time I spent at those heights doing maintenance, the better.

Inline maintenance drastically shortens the amount of time needed and gets the equipment back up and running much faster.”

Grain dust also poses significant safety risks, as it can be highly explosive. Everything Vortex Global manufactures is

Vortex’s slide gates are designed to tackle some of the most demanding applications.

Vortex can provide customised changes to fit specific applications or materials.

ATEX-rated, including ancillary systems and valves, to ensure the equipment is operating as safely as possible.

Millington said Vortex’s custom design capacities are what make the company’s offering stand out. While it offers a standard range of valves and diverters, Vortex can provide customised changes to fit specific applications or materials.

The changes can be highly in-depth and could include different actuation methods or geometries.

“There is a development system in place at the company – we design new equipment and learn from what we have done in the past,” Millington said.

“If a customer approaches us with a problem, we can look at the application and design something totally new to solve it.”

Pneuvay Engineering represents Vortex Global in Australia and works closely alongside the manufacturer. Through the distributor, Vortex can

provide around-the-clock after-sales support as needed.

“We’re going from strength to

strength in the grain-handling market, and are going to keep developing and pushing forwards,” Millington said.

Ease of maintenance is a critical concern for Vortex customers.

Tipping point for transport

Transmin and A-Ward have teamed up to provide a novel way of speeding up the bulk material delivery process.

TIME IS MONEY IN THE BULK handling sector, especially when it comes to the delivery process. If a truck is stuck on site, waiting for others ahead of it to be processed, the demurrage fees can start stacking up quickly.

Any unscheduled downtime due to, say, equipment failure or high winds stopping the tipping trucks from discharging, can add up to significant cost.

Lance Hockly, international sales manager at A-Ward, said, increasing productivity, reducing transport costs and providing a safe work environment are a vital concern for all of its projects.

“One client needed to receive plastic pellets. During a loadout, there would be four trucks waiting and they had to pay for the whole convoy,” he said.

A-Ward container loaders and unloaders are designed to enable fast transportation of bulk materials into 20 and 40 foot shipping containers. Their solutions can help any operations that uses containerised freight to increase profits and reduce costs while achieving the highest international safety standards.

The containers can be inserted into the container unloaders either directly with a standard trailer or from above with a forklift crane or reach stacker. For businesses that want to unload material slowly, or at a certain time in the future, full containers can be stored on site until required.

A hands-free remote control allows a single operator to tilt a container as part of the loading and unloading process, minimising labour costs and dramatically speeding up the process when compared with other traditional loaders.

Hockly said A-Ward loaders and unloaders are highly customisable, making it suitable for any business

that ships bulk materials in containers, even liquids. The company has provided solutions for the agriculture, chemical and pharmaceutical, food, minerals, plastics and recycling industries, and has completed successful projects with companies like Nestle, Unilever, Coca Cola, Pirelli, and Cargill.

“We work closely with our clients to determine what they need, depending on their site and application,” he said.

“The tipping height is a common change. To be able to raise a 20ft container filled with 22 tonnes of product 4m off the ground, and then tilt it to 60° – it takes some serious engineering”

“We can also include transfers, platforms, hoppers, chutes, remote

control or manual controls, traffic light systems, programmable logic controllers, factory integration, and scales.”

Safety measures are paramount for A-Ward, which is why the business designs its equipment to meet European standards.

As part of the collaboration process, A-Ward encourages the site’s safety team to get involved at the very beginning – instead of treating safety as an afterthought.

Automation is integrated to remove any risks to nearby people, and further safety measures can be incorporated if required.

The Australian connection WA-based Transmin began to collaborate with A-Ward in 2010,

A-Ward container loaders and unloaders are designed to enable fast transportation of bulk materials into shipping containers.

following a project on which the two businesses collaborated.

Adam Dodson, Transmin’s director of aftermarket, said the team was impressed with A-Ward’s product.

“The concept of partnering with A-Ward was a no-brainer,” he told ABHR. “They have a unique product that would drastically help our customers’ productivity and safety.”

Transmin’s connections with Australia’s mining industry, especially in WA, helped seal the deal.

The company is also the exclusive Australian and Papua New Guinea distributor, and as part of this Transmin’s aftermarket team provides support throughout the lifecycle of the product. Key account managers will work with customers to troubleshoot any problems that might arise.

Transmin’s range of products means the business can act as a onestop shop for additional equipment and infrastructure.

“We’re based in Western Australia, which means we can provide fast, efficient turnarounds,” Dodson said. “We also carry a range of widely used

fast-moving items from our Perth and Brisbane warehouses to also reduce lead times.”

Growing in grain

The next market the two businesses are targeting is Australia’s grain industry.

Global economic trends are pointing towards a potential food shortage, which Hockly predicts will cause Australian grain exports to become more important than ever.

The unloading solution can present significant benefits for grain growers and bulk handlers, as it minimises the number of times the grain needs to be transferred to a different vessel.

“Every time you handle the product, you’re adding cost to it,” Hockly said. “Shipping grain is no different, there is a lot of unnecessary handling expensive storage which could be avoided. Imagine the savings of time and cost reduction if grain were to be loaded at source and transported to the port and placed directly onto the more available container ships and sent directly to the end user. Containers are effectively 20 tonne silos if you think

about it.”

“Producers could instead load a sealed and food-safe shipping container, which is protected from pests, to then be shipped via standard container freight.

“It also allows for more flexibility, smaller shipments and less handling. Containerised shipments can be offloaded at port directly onto standard trailers and sent directly to the end user.”

