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Local manufacturer launches its first continuous miner

23rd September 2016

By: Robyn Wilkinson

Features Reporter

  

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South African engineering manufacturer JA Engineering’s (JAE’s) first in-house designed continuous miner, the Wildcat JAE42, will undergo field tests in November, after which it will be made available for purchase by the South African mining industry.

“The Wildcat is based on very sound engineering principles and all that is left to do, is test it in the field and confirm some production figures that further demonstrate its worth,” says JAE CEO Danie van Wyk.

He tells Mining Weekly that the company has been supporting the South African mining industry since 1987. “JAE’s main focus has been on providing the coal mining industry with a variety of solutions, with our primary business initially having been the manufacture and repair of gearboxes.”

Over the past 29 years, JAE has developed into a fully fledged original-equipment manufacturer (OEM), as the company believes that there is great potential to further expand its product range, owing to growing customer demand for locally manufactured equipment of a high quality.

In line with this increased demand, the company has developed its Wildcat JAE42 continuous miner, along with a traction planetary wheel unit, specifically designed for suspension-type shuttle cars and a Z-filter dewatering solution. The company used Electra Mining Africa 2016 held at the Expo Centre, in Johannesburg, from September 12 to 16, as the platform to launch the new products.

“All of these solutions are at the cutting edge of customer needs to keep the mining industry sustainable,” Van Wyk tells Mining Weekly, adding that the timing of the launch could not have been better, with JAE having observed more demand for high-quality and safe solutions in the past year and, consequently, having doubled its production capacity from 2015 to 2016. The company is also in the process of securing a new partnership agreement with a prominent South African mining house.

JAE’s new Wildcat midseam underground continuous miner is designed specifically for the hard cutting conditions in the South African coal mining sector and is aimed at improving safe production, reducing costs and increasing tonnage through reliability.

The remote-controlled miner delivers 600 kW of cutting power, making it ideal for South African room-and-pillar coal mining operations, where a high cutting force is required. It also features a variable voltage frequency alternating current traction system, a fully integrated collision avoidance system, a traction brake to hold the miner at the face during cutting and wider tracks for lower ground-bearing pressure. The track pad design also improves slewing and the miner features a higher power-traction gear case, cutter head gear case and motor designs, improved cutter drive torque protection, cutter head feedback control in the sump and shear modes, high inertia cutter drums for reduced stalling and cutter drum lacing that is custom designed to suit specific mining conditions.

Van Wyk highlights that JAE has drawn on its vast experience of building and rebuilding continuous miners for its clients with its first in-house designed and manufactured unit.

“JAE has listened carefully to customer concerns about their current OEM equipment and has attempted to address these issues in the design of its products. Our strategic approach is simple: we aim to . . . keep mining sustainable for our customers, which, in turn, keeps the industry alive and South Africans employed.”

He further points out that 90% of the Wildcat is locally manufactured and procured.

Meanwhile, JAE’s traction planetary wheel unit for suspension-type shuttle cars is designed to address the damage of mechanical wheel drive units on shuttle cars, owing to their heavy-duty suspension systems.

“JAE has a very good reputation for producing highly successful wheel units for the South African and Australian markets, achieving savings on overall cost per ton for our customers, with various models available. We are so confident in this new product that we are offering a 12-month warranty – double the six-month industry standard.”

The Z-filter Z300 is a compact, portable or fixed unit for high-capacity continuous dewatering of slurries, coal fines and tailings, processing up to 30 m3/h. Van Wyk highlights that it is economical to operate, as it relies on a low power supply, and meets a high standard of safety and reliability. It can also be used in the dewatering of municipal wastewater and for water treatment involving plant sludge, industrial effluent, wastewater from dairy and other food production, and agricultural effluent.

The product has been tested in several applications in Australia, where the patented technology originates, and Van Wyk believes that it will be well received in South Africa, owing to its cost effectiveness and reliability.

“Our key focus is on developing solutions that improve the safety, reliability and quality of the machinery used in the mining industry while reducing downtime, cost of ownership and aiming for zero harm. In addition, we offer extensive field and aftermarket support for our products.

“JAE is a reliable local alternative supplier to global OEMs for the South African mining market . . . and can provide the local market with a quick response and meet customer needs without compromising on safety or quality,” concludes Van Wyk.

Edited by Tracy Hancock
Creamer Media Contributing Editor

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