ASSET MANAGEMENT MADE EASY
THE world of natural resource processing is filled with movement.
From the first extraction of raw materials out of the ground, to the transport of that material to, and through, a processing plant and ultimately its distribution between waste and resource stockpiles, complex machinery is in motion and dealing with a multitude of static and dynamic loads.
Historically, the simulation of these dynamic loads was an expensive and time-consuming process, but as technology and software have advanced, the complex process of in-putting and analysing this data has become more affordable and accessible.
This is certainly the case in the mining industry where being forewarned is being forearmed.
Utilising simulations of load lifts, ROM materials handling, conveyor function and a myriad of other situations allows risk to be assessed prior to moving into operation.
A simulation can also pin-point areas of concern and allow a full scenario to be run and tested before a worker is despatched or a machine fired into life.
Lessons learned in a simulated environment make projects safer, more efficient and more cost-effective.
One company that is bringing a new level of engineering design, analysis and simulation to the mining industry is Ettol.
Based in WA, Ettol has been involved in civil and structural engineering, greenfield and brownfield mining projects and bulk materials handling for more than 20 years.
This experience and the use of Algoryx simulation software, coupled with ANSYS Spaceclaim, allows Ettol to simulate engineering problems much closer to reality, for more accurate data extraction and more detailed analysis.
Thanks to advancements in 3D software capabilities, it is also possible to conduct real time simulations and visualise exactly what is happening when a load is lifted, a structure is loaded or material begins to travel down a chute.
The direct modelling capabilities of Spaceclaim allow a 3D model of the project to be built and then tested in a real time simulation for dynamic loads, with the light and fast rigid dynamics solvers of the Algoryx package.
Prime examples of the application of this simulation software are lifting and rigging, material impact loads and the functionality of chute and bin doors.
When it comes to lifting a load with slings or rigging, Ettol’s simulation models can not only determine the centre of gravity (COG) but also reveal exactly which lifted load is leaning and which individual slings are working more than others.
The modularisation and combination of the various software packages now allow a far more accurate model to be built, that not only provides dynamic shifts in the COG but can also be used to calculate exact sling and shackle loads.
In other software, such as Solidworks, the models are created in CAD and must be moved manually – essentially the engineer must take snapshots throughout a range of movement and interpolate the data points in between.
However, running the same simulation in real time not only permits a smooth flow of data throughout the lift, but also allows the velocity of the lift to be varied and the corresponding dynamic loads to be calculated.
Important data such as actual contact loads on shackles is critical when modelling lifts.
Using load factors of between 1.2 and 1.5 (variations according to lift velocity) the entire model can be subjected to a range of loads to check for safety and efficiency before the crane operator is even on site.
Ettol recently carried out simulations to test the impact of ROM on Grizzly separators.
This detailed analysis allowed the angle and friction coefficient of the feed ramp to be varied, thus changing the impact of a given load on the screen of the Grizzly.
The test can be run an infinite number of times if necessary and each time the load can be made to rotate and strike the screen in a different place at a different angle.
The spring loaded Grizzly then responds to the varying angles and degrees of impact.
The whole project can be rotated 360 degrees while the test is running.
The loads and reactions extracted from these Algoryx simulations can be coupled into ANSYS Mechanical software for further analysis and design verification.
Ettol has also used this collaboration of simulation software to analyse gear and pinion backlash, the contact forces between gears and chain pins and for operating the joints and rotating robotic arms.
It seems that pivotal moments have just become more readily available, more cost-effective and more accurate.