The two companies have already begun working with the is one of the world’s leading malt producers. They are working on a project to install loaders and unloaders at its sites in Australia and New Zealand.

Dodson said Transmin has incorporated the units within numerous projects, such is their versatility.

“They work in any industry that uses standard sea containers, including waste, recycling, minerals processing, agriculture and general logistics,” he said.

“We’re excited to help businesses speed up their deliveries.”

Lance Hockly, international sales manager at A-Ward.

Steve Davis discusses Australia’s bulk handling sector, highlighting the advancements the industry has made and the organisations that are providing local innovations and expertise.

Steve has worked in bulk handling for 30 years, for both resource companies and professional engineering firms, in Australia, South Africa, the Middle East and Canada. His experience encompasses such commodities as iron ore, coal, potash, phosphates, petcoke, sulphur, sands and grain.

Bulk solid sampling

In his regular BULKtalk column, Steve Davis, explains the benefits of sampling and testing bulk solids to determine flow behaviours in chutes, bins and on conveyors.

WITH THE NUMBER OF new developments in Australia and changes in existing mines, for example below water table iron ore, we are seeing generally more difficult material flow. We have more remote operations so the cost of labour and materials to keep systems operating is increasing. We have a higher awareness of the issues with dust generated and safety of personnel. Material testing provides guidance in reducing the issues.

Designing bulk material handling systems without any testing carries high risk unless there are examples of fully functioning equipment using identical material, that can be

used for guidance. Existing systems will likely still have some materials handling issues, and these will be the best indicators for change, leading to definition of testwork.

We have the resources to test the materials in TUNRA, BMEA, Jenike & Johanson, and others.

The cost for testing is minor compared to the resulting cost of designing equipment where material flow is problematic, leading to ongoing operating expense or in some cases redesign to achieve throughput.

There are some risks associated with testing bulk materials, and some of these risks can result in similar problems to having no testwork,

through gaining results based on taking incorrect samples or by misinterpreting or ignoring results. Equally, we may find some results on the web that appear to match the needs, but that are unrepresentative.

Laboratories offer a standard suite of tests. The tests are typically run at ambient temperatures. Does this match your requirements?

It is beneficial to tailor the test regime to suit, and discussion with the laboratory will direct the best outcome. Most flow testing is completed on minus 4mm fractions and at varying moisture levels. Other tests involve the entire sample. Provide sufficient representative sample for all

STEVE DAVIS

tests. Assure that the tests are relevant. For example, if wear and flow testing is completed use the chosen liner or a selection of potential liners, it does make a difference! Don’t test at saturation moisture if the process will always be dry. Flow of dry material has no relevance if it always contains moisture.

Most importantly, the results need to be understood. Either your team must have this understanding, or you must arrange for the laboratory to provide guidance. Regardless of how good the sample might be, the testwork only provides an indication of how the material will flow, and the actual flow will depend on how the data is used to design and construct and operate the final plant. Experience shows that a conservative interpretation provides some surety against future change in material properties.

One example of misunderstanding

was a stockpile assumed to be homogenous and sized based on the highest compressed bulk density measured in the testwork. The stockpile was undersized by 30% as a result.

By far the most difficult aspect of any testing, will be defining the sample(s) to be tested. If your material is relatively consistent, perhaps varying slightly with time, a single representative sample may be adequate. Some grains, end products such as sulphur granules, and others might qualify. Most bulk materials are however far from homogenous, and a single sample will be little more than indicative. A single sample may be completely misleading if it has not been selected correctly.

There are many documents and Australian Standards that provide guidance on statistically representative sampling. The most effective method

will be a sample cutter in free falling stream of material such as a conveyor discharge. Over belt sampling is the next best. What do we do when there is no convenient statistical option? I have seen and used several methods with varying outcomes.

• Testing a small amount of material available from bench top or pilot

Collecting a single sample from a stockpile may be acceptable for flow tests, if taken sensibly.

testwork may be useful as an indicator of future concern. This is not a good basis for design of an entire facility. The material available from bench tests is often too valuable or in too small a quantity or has been processed differently to full scale to provide much guidance. In early front end design use of conservative allowances for bins, chutes, stockpile, and conveyors is prudent.

• Collecting a single sample from a stockpile. This may be acceptable for flow tests if taken sensibly. However, a quick sample collected in a hurry was a mistake leading to some unusual results and a retest with a second more representative sample. Using the first sample result would have added significant cost to a project. In this case, other test data was available for similar product and the test result was obviously questionable. In different circumstances we might have accepted the result. Note that the laboratory did not make the observation in the initial test report, just stating the results. This is normal in my experience and affirms the need to really understand why the material is being tested and what the results indicate.

Analysing multiple bore samples across a future pit seems to be practical at first glance, however it is critical to understand where the sample was taken from so that inconsistent results can be traced

back to waste for example. A pit with 100 million tonnes or more will be continuously sampled and tested, however the test results must be analysed to build up an evolving picture as ore changes. Core samples from pits generally have different size distribution to ore that is blasted or ripped, and this can give misleading results.

Using pit composite ore sample test results as the basis for all downstream materials handling design may give poor results, particularly if there is a substantial change during processing. ROM ore is different when washed and again when crushed and screened into fines.

Some materials, such as oil sand, have several “phase” changes from lowest to highest temperature, so what do you test at and how do you assess results for best outcome? Have you had to get a material tested for flow at 800°C?

Using a spear sampler on open top railcars to build a composite from 10,000 tonnes and then splitting and riffling to manageable amounts. It worked but was impractical for continued use.

