Smarter materials, intelligent monitoring, improved maintenance
We have all read about wear linings made of steel and rubber in marketing brochures of lining materials, but do they offer the desired level of protection? That’s an entirely different discussion altogether. The bottom line is: in some cases, they don’t, and that comes at a colossal cost to equipment availability in mining.
As an alternative, composite materials – where steel or rubber are meticulously combined with other products – have demonstrated better performance when exposed to abrasive, corrosive, and sharp minerals. However, traditional rubber and steel liners remain vital for specific applications, and leading manufacturers like Tega Industries continue to enhance these alongside advanced composites.
In the rough environments where equipment is deployed for different applications in African mining operations, component wear and tear is unavoidable. Hence, wear liners are expected to offer the first line of protection.
That is why liners made of different materials are used. Traditionally, steel and rubber are most preferred, primarily due to their ready availability, strength, and cost-effectiveness.
However, while these materials serve the purpose, they have their own limitations, as they are also vulnerable to wearing and tearing prematurely. For instance, when exposed to highly abrasive, corrosive, or high-impact materials, traditional steel liners may corrode or crack, and rubber liners may degrade faster.
At the end of the day, as far as industry experience goes, the sober fact is: not all wear materials are made equal. The cost of downtime to mission-critical equipment due to poor wear liners – not to mention the cost of replacements and repairs – has been well documented.
Alternative and Enhanced Wear Materials
This challenge presents an opportunity for discerning manufacturers to create alternative materials and improve traditional ones to meet contemporary industrial needs. One of the companies that has stepped up in this area is Tega Industries, which is amongst the largest manufacturers of mill liners globally, with facilities in India, South Africa, Australia, and Chile.
Material Selection
Tega Industries offers a comprehensive range of liners, combining traditional and advanced materials to suit diverse mining applications. Their portfolio includes:
- DynaWear Rubber Liners
These are manufactured from specialised, high-pressure moulded rubber compounds with superior damping, abrasion, and impact-resistant properties. Designed for wet grinding applications like ball mills, DynaWear liners are effective in moderate abrasion environments and can be enhanced with embedded steel plates to extend service life.
- DynaSteel Liners
These steel-based liners, often combined with rubber in composite designs, are tailored for high-impact environments such as SAG or AG mills. DynaSteel liners offer robust protection but may require complementary materials in highly abrasive or corrosive conditions.
- Elastocer Liners
These feature a highly wear-resistant surface of ceramic rods embedded in a flexible rubber matrix. The ceramic offers maximum abrasion resistance, while the rubber effectively damps impact forces, making them ideal for harsh, abrasive environments.
- Polyurethane Liners
These elastomer liners offer a balance of rubber and plastic properties, providing excellent abrasion and impact resistance for mixed environments.
Material-Specific Design
Mining clients have different needs for their respective applications. Accordingly, Tega Industries selects and configures wear-resistant liners based on the specific characteristics of the materials being handled, including particle size, moisture, and abrasiveness. For example, DynaWear rubber liners are suited for wet grinding with moderate abrasion, while DynaSteel liners excel in high-impact scenarios, and Elastocer or polyurethane liners are chosen for extreme abrasion or corrosion.
The Need for Wear Monitoring
Inevitably, mine liners wear over time, and monitoring is vital. Beyond material selection, Tega provides real-time condition monitoring of wear parts to enable predictive maintenance, applicable to both traditional and composite liners.
Traditionally, this task has been conducted through physical inspections. While well-intentioned, this method is not always effective, as it is typically time-consuming and cumbersome.
Intelligent Monitoring
To help mining companies reduce unplanned downtime, Tega integrates smart technology into its products and services to enable data-driven, predictive maintenance strategies. Its holistic intelligent monitoring system includes:
a. An IIoT-based Monitoring System
An Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT)-based system that monitors liners in real time. Sensors alert operators about a liner’s health, wear rate, estimated replacement date, and operating conditions, whether it’s a DynaWear rubber liner, DynaSteel liner, or an advanced Elastocer composite.
b. 3D Scanning Solutions
Advanced 3D scanning technology minimises risk and maximises cost-effectiveness. It is used for wear analysis of mill liners to accurately forecast replacement dates, ensuring liners are used to their full potential, regardless of material type.
‘Maintenance Only as and When Needed’
Ultimately, by combining smart materials – ranging from traditional DynaWear rubber and DynaSteel liners to advanced Elastocer and polyurethane composites – and advanced digital technology, Tega helps companies maximise equipment uptime, reduce costs, and improve operational efficiency.
Most significant is their role in predictive maintenance. By analysing sensor data, Tega’s systems can predict wear patterns and potential equipment failure across all liner types. This allows clients to perform repairs only when necessary, reducing the frequency of unplanned shutdowns. Maintenance is done as and when needed, shifting it from reactive to proactive scheduling.
