What is Predictive Maintenance in Mineral Processing Plants?

What is Predictive Maintenance in Mineral Processing Plants?

Predictive Maintenance (PdM) in plants is an innovation technology, which can predict equipment failures before they become a big fault and bring losses to mineral processing plants.

Predictive maintenance evolved from the concept of 'Condition Monitoring'. 'Status Monitoring' collects real-time data of critical equipment in plants; however, condition monitoring fails to proactively predict machine outages and wear and tear. Therefore, the emergence of predictive maintenance is a major turning point: more sophisticated sensors, a more efficient communication network, a powerful computing platform capable of processing large-scale data, and a sophisticated algorithm to compare data with the data pattern when the machine is in trouble. From this, we can identify, simulate and interpret the rules of machine operating parameters.

Predictive Maintenance is much different from preventive maintenance method:

Preventive maintenance belongs to the pre-maintenance. Based on time, performance and other conditions of the equipment for regular maintenance, more depends on experience. It is always the better way to plan ahead. (such as regular equipment maintenance of the factory, maintenance of spare parts, etc.) It focus on the regular maintenance fleet design to avoid equipment broken. However, it cannot be proactive and heavily depends on personal experience. Predictive Maintenance can do integration of experience inside the company and outside. ALPHA has expert database which stores 40+ years rich experience in mineral processing plants operations. PdM is more efficient and intelligent.

Let’s know more benefit of PdM from practices.

Xuyong Coal Preparation Plant has launched ALPHA predictive maintenance system in July. After over three months running-in, ALPHA PdM system reports an predictive maintenance alert and expert advice for gear reducer of bucket elevator. Gear reducer rolling key caused the shaft keyway and gear keyway damage failure. 

Click here to view case study in coal washing plant.

However, Predictive Maintenance system do fail in some projects. How would the failure happen? 

Click to check the reasons from ALPHA Industry news Part 1

For the hardware in PdM, click here!

The most suitable, The best! ALPHA adopts custom-built predictive maintenance system into coal preparation and other mineral processing plants to meet plant management requirements.

Contact us to know more by email or call.