Leveraging new-generation crushing technology to optimise uptime at its Pietermaritzburg quarry, AfriSam will be installing a Metso C120 jaw crusher supplied by South African distributor Pilot Crushtec.

According to Glenn Johnson, general manager construction materials operations at AfriSam, the investment indicates the company’s confidence in the future, and its commitment to quality production standards.

“Staying abreast of available technology is important in advancing our efforts to enhance our supply security and product quality, while targeting certain aggregate products demanded by the market,” says Johnson. “The C120 crusher is part of a broader technical investment at our Pietermaritzburg plant aimed at underpinning reliability of supply for customers.”

AfriSam’s facility in Pietermaritzburg provides a diverse portfolio of aggregate products  that are suitable for supply for readymix, asphalt, the civils and, road building sector as well as to concrete product manufacturers in the construction sector. Its output is currently vital to key infrastructural improvements in the area, such as the upgrades to the N3 highway south to Durban and north towards Johannesburg.

He highlights that the high vibration impact of primary jaw crushers disseminated onto the associated designed fabricated sub-structures or concrete foundations has have long been a significant  structural integrity challenge for many aggregate quarries, and expects the new C120 crusher’s design and dampening technology to help AfriSam mitigate this risk.

“A key consideration in choosing the Metso C120 was its proven self-dampening concept,” he says. “This will help us move away from the risks and challenges related to costly civil engineering works that were previously required to create a fixed base for the crusher.”

Theolan Govender, AfriSam’s national engineering manager, says the advantage of the Metso C120 is that the current design of the crusher incorporates a retro-fitted self-dampening system that drastically reduces the associated effects of dynamic and static loading onto these structures and associated foundations. This reduces the effects and consequences of under-structure or foundation failures.

“It further reduces the need for complex under-structures professionally designed by consultants and the ill-effects of triggering professional indemnity on failures. Pilot Crushtec includes an additional five year/10 000 hour warranty on the sale of this product which is an added benefit when compared to their competitors,” says Govender.

According to Sampie Kruth, AfriSam engineering manager for KwaZulu-Natal, the plant needed a proven solution to ensure that the crusher’s dynamic forces would not damage the sub-structure.

“Many equipment suppliers in this field  are  developing their concepts in this direction, however Metso is one of the few companies that has already  tried-and-tested models that are available in the market” says Kruth.

AfriSam regards health and safety as a key priority and in line with its protocols relating to equipment safety, the Metso C120 has a hydraulically adjusted gap setting, allowing for safe and easy adjustment. Further, the jaw liners also have their own hooking points to facilitate liner changes,  reducing the practice of welding lugs for removal.

Working closely with Pilot Crushtec on the specifications, AfriSam will also be applying a specific designed quarry liner for better continuous grading of material passing through the first crushing stage. With a feed size opening of 1,2 metre wide by 870 mm deep, the crusher’s throughput is expected to range between 200 and 300 tonnes per hour.

Pilot Crushtec sales and marketing director Francois Marais notes that the Metso C120 is one of the most widely sold jaw crushers globally, and says that being well known for its reliability and performance, there are many units operating in southern Africa.

“Their robust and rugged characteristics make this one of our most popular units, and replacement parts are readily available,” says Marais.

The order also marks another step in the company’s partnership with AfriSam, with Pilot Crushtec playing an important role in providing OEM-quality support and maintenance.

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