CrC plates successfully used in mining industry

Manufacturer and sup-plier of chromium car- bide (CrC) liners and components Rio-Carb reports that its new 6 mm (3/3) CrC wear-resistant liner plates are proving to be successful in various parts of the mining sector.

“The plates have been suc-cessfully used in cyclones, chutes, hoppers, square to round components, dust duct-ing and stacker reclaimers, among others,” says Rio-Carb MD Martin Maine.

The 6 mm (3/3) plates have a mass of 48kg/m2, are 25% lighter than 8 mm (4/4) plates, have good penetration control, genuine 3 mm CrC on 3 mm mild steel and a smooth surface – the flat beads are 45 mm wide and are thinner, which makes them more flexible. The plates are designed for fan blades, mixers, chutes and small cyclones, among others.

The CrC is fused onto mild steel, with 12 times more chromium used than quenched and tempered mild steel. These CrC plates eliminate the necessity for the compon-ents outer shell and, owing to the eight to ten times longer wear life of the CrC, the change-out period is reduced by this factor.

The 6 mm-thin plates have particular application for fans and parts where weight and mass are a challenge, including the tops of hoppers where abrasion is not as severe.

The plates are available in an ultrasmooth finish, which has good flow characteristics, at a reduced price, compared with the 8 mm plates. These plates can also be welded onto stiffeners, flanges and lifting eyes, which is not easy to do or recommended with 400 and 500 quenched and tempered (Q + T) steel material.

“We have also developed a range of CrC clad pipes with diameters of 100 mm and upwards using a circ welding technique. This is used for slurry handling, back filling and dust conveying,” says Maine.

Meanwhile, the University of the Witwatersrand has opened a division at its faculty of mechanical engineering for the high-tech study of materials behaviour, says Maine. “Three of our technicians are doing the course,” he notes, adding that Rio-Carb offers high-tech-competent technical assistance that lives up to the company’s credence of innovation, trust and service.

Despite the volatility of the South African mining industry, Maine notes that mining continues, tonnage is still being hauled and product is still being delivered. “Therefore, if you are in the right sector of the market, with the right product range, it’s not all doom and gloom,” he says.

Rio-Carb focuses on supply- ing wear-resistant, replaceable components and, as long as mining takes place, com-ponents will wear, and the need for Rio-Carb’s products will remain, which, according to the company, holds up to abrasion extremely well because of the chromium content.

“We have a footprint across Africa, with our complete range of components being export-able. Many of our applications are designed at consulting and project house level,” says Maine.

Potential for growth, he points out, lies in expanding Rio-Carb’s presence in the CrC-constructed components market.

The strategic medium- and long-term goals of the company are to expand in Africa. “We have bought premises with the intention of moving in January 2014. “The new building covers an area of 3 000m2, has large cranes and is suitable for mak-ing customised CrC products,” says Maine.

Rio-Carb’s associate com-pany, Aquajet Profiles, has bought a fourth machine, making it the largest water-cutting plant in South Africa.
Maine says Aquajet Profiles is hoping for more growth in Aquajet cutting, owing to the one-stop solution provided by water cutting.

“Water cutting reduces down-line processing because it is clean, with no heat-affected zone and it does not distort the material or produce car-bon, making it down-line engi-neering friendly,” he explains.

Aquajet also assists Rio-Carb with high-precision templates to ensure that its liners are within 1 mm accuracy. “We do everything under one roof, including cladding, plasma cutting, studding, painting and welding which is in accordance with American Welding Society standards,” Maine says, adding that

the company’s entire product complement is supported by two trained computer-aided design operators.

Rio Carb also carries an adequate stock supply of cladded plate, which enables the delivery in a few days for some jobs and within two weeks for most jobs, he notes.