• Taking automated spear samples on truck and train delivery and building a composite over time is effective with grain and similar homogenous materials.

• Obtaining and testing a product from a single supplier and purchasing from another can result in some

surprises. Bauxite, as an example, has material properties that vary widely from different sources, yet may be considered metallurgically similar.

• Using an in house designed over belt sampler that cut only from the top of the load gave misleading composites and indicated the material would be much easier to handle than reality. Purchase samplers from specialists. When several samples of the same material are tested it is probable that there will be some variation.

Bulk materials are not consistent so consider the results as a design band width.

One of the available tests provides surcharge angles on conveyor belts. This test is based on particular circumstances, when in many cases the actual surcharge angle will be a function of the chute design and how it lands material on the receiving belt.

There may be other reasons than chute or storage design to test bulk materials. We had to ship a granular hygroscopic chemical from China to Australia in containers and needed to understand whether this chemical would flow on receipt if loaded to the container in bulk. The worst-case situation included loading, road and rail transport in China at any time of the year, followed by two weeks in a ship, storage in Brisbane and barging to point of use. The container might sit in the open in a tropical environment for several months before use. We had a test programme that indicated there would be a 20-tonne solid block in the container when it was to be used.

We had to test a bulk material to see if it was hazardous according to AS/NZS60079. Testing for various explosion levels, ignition levels and the like are provided by different laboratories than for flow testing. These laboratories have a large backlog, so plan in advance. Similar delays will apply to most atypical test requirements, as few laboratories are geared up for them, and a complete suite of tests may include more than one test facility.

Test, but test wisely!

Many piles of sand – each has different properties.

Advancing the industry through applied research

TUNRA brought 28 participants from 16 different companies together to learn about the existing testing capabilities and current research trends that will shape the industry.

FOR MORE THAN 45 YEARS, TUNRA Bulk Solids and the Centre for Bulk Solids and Particulate Technologies (University of Newcastle) have been at the forefront of applied research in the critical field of bulk conveying systems.

In August 2022, TUNRA held its first belt and idler showcase, where the industry had a chance to get together in person for an afternoon of presentations, discussions, networking and a tour of TUNRA’s testing facilities.

The participants were belt and idler suppliers, pulley lagging technology suppliers and end-users from mine sites and power plants.

Presentations

The showcase comprised three presentations, the first two being delivered by Yusuf Badat and Dr Jayne O’Shea, two of TUNRA’s engineers who specialise in the belt conveying area. The third presentation was the responsibility of Dr Peter Robinson, a Research Associate with the Centre for Bulk Solids & Particulate Technologies, with contributions from Professor Craig Wheeler, Jason Willis and Dr Michael Carr.

DIN22123 large sample test method

2

Dr O’Shea’s presentation focused on an overview of energy consumption of belt conveyors and the testing methods associated with it. According to Hager and Hintz [1], indentation rolling resistance (IRR) accounts for approximately 60% of the energy losses considering overland conveying systems. Other resistances include the bulk solid flexure (approximately 20%), belt flexure resistance (5%), idler roll rotating resistance (5%) and secondary resistances accounting for approximately 10%.

IRR occurs when a belt moves over the idler rolls and undergoes deformation due to the belt weight and weight of the bulk material. The bottom cover of the belt compresses as it passes

AS1334.13 large sample test method

[2].

over the idler rolls, followed by recovery of the belt cover as it travels off the idlers. Due to the viscoelastic properties of the belt cover, there is a delay in the relaxation causing an asymmetric pressure distribution, which results in IRR.

There are two large sample methods for measuring the IRR: the first one is described in DIN 22123 [2] and the second one is described in AS1334.13 [4], and both are considered in the Conveyor Equipment Manufacturers Association (CEMA) manual [2] as acceptable indentation rolling resistance – large sample test methods. Figure 2 shows a diagram representation of both methods.

TUNRA’s large sample indentation rolling resistance test facility is shown in Figure 3, with example results shown in Figure 4 for multiple cover compounds.

In addition to large sample test methods to determine indentation rolling resistance, small sample methods can be considered. Small sample methods utilise the viscoelastic properties of the conveyor belt bottom cover determined using a dynamic mechanical analyser (DMA) and applying them to a particular analytical model for different types of rubber. This enables the calculation of the energy consumption, which then allows for comparisons between different rubber types. This process has been described in

Figure 1 – Typical losses in belt conveyors - Adapted from Hager and Hintz [1].

Figure

– Indentation Rolling Resistance – Large Sample methods

further detail in previous ABHR articles.

The second part of the showcase, led by TUNRA’s engineer Mr Yusuf Badat, included idlers tests which are typically used in the overall determination of idler performance. Some of these tests are summarised below:

Rim drag (rotational resistance)

The rim drag is a measure of the rotational resistance experienced by the shaft of an idler which rotates freely at a given speed for a period of time. The torque resulting on the shaft due to friction of the bearing and sealing arrangement is reported as the rim drag force. Low rotational resistance idlers typically have rim drag values between 0.5 N and 1.0 N while rollers focussing on greater sealing effectiveness have values ranging between 2 – 5 N.

Total indicated run-out (TIR) TIR is a measure of the eccentricity of an idler shell. It provides a general indication of the manufacturing quality

of a conveyor idler roll. TIR values for different idler sizes are specified in SANS 1313 – 3.

Maximum indicated slope (MIS) MIS is a measure of concentricity of an idler shell at every 6 degrees. It has been shown to be a reliable indicator of operating noise of a conveyor idler roll. From TUNRA’s experience, idlers that generally have an average MIS of less than 0.1 mm are considered low noise idlers.

