English
CHALLENGE:
- Eliminate blinding and improve screening efficiency.
- Minimise production downtime.
- Increasing maintenance time and costs.
- Reduce product loss.
Our Victorian Quarry customer are leaders in the construction materials sector, they provide superior quarry products and top-notch technical advice to match. Since their inception in 1986, their business has expanded tremendously and now boosts production of more than 500,000 tonnes of rock products annually.
The Quarry produces and distributes high-quality aggregates, road base, and construction materials to a wide range of customers in the construction industry, road surfacing/concreting projects, railway applications as well as general landscaping usage.
Due to the high moisture content and fine particles in the material being screened, blinding/clogging issues was observed within its multi-storey screening facility. Screening machines are designed to separate and sort the various types of conveyed rock material. Feed material that didn’t flow and filter through easily would start to accumulate layer by layer and overflow onto the sides of the screens. The clogging issue was further dampened during wet and humid weather.
The blinding of the screens resulted in reduced screening efficiency, increased downtime, and increased maintenance costs. To date, the Quarry Manager used a rubber block attached to rope, daily manual adjustment and intensive block shaking was required to unclog feed material. Tired of this time consuming and labour-intensive process, the Quarry Manager sought the expertise of Kinder Field Applications Specialist to recommend a cost-effective solution to effectively eliminate blinding, improve screening efficiency, and stem further product loss.
SOLUTION:
As part of the Quarry’s commitment to continuous improvement, Kinder’s K-Deblinding Rods was installed to improve the efficiency of its screening operations. The K-Deblinding Rod unique application was demonstrated during an onsite meeting with the Quarry Maintenance Team, the solution was later approved for installation within the multi-storey screening facility.
The K-Deblinding Rod solution is designed to eliminate blinding in screening applications. The rods are made of high-quality polyurethane and are placed on the screening surface, where they vibrate at a high frequency to prevent material from sticking to the surface.
Installation of the K-Deblinding Rods was straight forward, Kinder’s technical team worked closely with the maintenance team to ensure a seamless integration of the solution with minimal impact to the production process.
Only two of anchor points were drilled to the attached application assembly, taking no more than 30 minutes all up. The team installed the rods on the screening machines and provided training to the company’s personnel on the proper use and maintenance of the equipment.
RESULTS:
- Impressive product performance and feedback.
- Improved efficiency and production stability.
- Further opportunities to install the solution in other areas of their operations.
The Quarry Manager reports Kinder’s K-Deblinding Rods making a positive impact on the company’s operations, with production now stabilising. The K-Deblinding Rods are a “set and forget” automatic solution delivering on the promise of eliminating blinding on the screening machines, without fuss.
The Quarry also reports a significant reduction in maintenance costs, with less time to dedicated to making daily manual adjustments and attending to the screens.
The Quarry continually maintains the highest standards of quality, efficiency, and safety in all its operations. The installation of Kinder’s K-Deblinding Rods at this Quarry is a true success story, with further discussions on implementing a similar screening solution in the Quarry’s other Victorian operation. The solution provided an effective and efficient way to eliminate blinding on the screening machines, resulting in improved efficiency, reduced downtime, and improved product quality.