Testing of mine shaft ropes

Jan 2000 SCADA/HMI

With the continuous loss of lives in mines more stringent regulations have been implemented to ensure the safety of mine equipment. One of the existing mining regulations requires that ropes used in mineshafts must be tested for minimum breaking strength every six months. Either Lifting Services Mining Services or the CSIR can do the test. Lifting Services Mining Services has commissioned TLC Software to develop a software engineering solution to facilitate its testing process.

These ropes are manufactured according to set standards and each rope is issued with a certificate number and a coil number for identification.

Engineer Pierre Theron at TLC explains how the tensile test program is used during the test: "The end caps of the rope are put into a machine that stretches the rope until it breaks.

"The tensile test program does realtime plotting of the load/force and elongation of the rope being tested. Realtime plotting is initiated at a predefined load to eliminate rope slack. After break detection, the software stops acquisition.

"The user is then able to select an endpoint on the graph to determine the maximum load carried and the total elongation at fracture. Curve shifting is performed to correct the offset caused by initial rope slack. The strain energy, plastic fraction of energy, plastic fraction of elongation, and slope of the graph in the linear region is then calculated." After a test, a certificate with a unique number is issued for the specific test, and the above results are stored into a database. If a piece of the same rope is tested at a later stage, a new certificate number is issued under the old coil number. Different test results/certificate numbers of the same rope/coil number can then be compared which enables LSMS to determine the life span of a rope and to advise a mine when to replace a rope.

Previously, LSMS performed the test by feeding the load and elongation signals into a specialised photoplotter which had a mechanical arm connected to a pen that drew the graph on paper according to signals received.

TLC Software

(011) 463 3860

Further reading:

Smart HMI with outstanding features
Vepac Electronics SCADA/HMI
The cMT X-Series from Vepac Electronics offers smart HMI, with a focus on software features for data integration, monitoring, and cloud connectivity.

Read more...

---

Display panel with brilliant screen and fast response
Vepac Electronics SCADA/HMI
The new HTLM5 WebPanel series from Vepac Electronics impresses with its brilliant display and very fast response during operation.

Read more...

---

Systems for mobile machines
ifm - South Africa SCADA/HMI
With the new compact ecomatDisplay with a screen diagonal of 11 cm, ifm electronic is setting new standards in the human-machine interface.

Read more...

---

VEICHI Industrial HMI VI20 series
Conical Technologies SCADA/HMI
The VEICHI industrial HMI VI20 series is a new generation of IOT human machine interfaces with an industrial ABS plastic shell and high reliability. The new model comes with a more practical down-cable approach and is better looking, resulting in a more satisfying interface.

Read more...

---

Visualisation and automation solutions for marine demonstration
Emerson Automation Solutions SCADA/HMI
Emerson now offers a free template configuration for marine applications, based on its Movicon.NExT HMI/scada system, and its PACSystems edge controllers, industrial panel PCs, and other control and networking products.

Read more...

---

Valio invests in cheese manufacturing
SCADA/HMI
Finnish food company, Valio is making a significant investment of over €60 million in the cheese production process at its Lapinlahti plant.

Read more...

---

New industrial control and communication range
RS South Africa SCADA/HMI
RS South Africa has announced RS PRO’s new Industrial Control and Communication range, adding 1250 new products across more than 18 technologies to RS PRO’s existing automation and control portfolio of over 41 000 products.

Read more...

---

HMI with maximum performance in the smallest of spaces
ifm - South Africa SCADA/HMI
Whenever clear communication, precision and performance in the smallest of spaces are required, the most compact member of ifm’s ecomatDisplay family is the perfect choice. The 11 cm HMI makes no compromises when it comes to human-machine interaction.

Read more...

---

Real-time data acquisition and reporting
Adroit Technologies SCADA/HMI
As the authorised distributor for Mitsubishi Electric’s Factory Automation, Adroit Technologies provides a range of factory automation products that include scada, PLCs, drives, HMIs and robots. Together, ...

Read more...

---

Upgrading your control system? Avoid these myths and misconceptions
Iritron SCADA/HMI
An upgraded control system has many benefits. However, the industry is plagued with control system upgrade myths and misconceptions. We explore the most common misconceptions and provide recommendations for mitigation.

Read more...

---