Idler noise

Idler roll noise can have two definitions: self-noise, which is the measure of the noise created by the interaction between sealing arrangement components, and operating noise, which is a measure of self-noise in addition to the noise generated due to the interaction between the idler shell and conveyor belt. Measuring the operating noise is currently the industry standard in Australia. TUNRA is in the process of

designing a new rig for the assessment of conveyor idler roll noise which is expected to be commissioned in 2023.

Dynamic unbalance test

The Dynamic Unbalance test focuses on determining out-of-balance mass and its location for each end of the roller. The two main aspects that define the permissible unbalance for a roller are the mass of the rotating part, and the maximum operational speed. The out of-balance mass can be converted into a “G” rating. Lower G values of rotating machinery are indicative of lower structural stress and vibration during operation. An idler having an out-of-balance mass smaller than 10 g is typically considered a well balanced idler, and may correspond to a G3.6 or G16 rating. Typically, conveyor idler rolls are manufactured to G40 balance grade (with out-ofbalance masses ranging from 10-30 grams), which is considered as the level of permissible residual unbalance

to guarantee their satisfactory operation.

Water and dust ingress testing

These tests are used to determine the overall quality of an idler roll with respect to sealing capacity. TUNRA conducts water ingress testing as specified in the SANS1313-3 standard, whereby the idlers are installed horizontally in a water bath in which water is filled to a level equal to the centre of the shaft (i.e. half of the idler is submerged). The roll is rotated for a period of 96 hours at a belt speed of 1 m/s. The idler is weighed before

the start of the test and again at the end of each successive 24 hour period until the test has ended. Compliance to SANS 1313-3 requires that a seal shall limit the ingress of dust and water into the bearing and shall have no loss of lubricant from the bearings. TUNRA also conducts internal inspections following 10 days storage in specific environmental conditions to best understand test results.

Water and dust ingress may result in roller failure due to contamination in the bearing housing. When solid contaminants such as dust enters the bearing, they can get caught between the raceway and the balls, creating micro indentations and small fragments. Over time, this promotes spalling and causes a chain event that cannot be reversed. Fluids entering the bearing will not only dilute the grease (reducing the effectiveness of the grease) but promote corrosion. The bearing will become noisy, have increased vibration, eventually seize and stop rotating.

The last presentation, by Dr Peter Robinson and contributions from Prof Craig Wheeler and Jason Willis, focused on recent research developments in the

belt conveying space conducted at the University of Newcastle. Peter introduced the rail-running conveyor (RRC), a technology that combines “the best of both worlds” in material transport: the continuous transport provided by overland conveyors as opposed to batch, discontinuous rail transport, combined with the advantageous lower friction of transport on rails in comparison to idlers. A summary of the RRC advantages is included below:

Significantly lower energy consumption compared to overland belt conveyors.

• Greater flight lengths are possible due to less resistance.

Lower capital costs due to lower belt strengths, smaller drives and lighter structure.

Lower lifecycle cost.

Ease of maintenance and monitoring

• The only components continuously in the field are the rail tracks

All moving components pass a single monitoring point.

The technology, developed by the University of Newcastle and thyssenkrupp, is patented internationally and exclusively licensed to thyssenkrupp

Figure 5 – TUNRA’s water and dust ingress testing facilities.

Figure 5 – TUNRA’s water and dust ingress testing facilities.

in most countries. Thyssenkrupp is now welcoming partnerships with innovation-minded companies for suitable projects implementing either the trough or pipe-conveyor versions. Substantial R&D tax credits may be available to companies with Australian operations.

Other aspects of the research presented by Dr Robinson comprised aspects related to the dynamic analysis of conveyor systems and research into lagging failures of drive pulleys. The latter responds to an observed increase in the failure rate of lagging samples, and the need to standardise drive design procedures and lagging selection methods. This presentation included an overview of a full scale friction testing facility being developed at the University of Newcastle, whose concept is shown in Figure 7. This test rig aims to measure the stresses between the conveyor belt and drive pulley, under operating conditions.

The testing rig will have the

following capabilities:

Able to test new and worn belts, from 400-4000 kN/m rating.

• The ability to flip the belt to test a worn cover in a high-tension bend (HTB) pulley application.

• Belt width up to 1200 mm.

• Conceptual design velocity of 5 m/s. Ability to control T1/T2 ratio up to full slip.

• Adjustable wrap angle up to 210°.

• Interchangeable pulley lagging surface.

Installed in a temperature-controlled room, to test at realistic operating temperatures.

The ongoing research into lagging failures also includes HTB pulleys, with recent cases of lagged bend pulleys showing localised failure. HTB pulleys are typically in contact with the carry side of the belt, on the return side of the conveyor. Wear in the carry cover changes the distance travelled by the belt carcass as it negotiates a pulley, which, in turn, causes uneven load distribution

throughout the carcass, across the width of the belt. The current research is focused on better understanding the interaction between a belt and pulley surface, to develop an engineered model suitable for drive design and lagging selection.

This research is being conducted in collaboration with Elastotec, and several industry leaders in belt conveying design. There are currently two PhD research projects investigating this area, under the supervision of the University of Newcastle academics and TUNRA Bulk Solids’ experts.

In his presentation, Dr Robinson also highlighted ongoing interest from the belt conveying team both at the University and TUNRA in working closely with suppliers in the development of research projects for the betterment of the industry.

