APPLICATIONS

Cement is used in almost all construction projects globally.  Its production process comprises a series of steps- from raw material extraction all the way to clinker mixing and storing, most of which are subject to harsh abrasion. Massive material flows create a considerable strain for equipment and tools, thus professional wear protection becomes critical.

CeraMetal is an expert provider of wear protection Solutions for the Cement and Concrete Industries, extending the usable life of equipment and minimising maintenance costs. Wear parts are manufactured-to-order using our optimised Hardfacing process, delivering a superior performance-to-cost ratio, for a range of equipment such as:

• Vertical Roller Mills- Mill Rollers, Grinding tables, Mill Casings, Crowns(Roller Protectors)
• Cones
• Centrifugal fans & casings
• Cyclones
• Guide vanes
• Chutes and hoppers
• Conveyors, Screw feeders
• Scraper parts
• Funnels and pipes
• Sieves and screens
• Cement mixers

Wear of an extremely wide range can be encountered in this industry, from moderate sliding abrasion to high impact and contact wear at extreme temperatures. Bulk materials flow is very high, thus a smooth, uninterrupted operation is vital for this industrial sector. Robust wear Protection can drastically reduce equipment downtime and prolong service life in almost all steel making processes: handling of raw materials, coking, sintering, pelletizing, furnaces, slag granulation, continuous casting and hot rolling.

CeraMetal has the expertise to provide efficient wear solutions tailored to the individual operating parametres of equipment subjected to wear during the steel making process, such as:

• Material slides and conveying facilities
• Hoppers and chutes
• Tubes, pipes and elbows
• Classifiers and cones
• Sieves & Screens
• Fans/ Fan casings
• Sinter crushers

The Mining process is by nature related to extreme degrees of wear, especially Abrasion.  Extracting, processing and transporting large quantities of raw materials with very high hardness place an enormous abrasive strain on Mining equipment. Abrasion severely affects the physical properties and efficiency of parts used for crushing, grinding, sieving, storing and conveying ores & minerals.  Efficient wear protection is crucial, to avoid unexpected stops, extend operating life and increase equipment productivity – and also, enhance safety.

CeraMetal has been active in this industry for several years. Our products along with our engineering expertise are combined in tailored abrasion resistant solutions for a range of equipment/ components and parts, such as:

• excavator parts – buckets, blades, teeth
• shovel loaders
• screw feeders,  belt conveyor parts, material slides
• Hoppers, chutes, silos
• Pipes
• screens and sieves
• cyclones and fans
• crusher parts

Wear in power plants results from abrasion, corrosion, heat, pressure and cavitation (for hydroelectric plants), at varying degrees.  Timely maintenance is crucial for cost-efficient and smooth operation irrespective of the energy source for electricity generation. Especially in thermal power plants where coal/ lignite or biomass/ waste-products are used as fuel, abrasive and erosive wear is more pronounced. Abrasion resistance becomes essential for feeding, processing and separation systems – to ensure a longer and more productive operating life.

CeraMetal has provided abrasion-resistant solutions to several thermal power plants though the course of more than three decades. Increased service life, improved efficiency and reduced operational costs were achieved by all end users. Equipment and parts that can benefit from our engineered wear solutions include:

• Various components and parts of Mills
• Conveying belts, chutes
• Pipework
• Silos
• Separator cones
• Cyclones and fans

Glass is produced either from virgin raw materials (quartz sand sand) and/or from recycled glass, which comes in the form of cullets. Both sand and recycled glass cullets are highly abrasive. Also, glass cullets often contain impurities such as gravel that can have an additional abrasive effect. Significant wear can thus occur in the glass industry, in equipment used for storage, processing and conveying including:

• Pipelines
• Transfer chutes, belt conveyors
• Hoppers, chutes and feeding components
• mixing equipment
• glass crushers
• Cyclones
• Separators and screens

Professional wear protection can considerably reduce unplanned downtime and other problems due to abrasive wear in such equipment.

Management and recycling of solid waste materials place significant strain on equipment. Wear is an issue in various steps of the recycling process – from waste collection, to size reduction (crushing, shredding) and further processing to produce secondary raw materials. Apart from plastics and paper, materials being routinely recycled include metal, glass and even concrete – all of which are abrasive.

As profit margins are already narrow in the recycling industry, minimising downtime and reducing operating costs is particularly crucial. Here’s where wear protection comes in. Reduced downtime, lower maintenance costs and higher productivity can be achieved through the appropriate wear solution in:

• Shredders and parts
• Pipes, hoppers and chutes
• Cyclones and separators
• Cutting systems, crushers and knives
• Shears and balers

Wood and recycled paper are the main raw materials used for the production of paper and other related products. Abrasive and corrosive conditions during wood debarking, chipping, pulping, transporting and washing lead to wear in the respective equipment components and parts.  CeraMetal’s WearPlates & made-to-order parts along with our engineering competencies, can provide effective protection against abrasive and corrosive wear for:

• De-barking equipment
• Components used in pulping and chipping
• Hoppers
• Screw conveyors, conveyor belts and drive rollers
• Conveying systems
• Tubes and pipes

Ground (soil) contact and produce pre-processing are the main sources of abrasive wear in agriculture. Sand particles in soil are particularly “to blame” for abrasive wear on tools operating in soil. Soils with a granular composition rich in sand particles and also containing quartz particles, are quite frictional for farming tools. Ploughing tools, transporting equipment, mills/ grinders (for produce) and several other types of machinery can be subjected to considerable abrasive wear during their operation, resulting in decreased efficiency and higher fuel consumption. The appropriate wear-resistant coatings on functional parts of such equipment can offer a significantly extended service life.