Transmin Low Profile Feeder (LPF)

Bonfiglioli Heavy-duty drives

Space-saving heavy-duty gearbox for zinc refining.

Large gearboxes are used in a wide range of application areas. The gearboxes should be as strong and robust and with the longest service life possible, however be small and variable for integration in the machine. These were exactly the criteria that were important when selecting the Transmin Low Profile Feeder (LPF) gearbox, which is used by the company Sun Metals for zinc refining. The selection for the gearbox was made quickly for the Bonfiglioli Heavy Duty HDO gearbox as it satisfied the requirements.
 

HDO series

The LPF of the Western Australian company Transmin is a hybrid feeder, which not only combines the many advantages of belt and apron feeders but also delivers additional unique benefits the Transmin feeder has over conventional feeder technology. These include, for example, the possibility to change the conveying direction from horizontal to slanted within the same conveyor unit. The LPF is also used by the Australian company Sun Metals, in the very space-limited zinc pit. For this reason, only one compact feeder solution that fulfilled the conditions was suitable.

The lowest possible profile of the high performance feeder has, from the top surface of the belt to the bottom side of the foot plates, a vertical height of not even 1.0 m. “For these compact sizes, a compact and yet reliable gear reducer is indispensable for the LPF in order to guarantee continuous operation to our customers such as Sun Metals”, explains Tony Warren, Lead Design Engineer, Transmin. 

Compact & strong

The logical choice for the gear reducer for the LPF, which handles up to 400 t of zinc concentrate per hour, was the high-performing Heavy Duty HDO 170 helical gear reducer with a maximum torque of 190,190 Nm. In this case, the HDO 170 gear reducer is driven for a silent and vibration-free operation by a 75 kW motor with 127,700 Nm of torque. At Sun Metals, the feeder is located below a large hopper, which is filled from above by side tipping trucks. The Transmin feeder then transports the zinc concentrate further in the process plant, where is it then refined into high-quality zinc metal.

After China, Australia is the second largest zinc producer in the world. Zinc has long been used, for example, as corrosion protection (rust protection) for steel and iron parts, by coating them with a metal layer of zinc. In professional terms, this is called galvanization.

High performance & quality

Bonfiglioli’s compact HDO gearbox series, which stands for Heavy Duty Orthogonal, consists of performance-optimized ground splines, quality bearings and spheroidal graphite iron housings, which guarantee high levels of performance and stability, even in the most adverse environmental conditions as found in zinc pits.

As a bevel gear with a bevel gear stage on the input side, the robust Heavy Duty Bonfiglioli gearboxes are able to cover various service areas without difficulty in applications such as the mining and extraction industry.

Like the small design sizes, the 170 also has a wide selection available of drive shafts (solid and hollow shafts, shrink discs) and input variants. Just as for the entire gearbox range, options are available for the oil supply as well as various heating and cooling possibilities that meet application requirements. In combination with the powerful motors and couplings, the HDO gear reducer series is also available as a motor swing. The HDO gear reducer series is the response to the request for gear reducers with high transmission ratios. The 170 gear reducer is used above all in heavy industry.

Service & support make the difference

In addition to the convincing technical features, such as the high torque density and performance as well as the comprehensive adaptation options of the high quality Heavy Duty HDO gear reducers, other factors were also essential for its use in the LPF.

The compact design of the HDO gear reducer was the major benefit for its use in the LPF. Additionally, the friendly service and competent support from the Bonfiglioli team of engineers is always prompt and professional“, says Mr Warren. Transmin is a world-class provider of technical equipment for the manufacturing, mining, resources and bulk materials handling industries.


The reliability of Bonfiglioli’s drives is first-class. We’ve used their drives in numerous projects across Australia, including some in harsh conditions, and their durability and reliability have always been outstanding“, concludes Mr Warren. 

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