Final Remarks

Feedback from industry on the event was overwhelmingly positive, with several technical discussions following from the presentations, including discussions on potential research topics. This has shown the level of interest from both suppliers and end-users in optimising conveyor systems. Due to the high level of interest, TUNRA Bulk Solids is now taking Expressions of Interest for the upcoming Belt & Idler Showcase.

References

1. M. Hager and A. Hintz, “The energy-saving design of belts for long conveyor systems,” Bulk Solids Handling, vol. 13:4, pp. 749-758, 1993.

2. DIN 22123 , “ Conveyor Belts –Indentation Rolling Resistances of Conveyor Belts related to BeltwidthRequirements, Testing,” 2012.

3. P. Munzenberger and C. Wheeler, “Laboratory measurement of the indentation rolling resistance of conveyor belts”, Measurement, vol 94, pp. 909–918, 2016.

4. AS1334.13:2017, “Methods of testing conveyor and elevator belting Determination of indentation rolling resistance of conveyor belting,” Standards Australia, 2017.

5. Conveyor Equipment Manufacturers Association (CEMA), Belt Conveyors for Bulk Materials 7th Edn, 2014.

Figure 7 – Full-scale friction testing facility at the University of Newcastle – concept.

Figure 6 – Rail-running conveyor, developed and patented by thyssenkrupp in collaboration with researchers at the University of Newcastle.

Pneumatic conveying system design and troubleshooting

Enes Kaya and Eric Maynard outline the key considerations to make in the design and troubleshooting of pneumatic conveying systems.

consumption. Should wear, friability, and energy consumption be a concern, dense-phase flow conveying could be considered instead. Dilute-phase systems often operate with low solids loading ratios (less than 15 kg solids / 1 kg gas), lower system pressures (<1 bar g), and higher gas velocities (1525 m/s).

Dense phase conveying

PNEUMATIC CONVEYING’S

popularity, as compared to traditional conveying systems like screws and bucket elevators, has increased in the last 50 years. This has been driven by flexible line layout, product containment, automation ability, low maintenance, ability to have multiple pick up or delivery points, and safe handling of toxic or explosive materials as the air can be replaced with an inert gas to exclude oxygen [1] in a closed loop system.

Generally, the system key components are comprised of a gas mover, solids feeder, conveying line, and gas-solids separator. These components should be selected and designed by careful consideration of the system requirements, experimental testing, and empirical correlations. While many bulk materials can be conveyed pneumatically, the types of materials ideally suited for pneumatic conveying are free flowing, non-abrasive, non-fibrous, and non-friable. Flow regimes of pneumatic conveying systems are termed as either dilute-phase and dense-phase.

Dilute phase conveying

Dilute phase conveying occurs when particles are conveyed in a gas stream velocity higher than the saltation (horizontal orientation) and choking (vertical orientation) velocities of the solids. The particles are fully suspended in the gas stream during transport. Though many types of bulk solids can be conveyed in dilute phase, considerations to be made are effects of pipeline wear, particle attrition and intense power

Dense phase conveying has a higher solid loading (20-150 kg / 1 kg gas) than dilute phase and occurs when the particles are below the saltation velocity. Dense phase can be operated in two flow modes, plug/piston flow, or moving bed flow. Material characteristics such as particle size and permeability dictate the operating flow mode. Where a coarse and permeable material can be reliably conveyed in plug/piston flow, if the material is fine and air retentive, moving bed flow is recommended. Plug/piston flow is when the material is conveyed as full-bore slugs separated by air gaps, with moving bed flow, the material

Figure 1: System components overview.

Figure 2: Dilute phase flow.

Figure 3: Moving bed flow.

is conveyed in dunes on the bottom of the pipeline. Example materials suitable for plug/piston flow are coffee beans and plastic pellets, while for moving bed flow, cement and baking flour are better suited. Dense phase conveying often operates at higher pressures (>2 bar g) and lower gas velocities (3-10 m/s).

Systems can be classified as pressure systems, vacuum (negative pressure) systems, or a combination of the two. Pressure systems use gas above atmospheric conditions and can convey material for long distances to multiple discharge points. Vacuum conveying systems typically have a more limited range (less than 100 m is common) and can readily pick up from multiple points to discharge the material into a vessel that is at less than atmospheric pressure. Vacuum systems are preferred for handling dusty, toxic materials as any leakages in the pipelines will be inwards. Should the design require multiple intakes to a variety of discharge locations, a combination system can be used. These systems combine the benefits of the pressure and vacuum systems and are often referred to as “suck-blow” (or pull/push) systems.

Limitations of pneumatic conveying

Limitations of pneumatic conveying systems are high specific power consumption compared to other methods, particle attrition, and high

wear. Compared to other means of conveying such as belt conveyors, capacity and distance can also be a limiting factor. One would never consider using a pneumatic conveying system to transport iron ore 1000 m distance at 5000 tph as the energy required to suspend and move the heavy iron ore would be economically impractical. Issues such as insufficient conveying capacity, plugging, product build up inside the line, and segregation (if the particle size range is wide) can be experienced when handling some materials. These issues are associated with poor design and can be seen early on during

commissioning, whereas wear occurs over a longer duration of time and may not be as intuitively obvious to a new designer.

Considerations for design

While pneumatic conveying may not be suited to all materials due to some of the limitations described, a properly designed system can be of benefit as it may fit into a small footprint while navigating through your processing plant to achieve your material transfer needs.

Unfortunately, it’s not uncommon to hear about problems associated with pneumatic conveying equipment. The problems are generally a result of the lack of understanding, and/or trialand-error based approaches taken to rectify problems. Often, the issue is not addressed immediately, resulting in lost time (and reduced revenue), as well as risks to safety.

