Crushing and screening operations frequently run on a 24/7 basis to meet demand and optimise productivity, so crushing specialist Pilot Crushtec is the ideal partner to introduce its own brand of mobile lighting towers for these and other applications.

According to Pilot Crushtec Sales and Marketing Executive Francois Marais, the company has supplied lighting products before, but this step will see the new range under its own brand - Mobi Light.

“Our own brand gives us the flexibility to source the right products internationally, and provide the high level of local support that customers have come to expect from us,” says Marais. “Owners of sites that operate after dark will benefit from this range, and we will also supply to plant hire companies who rent this equipment to mainly the construction and mining sectors.”

The range covers mobile lighting solutions at entry level right up to premium applications, he explains. On the smaller end, a unit with four 320 LED floodlights will achieve a lighting area up to 5,000 m2; at the other end of the scale, a mining unit with six 320 WLED floodlights will light up 7,800 m2.

Ben Armitage, Sales Engineer at Pilot Crushtec, explains that safety is a key consideration in the way the company has positioned its offering.

“Not only do you need sufficient lighting for the stationery crushing and screening equipment on a site, but there are typically several pieces of yellow metal equipment such as excavators, trucks and loaders moving around,” says Armitage. “Good lighting is therefore a critical element of the industry’s quest for Zero Harm.”

He notes that insufficient lighting also affects productivity. Where there is limited visual capacity, operators tend to reduce feed rates to plants – to avoid the risk of blockages and spillage. This can have a substantial effect on production and the resultant cost of operating the site.

“Other factors that the Mobi Lite tower range considers is the height of our masts,” he continues. “With our high masts at 8,5 metres, this ensures an increased lighting area while reducing operator fatigue, as the light is high enough to never shine in the operators’ eyes.”

The range takes advantage of developments in lighting technology – away from metal halide and toward light-emitting diode (LED) technology. LED lights offer a much longer lifespan, operate at low voltages and produce less heat.

“This has significant benefits for outdoor site operators,” he says. “LED lights light up the work area instantly and don’t require a cool-down period before the lighting plant can be relocated. These lights also consume less power, saving money especially when on-site power is diesel generated.”

Designed for demanding site conditions, the lighting units have a robust steel canopy to house the generating unit and start up panel. This strong structure prevents battery and diesel theft. Maintenance and inspection are also easier, as the steel doors on each side of the lighting plant can be opened for access to the large engine bay.