Researchers from CEDENNA, the country’s largest nanoscience and nanotechnology center, through their spin-off SISTRAT, will exhibit two systems created for mining that represent multimillion-dollar savings, process improvements and worker safety
The national mining sector could save 200 to 400 million dollars a year by using a nanotechnology sensor to detect uncrushables (materials from machinery wear that cannot be ground at any of the crushing points in the process), one of the sector’s main production problems because it damages machinery and delays all production.
As a solution to this complex and recurring problem, researchers at SISTRAT, a spin-off of the Center for the Development of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (CEDENNA), developed a highly reliable uncrushables control system called SIGET. It detects the fall of wear elements in mining, improving processes and worker safety as well as extending equipment service life.
This technology is essentially dedicated to GETs (Ground Engaging Tools), the wear elements covering the shovels that, during operation, sometimes suffer high mechanical stresses that break their supports and end up detaching unintentionally. When a detachment occurs, the SiGET system issues an alert, so the wear element does not end up in the crusher, avoiding damage and unscheduled stoppages.
“This innovation allows mining companies nationwide, for example, to save between 200 and 400 million dollars a year. And internationally, between 2 and 4 billion dollars a year,” says Dr. Omar Daud, CEDENNA’s Projects Deputy Manager and SISTRAT’s Director of Technology Transfer.
The high value of this innovation led to SISTRAT being selected and invited to take part in EXPONOR 2022, to be held from June 13 to 16 in Antofagasta.
“Taking part in an international technology and innovation fair such as EXPONOR is a unique opportunity to make our contributions from scientific research available to the mining industry and offer effective, innovative solutions that increase safety and improve production processes, as in the case of the monitoring systems SISTRAT will present,” says Dr. Dora Altbir, director of CEDENNA.
She highlighted that this is fully in tune with one of the central purposes of the center she leads: “to generate developments that positively impact people’s lives and Chilean industry”.
For his part, Dr. Daudstressed that being selected “is recognition of the enormous work done over all these years. At the same time, this invitation opens up an enormous opportunity to make ourselves known in the mining sector with our innovations, offering our solutions and products to the market”.
The company is also taking part with another sensing system, called BWear, which is applied to monitoring bushing wear and makes it possible to optimize their service life, making the most of their performance.