With both design and troubleshooting it’s important to take a systematic approach. It’s paramount to consider the system wholistically when designing your pneumatic conveying system. This can be done by following the approach outlined below. 1. Determine the material characteristics. This is important as particle size, distribution, shape, cohesion, and hardness are among the most significant variables to

Figure 5: Pressure system.

Figure 7: Combined system with one blower.

consider in the design [2]. Larger and heavier particles require higher gas velocities, which can affect abrasive wear on the pipes, particularly towards the end of the pneumatic lines and at the bends. If particle degradation can be an issue (as it is with friable materials), a low velocity system may be appropriate. Particle

attrition may not only affect the material quality, but also the design of downstream equipment. Finer particles may result in hopper flow problems like arching, ratholing, and rate restrictions, which can restrict flow into the conveying line. Understanding the material characteristics will allow you to make informed design decisions.

2. Classify your system. Will it be a batch or a continuous operation? This will inform equipment selection, and the type of feeder and gas mover. Will there be multiple pick up or discharge points? This aids the decision of whether a pressure, vacuum system or combination system is best suited to your material. What is the desired conveying rate, equipment layout, and pipeline layout? The total length of the horizontal and vertical runs should be defined, and the number of elbows and bends should be determined. This information will be used in determining the pressure drop in the line. The type of bend may change the layout of the system if space is limited.

3. Calculate the required gas flowrate. Once the system and line layouts are defined, one can calculate the gas mass flowrate using the solids loading ratio and desired material mass flowrate. While the calculations are not particularly cumbersome, the assumptions and quality of information used are paramount. Therefore, it’s

Figure 8: Pipeline buildup

Figure 9: Attrition due to pneumatic conveying.

important to engage with a vendor than can test your material and provide pneumatic conveying test results. Keep in mind that operating factors such as temperature and pressure can have a significant effect on gas compressibility and resulting conveying velocity.

4. Determine the required pipeline diameter using the desired minimum conveying velocity, and the total pressure drop in the system.

The important factor to consider is the gas velocity as too low of a value will cause the material to plug while too high a value can cause particle attrition, erosive wear, and a higher pressure drop. Typically, in dilute phase applications, the lower boundary for gas velocity is ~15 m/s, but if the particle sizes are large and dense, the gas velocity should be above 25 m/s [2]. The system pressure drop can be determined by considering the pipeline friction factors and using Darcy’s equation. The minimum gas velocity and solids friction factors should be estimated from pilot scale

or experimental testing.

5. Select an appropriate gas mover. This is often done by vendors or suppliers using performance curves but typically, for pressures less than 1/3 bar g, a radial blade type centrifugal fan is often selected. For pressures up to 1 bar g, a roots type positive displacement (PD) blower, and for pressures exceeding 2 ba rg, a compressor is often utilised. PD blowers are most common due to the economic benefits, and almost constant air flow rates over a wide range of pressures.

6. Select an appropriate feeder for the system.

The feeder is an important component of reliably conveying material [4]. The role of the feeder is not only to provide uninterrupted flow into the pneumatic conveying system, but to also provide the desired degree of metering control. The selection of feeder should consider the material characteristics such as particle size, distribution, cohesive strength, bulk density, and permeability [3].

a Vacuum systems often include screw feeders, belt feeders and rotary valves. Typically, the feeder discharge is to near-atmospheric conditions, therefore, the pressure differential between the hopper/bin and the pipeline is minimal.

b Typically for low pressure systems (less than 1 bar g), rotary valves, eductors and solids pumps are common equipment types.

c High pressure systems incorporate blow tanks, lock hoppers, and high-pressure sealing rotary valves. It’s important the selected feeder can seal against the high-pressure pipeline and provide sufficient venting in fine powder applications. Note that for pressure applications, the permeability of the material can dictate the flowrate that can be achieved from the outlet. If the material is impermeable, the flowrate can be restricted regardless of how fast the feeder is running.

7. Design an appropriate gas/solids separator. The solids/gas separation can be achieved via several methods including inertial or fabric filter separation (i.e., baghouses). In many processes, due to regulatory and safety concerns, the separation process includes a combination of both; the gas cannot be entirely separated from the fine product without a high efficiency fabric filter. These baghouses often have a reverse pulse jet system which separates the particles from the fabric, from which the material is collected from the bottom and may be re-introduced into the process. Vendors often have selection guidelines for baghouses and types of filters for the specific purpose and material.

Issues and troubleshooting

As with the design process, it’s important to gather as much information regarding the system as possible. Information regarding pressure, temperature, material characteristics, feeder speeds, gas flow rates (under startup and steady-state conditions), as well as equipment information such as line and equipment layout and dimensions should all be collected. Below are some of the common issues observed with pneumatic conveying systems.

Figure 8: Pipeline Buildup,

Figure 11: Funnel flow.

Figure 10: Pipeline patched due to excessive wear.

Figure 9: Attrition due to pneumatic conveying, Figure 10: Pipeline patched due to excessive wear.

The most common issues observed are the inability to transfer bulk materials at the desired throughput rate. This can be associated with a myriad of issues with the most common described below.

Hopper flow obstructions:

If the equipment upstream is not designed to handle the material at the operating conditions, there is little to be done short of a re-design of the surge hopper. It’s important to know the material characteristics to review the design and understand if this is the bottleneck in the system. Often, equipment is designed without the appropriate material characteristics, resulting in flow issues such as cohesive arching and ratholing leading to erratic solids discharge. When the material is discharged in a “funnel flow” pattern the material may only flow within a narrow flow channel and have large stagnant zones. Once the flow channel empties, it forms stable ratholes. These stable ratholes may not always be activated with external flow aids and will significantly reduce the live capacity in the surge hopper.

