Technology to provide critical data for clients on the operational performance of mill circuit pump equipment is being leveraged by original-equipment manufacturer Weir.

The global company has, for many decades, boasted engineering capabilities and research and development (R&D) investments that enable it to design easy-to-maintain mill circuit pumps for demanding applications in remote and tough operational conditions.

As the mining sector continues to modernise, Weir has evolved its mill circuit pump technology to align with industry trends such as sustainability, digitalisation and predictive maintenance.

In particular, Weir’s NEXT intelligent solutions bring real-time visibility and insights into pump health, operating efficiency and performance monitoring, empowering customers to reduce downtime risks, extend equipment life and gain control over their operational efficiency, Weir pumps product manager Villen Mandree explains.

With robust condition monitoring systems integrated into Weir’s pumps, allowing operators to remotely observe pump behaviour in real time and enabling early investigations to prevent premature or catastrophic equipment failure, the company is taking predictive maintenance and the future of asset health monitoring further.

Weir is laying the groundwork for pump condition and performance monitoring through the use of digital twins and real-time data collection, incorporating expert recommendations, advanced data analytics and intelligent algorithms.

Customers will be able to monitor how equipment is operating, see real-time pump curve performance, generate algorithms and allow the user to analyse and generate trends – foresight that allows for better maintenance planning, inventory optimisation and spares management, all contributing to smoother operations and reduced unplanned downtime.

Though still in early development, Weir’s vision for digital solutions shows the potential to redefine how equipment is maintained and optimised, and opens a new sphere in data generation that provides key decision-making knowledge on operations, maintenance, service and costs.

“Mining is changing. Key performance indicators (KPIs) are changing. The more data provided, the more informed customers can be and the more empowered they feel. We put control back into the hands of our customers,” he says.

This is in addition to the continuous innovation of the company’s mill pump technology to ensure more efficient, robust and longer operationality, while reducing water consumption, energy consumption and waste, especially in remote areas, where many customers operate without readily available water and electricity, besides others.

This is made possible with significant R&D investments and over 20 engineering hubs with numerous engineers focused on product development to ensure pumps are robust, energy-efficient, easy to maintain and safe.

Engineered Innovation

WARMAN pumps, for example, are engineered to be as easy to maintain as possible, and include a two-piece cover plate. A split cover plate allows easy access for replacement of the impeller and throatbush during maintenance.

Weir further differentiates itself by tightly integrating customer-specific KPIs from the tender phase through to operation and maintenance.

From feasibility to execution, Weir’s product and process engineers work side-by-side with customers to prevent oversights, ensure correct installation and deliver consistent performance.

It is a full-lifecycle, customer-first partnership approach, with tailored engagement and collaboration on pump selection and ancillary equipment, optimising drive trains, evaluating trade-offs in gearbox versus direct-drive systems, and even planning spares strategies based on location-specific supply chain availability.

In a recent example, Weir is supporting a Central African project involving a 120 t cyclone feed pump installation, providing comprehensive engineering services to derisk the installation and ancillary systems – gearboxes, motors and couplings – critical to the success of a mega-scale operation.

“Our engineering team has access to some of the foremost leading software 3D modelling systems, parts lifecycle management systems and analysis software,” Mandree comments.

“We have to ensure everything works correctly and we model the analysis of vibration between interacting parts, such as the motor and the gearbox, [besides others].”

Further helping derisk a project is being close to customers and the building of trust over the years, he adds.

“We build up significant trust with our customers over the long periods that we work together. The company also has service centres, equipped with skilled technicians, engineers and artisans, close to customers’ sites.”

The WARMAN brand, as well as Weir’s long history, also assists in derisking a project, says Mandree.

“WARMAN pumps have been around now for close to 90 years. It is a brand trusted in industry. The WARMAN brand itself is associated with innovation, with reliability, with robustness, with safety.

“The WARMAN brand, in conjunction with the over 150 years that Weir has been in operation, provides customers with a sense of ease.”

Weir often hosts factory visits to enable its customers to view the engineering and manufacturing process of its pumps and review the quality control processes.

In-house manufacturing allows Weir to control many of the variables in the manufacturing and production phases.