Ground breaking
SORTING quality earth from rubble, rock and rubbish has long been driven by an innovative Australian product — the Mobile Integrated Screening Unit (MISU).
The MISU combines simplicity and speed to deliver piles of clean fill in the most efficient way possible.
MISU is the original screening bucket, which many subsequent designs around the world were originally based on.
The patent originated in Albury, Australia and since 1999 over 700 buckets have been sold and supported around the world.
MISU was recently purchased by Queensland company Premier Rock Machinery, which is renowned for its innovative and diverse excavator-mounted attachments, representing quality brands such as Montabert Rock Breakers and Drills and Movax Piling attachments.
Premier Rock Machinery was also recently recognised for its innovative safety solutions being developed for the Thiess group on elevated work platforms, and has a dedicated engineering department focused on control system innovation and mobile equipment safety.
One of the biggest challenges with re- using dug- up earth is that it is often lumpy and packed with tree roots, chunks of old concrete, building materials and rocks.
Traditional methods of removing this debris from soil has been the use of stationary giant ‘sieves’ which are bulky and time consuming.
By using a patented multiple-spinning, inter-meshing rotor system which allows particles of earth to filter through, chunks of larger debris are held in the bucket to be discarded.
These rotors also crush and mix softer materials — making the most of each load.
The rotors spin two ways from a ‘floating’ position and allow free release of debris to prevent them from becoming stuck.
This floating motion allows the MISU to screen wet and muddy earth without issue.
The ‘tailing pile’ — the pile of sifted earth — is much cleaner after using a MISU and there is no need to repeat the process.
Powered by a carrier unit’s hydraulic system, a MISU bucket must be matched correctly to its carrier unit.
This ensures the weight of the bucket and carrier are properly balanced and that the horsepower of the carrier is sufficient.
MISU models vary in size, weight and function, with some of the heavier units weighing up to four tonnes and carrying four cubic meters of earth at a time.
Suitable carrier units range from a mini excavator to a 50t excavator.
Depending on the type of bucket, the size of screened material ranges from 20mm through to 80mm — allowing flexibility for the operator’s requirements.
This versatility makes the MISU the perfect companion for mining applications.
Few environments subject equipment to such a brutal range of elements as the mining industry.
The robust MISU copes well with mud, clay, rock and slurry providing the perfection companion in mining, though it is often used in civil and construction where back-filling of pipelines requires clean fill.
Australian-made, all spare parts can be purchased locally — reducing downtime by eliminating wait times on overseas parts or repairs.
Premier Rock Machinery sees the future growth of the MISU as being largely related to component evolution and streamlining of manufacture.
With a focus on Australian-made quality and easy access to parts and service, the MISU looks set to remain a constant fixture in the Australian mining industry.