One way to ensure reliable flow from the surge hopper is to operate

in “mass flow”. This flow pattern occurs when the hopper is designed to prevent the formation of cohesive arches and the walls are sufficiently steep and low enough in boundary friction to allow flow along them thus eliminating stagnant material.

Feeder restrictions:

It is important to consider that the feeder can only discharge material from the hopper as well as the material will flow from the hopper. Feeders designed improperly will limit the metering and flow capability, restricting the mass flow rate through the system. Undersized motors can restrict the rotational speed and torque available from the rotary valve or screw feeder. For example, a rotary valve may be operating at higher than optimal speed, thus not allowing the pockets to fill in their entirety. This may result in reduced output and cause inaccurate metering. It’s imperative the feeder is designed to the appropriate flow and particle characteristics of the material.

Too much air:

Increasing the air flow rate through the line may yield reduced capacity to convey material through the line, particularly with dilute-phase conveying. In a pressure limited system, increasing the pressure in the line will take away the available energy required to convey the material.

Air leakage

If the air leakage in the pressure system is substantial, air flow rate may drop to a point where dilute phase conveying is compromised. This can cause flow obstructions such as plugging in the lines.

Underrated gas mover:

The gas mover is a major component in achieving the flow rates and pressures for dilute-phase and densephase pneumatic conveying. Capacity reduction can occur if the system pressure and air flow requirements are not understood, and the gas mover is not sized appropriately to the system. Careful calculations coupled with

material testing and experiments should be performed to understand

Figure 12: Mass flow.

MEMBER

PROFILE:

Michael Wiemers

ABHR speaks to Michael Wiemers, associate and supervising mechanical engineer at Hatch and member of the Australian Society of Bulk Solids Handling (ASBSH).

To join the ASBSH, visit bit.ly/3aibXNf

I am a member of ASBSH because… Being a member of ASBSH really helps to stay abreast of what is happening in an industry that covers a large range of business sectors, different systems and types of equipment.

I got into bulk handling because... I pretty much fell into it. I grew up on a farm which has materials handling in many various forms. The farm gave me a good introduction to the practical aspects of materials handling. From there most of the companies that I worked for in my junior years either had plant and processes that involved materials handling equipment or were involved in the design of plant with materials handling systems.

I am currently researching… Climate change. The need to address climate change is upon us and we need to understand how to address it properly in our studies and execution work for our clients. We need to be able to understand the risks associated with climate change and be proactive to put measures in place to control them. Public reporting of client change impact is becoming increasingly important with standards and legislation being introduced in other parts of the world, and the process is now beginning in Australia.

which included the upgrade and extension of raw and product coal systems at the existing preparation plant. The new mine was remote from the existing plant, incorporating ROM stockpiling and crushing facilities, an overland conveyor, and additional raw coal stockpile facilities. In-plant conveyors were upgraded along with the product coal load-out, sampling systems, and new product coal stockpiles. Conveyor tie-ins were required on both the raw and product coal conveying systems. I joined the project as the lead mechanical engineer after concept development and worked on it through prefeasibility through to execution, with my team introducing significant developments and improvements over the concept design during the subsequent study phases.

My career highlight is...

The ASBSH’s mission is to enhance the discipline of bulk solids handling through research, education and sound engineering practice. It aims to promote cooperation between universities, research establishments, consultants, equipment manufacturers & suppliers and industrial users.

The Society also aims to encourage research and development, technology transfer and training. It holds national and international conferences at regular intervals.

In my role it’s important to... Do my homework before and during any engagement with a client to understand the needs of the work and be proactive with any potential issues and opportunities that may arise. We must act like owners and have the owner’s mindset when addressing issues and proposing solutions. That said, we must be unconditionally honest and let the owner or client know our viewpoint as well to reach the best outcome. It is very important to have a thorough understanding of quality and how it is associated with all aspects of project execution.

The project I am most proud of is...

The surface coal handling plant for a new underground coal mine development,

I was very lucky to get asked to lead the mechanical and piping team on an oil sands Ore Preparation Plant project in north Alberta, Canada. My young family and I transferred to our Calgary office for two years to work on the project. Everything was huge! And cold! The design criteria temperature range was -45°C to +45°C. The engineering community in Calgary was amazing, both in size and the multi-cultural aspect of it; coming from Australia in 2007 it was a huge experience to be working with a team of engineers and designers from at least seven different nationalities.

I am inspired by ...

The technical brilliance and passion of some of our younger engineers and how they can articulate this with my older generation and our clients. There is so much that they need to be on top of in this society compared with when I was a junior engineer.

When I am not working you will probably find me...

Walking in the forests and parks around Brisbane or along the river.

VENUE

Early Bird Delegate Registration: $2250+ GST (Before 6 February 2023)

Delegate Registration: $2650 + GST 5 or more delegates receive a 10% discount. All fees must be paid prior to the event.

Fees include electronic program notes.

SESSION SCHEDULE

Online via Zoom Webinar

Solids

CANCELLATIONS

Monday - Thursday - 2 x 1.5 hour sessions Friday - 3 x 1.5 hour sessions.

If you are unable to attend the event a substitute delegate is welcomed at no extra charge. If notification of withdrawal is received no less than 14 days prior to the event, 80% of the fee will be refunded. No refunds will be made if notification of cancellation is received less than 13 days prior to the date of the event. The organisers reserve the right to alter or cancel the course due to unforeseen circumstances. In the event of cancellation, a full refund of fees will be made.

