Product category:
Testing, analysing and monitoring equipment
News Release from: SKF UK | Subject: Condition monitoring
Edited by the Engineeringtalk Editorial
Team on 28 November 2000
SKF Copperhead keeps vibrating screens
shaking
The new SKF Copperhead system solution for vibrating screens is a fault detection and bearing system for vibrating screens in the mining, quarrying and construction sector.
The new SKF Copperhead system solution for vibrating screens is a fault detection and bearing system that will revolutionise the operation of vibrating screens in the mining, quarrying and construction sector The SKF Copperhead system was developed globally in consultation with users and manufacturers of vibrating screens
The rigorous environment and duty cycles that vibrating screens endure places the utmost demands on the bearings and mechanical arrangements of the machines.
Working in dusty, dirty and often wet conditions, there is a constant quest to improve machine uptime and avoid unplanned maintenance.
The capital cost of the equipment is high and downtime costs can be enormous.
In a coal preparation operation for example, the production cost for a screen can be approaching £150 a minute.
A typical shutdown can easily cost upwards of £6000 in lost production! The fault detection system senses the vibration to detect faults such as loose mesh, bottoming out (where material builds up under the screen), overloading, loose cross members, gear damage and poor lubrication.
The sensor used is both an accelerometer and temperature sensor.
By placing the sensor close to the bearings, it detects bearing wear very early and also undue temperature increase in the bearing housings.
Once aware, the operator can remove or eliminate the fault before it causes catastrophic failure and unplanned shutdown.
The detection system uses SKF's unique enveloped acceleration technique to evaluate the dynamic features of the screen in isolation from other extraneous vibration.
In the fault detection system, the SKF Copperhead sensors are permanently mounted to the screen and can be used for either periodic or continuous monitoring.
In the former, an SKF BNC monitoring unit is used with an SKF Microlog unit for instant data evaluation and recording.
In continuous monitoring, the SKF Copperhead sensors are connected to one of SKF's MCM monitoring units, which in turn can be integrated into the plant or mine's existing system via a PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) or DCS (Distributed Control System).
Vibration limits can be set into the MCM itself to provide an alarm or other fault detection signal to be raised.
This is an ideal application for the quarrying industry where, from a simple power source, a relay output can be given to signal the alarm or even effect a machine shutdown.
The SKF Copperhead bearing system includes the specially designed SKF Explorer bearing for vibrating applications (VA405), the SKF Explorer bearing for vibrating screens with a PTFE-lined bore (VA406), or an SKF CARB(tm) toroidal roller bearing.
Either the Explorer bearing with a PTFE-lined bore (VA406) or the CARB(tm) bearing can be mounted in the non-locating shaft position.
Either of these bearing solutions can virtually eliminate the fretting corrosion and resulting damage that occurs on the shaft of a vibrating screen.
Explorer bearings can be used as exact replacements for existing types and therefore can be used to substantially upgrade a machine's performance.
The use of these bearings also enables vibrating screen designers to reduce the size of the bearing employed for any given load.
The CARB(tm) bearing has been shown in countless applications to reduce heat, lower maintenance costs and eliminate the need for shaft coatings or sleeves.
Mine and quarry operators can gain immediate benefit from installing the SKF Copperhead solution, while vibrating screen manufacturers can enhance their product reliability and efficiency by building SKF Copperhead into their machine designs.
SKF is extending the use of the SKF Copperhead solution to crushers, mills, conveyors and other equipment used in the mining and construction industry. Request a free brochure from SKF UK ...
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