Secondary 7-foot Rock Crusher
Problem:
Repeated failure of a secondary 7-foot rock crusher was causing downtimes of up to one week. These interruptions happened 6 time a year.
Solution:
$1,440,000 of lost production was returned to mine operations.
We Found: Root Cause Failure Analysis determined that the underlying cause of the crusher failures was lubrication contamination. The contamination was traced to multiple sources, including a seal failure that went unnoticed and less than optimal lubrication techniques.
We Fixed: After the seal was replaced, a seal inspection procedure was developed. The area that housed the crusher’s lubrication equipment was cleaned. This revealed other potential contamination ingress points that were appropriately sealed. A lubrication storage and dispensing facility was added on site.
How We Facilitated Changes: The seal inspection procedure was added to routine PMs. Maintenance technicians were trained in the inspection procedure. All maintenance technicians received training in the proper storage, dispensing, and use of lubricants. Overall awareness of proper lubrication procedures was emphasized throughout the time Solito was on the project.
The numbers: Six times a year, each failure resulted in at least 8 hours of unscheduled downtime. (The longest failure required 1 week to repair.) Production was valued at $30,000 per hour. Based on each interruption lasting only 8 hours the savings added up very quickly.
8 hours/interruption X $30,000/hour lost production = $240,000 of lost production per interruption.
6 interruptions/year X $240,000 = $1,440,000 of production returned to mine.
Solito Solution™ #21
50+ Year Old Primary Rock Crusher
Problem:
Monthly failures were killing production goals. Years of hard operation and 50 year old technology finally caught up to the crusher that wouldn’t die. This was compounded by 2017 demands being put on a 1960 vintage crusher.
Result:
$2.8million of lost production was returned to operations and an immediate reduction of $300,000 was achieved in annual maintenance costs.
We found: After years of use and abuse, the crusher’s contamination controls were nonexistent. Everything in the local environment was getting into the lube oil. Lubrication filters were often no more than cotton socks—if a filter was even present.
We fixed: Pounds of metal particles were cleaned from all major components of the lubrication system. Contamination barriers were repaired, improved and installed to current standards. New filter technology was retrofitted. All supply and return line were replaced.
How we facilitated change: New cleanliness procedures were created and implemented. The initial training is supplemented by daily and/or weekly Solito inspections. This process resulted in the creation of internal lube process champions who ultimately carried the ball in maintaining a successful turnaround.
The numbers: Particulate contamination was reduced by 98%. Twenty-four more hours per month were made available to production. Unrecoverable cost due to lost production was known to be $10,000/hour.
Lost production returned to operations annually:
24 hours/month unscheduled downtime X $10,000/hour downtime = $240,000/month unscheduled downtime.
12 months/year X $240,000/month downtime = $2,880,000 production returned to operations.
Maintenance savings due to unscheduled oil and filter consumption:
$25,000/oil & filter change X 12 months = $300,000 maintenance savings per year
Solito Solution™ #11
Secondary Rock Crusher
Problem:
Hard rock mining operations had suffered through years of heavy use and abuse. This crusher had been starved for financial resources and fallen into a state of near total failure.
Solution:
$2.59 million of lost production was returned to operations and an immediate reduction of $180,000 was achieved in annual maintenance costs.
We found: Filters were operating in complete bypass mode. Alarms were so frequent they were ultimately ignored. “Normal” crusher operation became a constant game of repairing problems much like a whack-a-mole game at the state fair. All internal components were subjected to extreme wear for extended periods. The saving grace of monthly oil changes staved off a catastrophic failure before the crusher would need to be scrapped.
We fixed: Pounds of metal particles were cleaned from all major components of the lubrication system. Contamination barriers were repaired, improved and installed to current standards. New filter technology was retrofitted. All supply and return line were replaced.
How we facilitated change: New cleanliness procedures were created and implemented. The initial training is supplemented by daily and/or weekly Solito inspections. This process resulted in the creation of internal lube process champions who ultimately carried the ball in maintaining a successful turnaround.
The numbers: Particulate contamination was reduced by 93%. Twenty-four more hours per month were made available to production. Unrecoverable cost due to lost production was known to be $9,000/hour.
Lost production savings: 24 hrs./mo. X $9,000/hrs. X 12 mos. = $2,592,000 annually.
Oil savings $15,000/mo. X 12 mos. = $180,000 annually.
Solito Solution™ #6
Primary Rock Crusher
Problem:
A primary crusher was plagued by ingress of contamination into its lubrication system. Filters were plugging up every 2 weeks. Each time this happened ½ day of production was lost. The mine’s through put numbers were continually under target.
Solution:
A new lubrication and handling room was created off line and installed in close proximity to the crusher. $2,229,500 of lost production was returned to operations by the Solito designed Lubrication Clean Room installation.
We found: Filters were plugging up every 2 weeks causing a loss of ½ day’s production. Oil changes intervals had increased 100%. Oil transfers were made in dirty environments with dirty pumps and hoses. The lubricant tanks supporting the crusher were so loaded with contamination that any new oil introduced immediately became unusable. Everything was dirty, dirty, dirty, dirty, dirty, dirty, dirty, dirty!!!!! You have NO IDEA how dirty it was!!! Yeach!
We fixed: Solito identified each point of contamination ingress into the lubrication systems supporting the crusher. The combined total of problem areas required a new system be put in place while removing most of the old system. A 20 foot insulated container was retrofitted as a lubrication storage and dispensing system. It was placed adjacent to the crusher and new plumbing and lubricant transfer systems were put in place.
How we facilitated change: New systems and equipment caused the old ways to be scraped and new procedures applied. Grass roots training and procedure implementation enabled the system’s launch “on the right foot”. This is technically and culturally maintained by monthly inspection and support visits.
The numbers: Lubricant contamination was dramatically reduced by 98%. Two hundred additional hours of production was gained per year. Oil change intervals extended 200% and filter change intervals were extended 400%.
200 added hours of operation @ $11,000/hour: $2,200,000
3,000 gallons of oil saved @ $3.85/gallon: $11,550
18 filter sets saved @ $1,000/set: $18,000
First year annual value of Solito Crusher Solution: $2,229,500