Engineering and Mining Journal - Whether the market is copper, gold, nickel, iron ore, lead/zinc, PGM, diamonds or other commodities, E&MJ takes the lead in projecting trends, following development and reporting on the most efficient operating pr
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MINEXPO HIGHLIGHTS Bridgestone Reports Tire Performance in Real Time As part of the Bridgestone Mining Solutions program, Bridgestone launched B-TAG, a system that monitors tire pres- sure and temperature and reports the data in real time, so mine operators can make informed decisions that impact safety, tire performance, maintenance and produc- tion. B-TAG hardware is installed on the vehicle; data is sent from sensors in the tire to the onboard system in the vehicle, and then may be forwarded to the mine dispatch system, a B-TAG handheld reader or downloaded directly for analysis. Mine operators can not only see data in real time to make immediate decisions, but data can also be compiled to identify pressure trends or assess and adjust operating con- ditions for more long-term solutions. The company also announced it will make an additional investment of $27.3 million for a second expansion project at its Bloomington, Illinois, off-the-road (OTR) plant. Most of the investment will go toward new machinery for the production of giant loader tires. This announcement follows news in April of a $19.5 million investment in the plant to increase pro- duction of tires used in heavy industry. Emerson Offers Vibration Monitoring for Shovels Emerson Process Management announced it had entered into an agreement with P&H; Mining Equipment to extend vibration mon- itoring to its electric shovels. Emerson's onboard monitors will recognize excess vibration in key shovel components and noti- fy operators in real time—enabling users to take corrective action in time to prevent unexpected shutdowns and possible dam- age to the huge excavating machines. The agreement covers continuous vibration mon- itoring of the hoist, crowd and swing sys- tems on P&H; Centurion controlled shovels. Vibration monitoring will be offered on all new P&H; shovels, and all existing Centurion controlled shovels can be retrofitted to include vibration monitors. Pressure Filtration for Hydraulic Fluid Manufactured using Synteq XP media, Donaldson's new FLK assemblies provide higher pressure fatigue ratings than tradi- tional filters. With its re-usable filter hous- ing and replacement cartridge design, it offers several advantages for disposal of used filters. The FLK's industrial, raised 32 E&MJ; • NOVEMBER 2012 hand-grips make it easy to remove the housing from the head without the need for special service tools. The versatile filter head accommodates multiple filter lengths, while the housing locks the filter cartridge in place, providing a clean filter service process and simplifying positioning during assembly. Conveyor Maintenance Flexco's Cordless Belt Cutter has been designed to provide quick and easy cuts on rubber, PVC and fabric-plied belts. The portable tool is currently available in two sizes. The CEBC1 is capable of cutting rubber belts up to 1-in. (25-mm) thick and PVC belts up to 360 P.I.W. (63 kN/m) while the CEBC2 is capable of cutting rub- ber belts up to 2-in.-thick (50-mm) and PVC belts up to 1140 P.I.W. (200 kN/m). The company also showcased two new products to improve performance in belt conveyor load zones. These include the Flexco EZ Impact Beds, which provide sim- ple and effective protection in the load zone, and Flexco EZ Slider Beds, which provide containment to reduce spillage. Flexco recently added the CoreTech line of rollers to its wide range of products designed to maximize belt conveyor pro- ductivity. These next generation troughing and return rollers are made of lightweight, high strength, corrosion- and abrasion- resistant composite materials. Hitachi Offers New AC Drives System Hitachi Mining introduced the EH5000AC- 3 haul truck, powered by the new Advanced Hitachi AC Drive System. The system is designed and built by the same company that manufactures the truck. The rigid-frame truck has a Cummins QSKT- TA60-CE diesel engine that generates 2,850 hp (2,125 kW) at 1,900 rpm and meets EPA Tier 2 emissions requirements. The all-hydraulic actuated braking system provides precise braking control and quick system responses, and a new monitor dis- plays information and diagnostics of all onboard systems and controls. The most significant update, however, is the hauler's new AC drive system. At the core of the new system is the advanced propulsion technology, which delivers a whole new level of efficiency, vastly enhanc- ing machine operations. The new technolo- gy, which also powers Japan's famous bullet trains, features slip control for traction, sim- ilar to active traction control; slide control for grip, similar to an anti-lock brake sys- tem; pitch control for smoother ride control and control of bouncing when stopping; and skid control for stability in cornering when road conditions are slippery. While slip and slide control were already available on existing Hitachi trucks, the new system now features sen- sors on all four wheels. It also incorporates The Hitachi EH5000AC-3 has a new drive system designed specifically for mining. www.e-mj.com