(PRESENTATION TO 1983
MARKETING MEETING 83-12-09
BY MARKETING ENGINEER PETER
K. CAMERON, INCLUDING
S-126 DETAIL AND ABRIDGED BY
D.H. PUGSLEY)
I RECENTLY HAD THE OPPORTUNITY
TO ARRANGE THROUGH INCO LIMITED IN THOMPSON THE FIRST DEMONSTRATION IN NORTH
AMERICA USING ROPETEX FH (OUR FRICTION HOIST ROPE LUBRICANT). THIS WAS ALSO THE
FIRST MASTO DEMONSTRATION IN WESTERN REGION. DUE TO THIS FACT, TEXACO WAS
REPRESENTED BY BOB SHAPKA AND RAY NORGATE FROM ONTARIO REGION AND GRANT
DEVONSHIRE, BILL SWETT, PETER COSH AND MYSELF FROM WESTERN REGION. THE
CONSIGNEE FROM THOMPSON, WILF PETERS, WAS ALSO THERE.
THE
DEMONSTRATION WAS HELD AT THE T-1 MINE (4,500 FT) SHAFT, BEING THE MAJOR SHAFT
AT THOMPSON. ONE OF THE FOUR SKIP HEAD ROPES (FULL LOCKED COIL, NOM. DIA. 32.1
mm) WAS FED THROUGH THE UNIT AT ABOUT 100FT/MIN AND ABOUT 20L OF FH WAS USED IN
1,500FT OF ROPE. THE HEAD ROPE HAD LARGE AMOUNTS OF CEMENT DUST AND WATER
VISIBLY FORCED FROM THE ROPE. THIS CEMENT DUST, PUT ON THE ROPE TO PREVENT
SLIPPAGE, CAUSED NEGLIGIBLE WEAR ON THE SEALS. THE RETURN LUBRICANT WAS HEAVILY
DISCOLOURED AND OBVIOUSLY CONTAMINATED.
INCO WAS REPRESENTED BY ABOUT 20
PEOPLE LED BY THE MANAGER AND SUPERINTENDENT OF MAINTENANCE, ED SUMMERS AND
BLAKE MAXFIELD RESPECTIVELY. TO SAY THE DEMONSTRATION WAS A SUCCESS WOULD BE
AND UNDERSTATEMENT. ANY SCEPTICISM WAS QUICKLY ERASED BY THE EXCELLENT JOB THE
UNIT DID OF CLEANING AND LUBRICATION THE VERY DENSE FRICTION HOIST ROPE.
INCO
WAS AMAZED AT THE AMOUNT OF DIRT AND CONTAMINANTS THAT CAME OFF THE THREE MONTH
OLD ROPE, BOTH AS IT ENTERED THE UNIT AND BY THE CONDITION OF THE RETURNED
LUBRICANT. (THE PREVIOUS METHODS OF LUBRICATION WAS BY WIRE BRUSH AND OIL
SATURATED STUFFING BOX FOR THE HEAD ROPES AND ADHESIVE GREASE FOR THE BALANCE
ROPE).
A
STATIC TEST WAS DONE ON A DISCARDED PIECE OF FLC ROPE. UPON CLOSE INSPECTION OF
THE ROPE IT WAS CLEAR THAT SMALL METAL PARTICLES AND OTHER CONTAMINANTS WERE
ACTUALLY BEING FORCED OUT OF THE ROPE A DISTANCE FROM THE UNIT. BY DISMANTLING
THE ROPE IT WAS OBVIOUS THE ROPETEX FH HAD PENETRATED TO THE CORE WHERE IT WAS
PREVENTED FROM GOING FURTHER BY EXISTING LUBRICANT.
THE
SQUEEZING OUT EFFECT WAS ALSO SEEN ON THE CAGE BALANCE ROPE (LANGS LAY NOM.
DIA. 30.4mm) WHICH WAS LUBRICATED WITH THE ROPETEX EP.
BUT WHAT WILL THIS DO FOR TEXACO?
1.
WE
ANTICIPATED ANNUAL SALES OF ABOUT 10,000 KG OF WIRE ROPE LUBRICANT AND 40 SETS
OF SEALS. THIS WILL BE IN THE VICINITY OF ABOUT $25,000,00 PER YEAR. PRIOR TO
THIS, IMPERIAL OIL HAD ALL OF THE WIRE ROPE LUBRICANT BUSINESS AT INCO.
2.
IT
ALSO EMPHASIZED THE BENEFIT OF ENGINEERING SERVICE TO A LARGE COMPANY LIKE
INCO. WITH 50,000 FEET OF ROPE COSTING ABOUT $500,00.00. ONLY A 10% INCREASE IN
ROPE LIFE WILL MORE THAN PAY FOR THE COST OF MAINTENANCE. SOME REPORTS HAVE
INDICATED AS MUCH AS A 300% INCREASE IN ROPE LIFE SO THE SAVINGS TO INCO COULD
BE EXTREMELY LARGE.
3.
THE
SUCCESS OF THIS UNIT WILL OPEN DOORS AT OTHER MINES. IN MANITOBA THIS INCLUDES
HUDSONS BAY MINIG AND SMELTING AT FLIN FLON AND POSSIBLY SHERRITT GORDON AT
LYNN LAKE (ALTHOUGH THEY ARE PRESENTLY SHUT DOWN). NEWS OF ITS SUCCESS WILL
ALSO OPEN DOORS AT OTHER PLACES, SUCH AS MANITOBA ROLLINGS MILLS AND CRANE
RENTAL COMPANIES.
4.
ONE
THING I COULD NOT MEASURE WAS THE WARM FEELING OF WELCOME WE RECEIVED THE
FOLLOWING DAY. AS THIS MUTUAL TRUST DEVELOPS, I FEEL WE EILL BE ABLE TO ACCESS
PRESENT AND FUTURE PROBLEM AREAS AND PROVIDE SOLUTIONS. THIS, I FELL, IS THE
WAY TO THE BIG VOLUMES OF LUBRICANT SALES IN THE FUTURE.