OVERVIEW

The storage, handling and transportation of bulk solid materials are major activities for a vast number and variety of industries throughout the world. These range from the gentle handling of very small quantities of material in the pharmaceutical and chemical industries to the vast quantities handled and processed by the mining and mineral companies. This diversity is particularly evident in Australia where the wide-ranging nature and scale of operations is somewhat unique.

Considerable advances continue to be made in research, development, application and implementation of the technologies associated with various aspects of bulk solids handling. This course will be of particular interest to a wide range of industries including:

• Mining and mineral production and processing

• Power generation

• Energy and environment

• Chemical and petrochemical process industries

• Agriculture processing and production

• Manufacturing

• Pharmaceuticals

• Food industry

ABOUT TUNRA BULK SOLIDS

TUNRA Bulk Solids are world leaders in applied and fundamental bulk solids handling research and have been in business for more than 40 years. TUNRA has built a strong reputation in industry for its professional services and world class research in materials handling and flow properties. TUNRA have completed more than 4,000 projects for over 1,000 companies across Australia and more than 40 countries internationally.

Comprehensive laboratory test facilities are available at TUNRA to aid research and consulting activities at the University of Newcastle. TUNRA is committed to forming long term partnerships with business to help them overcome existing handling problems and assist with planning projects to ensure trouble-free plant operation.

The Centre for Bulk Solids and Particulate Technologies (CBSPT) is actively involved in both fundamental and applied research on a range of problems associated with bulk solids and particulate technology. Research areas include storage, flow, processing and transportation of bulk solids.

It was established in 1995 and supported by the Australian Research Council (ARC) as one of a prestigious handful of national Key Centres of Teaching and Research between the University of Newcastle and the University of Wollongong. The Centre’s Newcastle Node is strongly linked with TUNRA Bulk Solids and the Faculty of Engineering & Built Environment at the University of Newcastle.

FLOW PROPERTIES TESTING

5-DAY COURSE OUTLINE

• Description of test equipment and procedures

• Influence of storage time and environmental factors such as temperature and moisture

• Evaluation of hopper and chute lining materials for friction and wear

• Application specific testing (inc. Dust and TML)

• Analysis and application

MASS FLOW & FUNNEL FLOW

• Mass-flow and funnel-flow design procedures

• Basic hopper geometry

• Interpretation of flow property reports in relation to bin design

• Case studies

• Dynamic modelling of bulk solids systems

WHY ATTEND THIS COURSE

• Diversify your expertise and further knowledge of materials handling concepts

• Professional Development (CPD hours)

• Increase awareness of material phenomena occurring on site

• Learn methods for troubleshooting, optimisation and best practice design

• Develop skills in fundamental and numerical analysis approaches

• Learn how to apply flow properties test results to benefit your operation or designs

• Stay up to date with the latest developments in industry and bulk solids research

STOCKPILE DESIGN

• Influence of flow properties and geometry on drawdown and live capacity

• Selection and positioning of hoppers and feeders for optimising gravity reclaim

• Stockpile base pressures and loads on reclaim tunnels, hoppers and feeders

COURSE PRESENTERS

D.E.M. ANALYSIS

• Introduction to the Discrete Element Method

• Modelling approaches and limitations

• Overview of critical model parameters including particle size and shape

• Considerations and best practices for industrial application

Emeritus Professor Alan Roberts founded TUNRA Bulk Solids in 1975 to facilitate research and consulting services in bulk materials handling. Following Alan’s long standing commitment to the bulk handling industry, he developed, guided and led a team of experts at TUNRA Bulk Solid who continue to be at the forefront of the materials handling industry. Following in Alan’s footsteps, TUNRA continues to offer professional training courses to industry as a part of our commitment to continuous improvement of the materials handling field. These training courses are run by a minimum of 3 experts from our engineering group who are specialists in their fields.

WALL LOADS

• Application of AS3774 for static and flow load cases

• Gate Loads

• Symmetric versus Eccentric Discharge

• Silo Quaking and Shock Loads

• Loads on Buried Structural Elements

FEEDERS

• Importance of hopper and feeder interfacing

• Review of basic feeder types

• Determination of optimum hopper and feeder interfacing for uniform draw-down

• Determination of feeder loads, torque and power for initial and running conditions

• Controlling feeder loads and start-up torque

FURTHER INFORMATION

Should you require any further information regarding the course, please contact:

TUNRA Bulk Solids

The University of Newcastle Callaghan NSW 2308, Australia

Tel: +61 2 4033 9039 Email: danielle.harris@newcastle.edu.au www.bulksolids.com.au

THE CENTRE FOR BULK SOLIDS

TRANSFER CHUTES

• Basic principles of chute design

• Application of flow properties in the design process

• Chute flow problems due to adhesion and wear

• Dynamic modelling of hood and spoon for optimum accelerated flow

• Optimising chute profiles for feeding and transfer

• Optimising chute geometry for controlled wear in the flow zone and at the belt feed point

• Dust control in transfer chutes

• Application of DEM and CFD in chute design and performance evaluation

BELT CONVEYING

• Overview of open and closed systems. Special belt conveyors and conveyor selection recommendations

• Review of basic design procedures

• Economic and technical considerations in optimising conveyor design

• Analysis of main resistances – idler indentation, idler spacing, bearings and seals, stress states in bulk solids and contribution to drag.

• Specialised testing