Customers sure to get the gold with F’IS

F’IS monitors ball mill in Australian gold mine – Early defect detection an absolute must for maintenance planning

HANOVER/HERZOGENRATH, April 11, 2005 – This monitoring job is worth its weight in gold to mine operators. Far away from civilization, experts from Condition Monitoring Services Australia Pty Ltd (CMSA), the Australian subsidiary of F’IS, have been monitoring the gold mine’s core, the ball mill, since the beginning of this year. The service company, which has been acquired earlier this year to increase the activities of FAG Industrial Services GmbH (F’IS) in the Asia-Pacific region, provides an efficient online condition monitoring solution that ensures a high degree of safety for the gold extraction process.

The ball mill is used for crushing large rocks. Long distances – the next town, Alice Springs, is roughly 370 miles away – and the difficulties in obtaining replacement parts (no standard components) make early defect detection essential.

Safe gold mining with F’IS: Two eight-channel FAG DTECT X1 systems include 15 sensors to permanently monitor the mill’s motor and gear box. If the online condition monitoring systems determine value deviations, an alarm is triggered and information is sent to F’IS-CMSA’s remote monitoring center in Adelaide. Maintenance experts at the center evaluate the data and can suggest or take necessary actions. The monitoring system even makes it possible to have the equipment switched off automatically in emergencies to prevent any subsequent costly damage. Due to the harsh environmental conditions, which include dust and temperatures of 122°F (50°C), and the enormous importance of the ball mill in the entire process, the operator already had CSMA provide measuring services using mobile devices, prior to the installation of the two online monitoring systems. Due to the great travel expense and the important lead time for maintenance planning and procurement of spare parts, it was easy to use the two online condition monitoring systems. In the operator’s view, payback for the costs of these systems will be quick.

During the installation of the DTECT X1 systems, online monitoring immediately confirmed a minimal, early-stage damage to the inner ring that was initially detected during mobile measuring. Since this was not a serious defect, no immediate action was required. The consequences of this damage will now be monitored permanently so that appropriate action can be taken as required.

One of the significant benefits of this type of monitoring is the fact that the damaged component itself can be localized. The root cause can also be determined via an increased vibration level. After determining the type of damage in a rolling bearing (outer or inner ring, rolling element), another feature the system offers, it is possible to find important clues for the required reaction time since damage progresses at varying rates. For maintenance planning conducted in remote areas, this means that early defect detection allows special spare parts to be obtained and an installation team to be requested in time, which means that necessary replacements may even be feasible within regular maintenance intervals.

FAG Industrial Services GmbH (F’IS)

Since early 2001, FAG Kugelfischer AG, a member company of the Schaeffler Group, has been focusing its independent service business at FAG Industrial Services GmbH (F’IS), based in Herzogenrath near Aix-la-Chapelle. As a separate company, F’IS offers maintenance-related services and service products regardless of the manufacturer. F’IS helps its customers save on maintenance costs, optimize equipment availability and prevent unexpected machine downtimes.

Contact

FAG Industrial Services GmbH

Ms. Christiane Reimer

Marketing

Tel. +49 (0)2407 9149-47

Fax +49 (0)2407 9149-88

Email: reimer_c@fis-services.de

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