AU2014295812A1

AU2014295812A1 - System for use in mounting an exchangeable wear lining element

Info

Publication number: AU2014295812A1
Application number: AU2014295812A
Authority: AU
Inventors: David Andrew KRAUTZ; Gregory Oliver Valler
Original assignee: Russell Mineral Equipment Pty Ltd
Current assignee: Russell Mineral Equipment Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2013-07-22
Filing date: 2014-07-18
Publication date: 2016-03-10
Anticipated expiration: 2034-07-18
Also published as: AU2014295812B2; WO2015010163A1

Abstract

A method of mounting an exchangeable wear lining element at an inner surface of a mill wall that is subject to wear, and said wear lining element is supported at the free end of a lifting device that is controlled during the handling of the wear lining element during a mounting operation. The wall is provided a first set of holes and the wear lining element is equipped with a second set of holes. The wear lining element is intended to be tightened against the surface by means of attachment means that are introduced through the first set and second set of holes. At least one three-dimensional sensor is arranged to be introduced into one of said holes of either said first set or second set of holes, in such a manner that the field of view of said sensor will be at least one of the second set of holes when said sensor is inside one of the holes of the first set of holes, or will be at least one of the first set of holes when said sensor is inside one of the holes of the second set of holes. The sensor is arranged to transmit a signal that represents a relative position between itself and the respective hole within its field of view, and provide an image and with the guidance of said image the mounting position of said wear lining element at the wall can be determined.

Description

WO 2015/010163 PCT/AU2014/050134 1 SYSTEM FOR USE IN MOUNTING AN EXCHANGEABLE WEAR LINING ELEMENT TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a control and positioning system for use in mounting an 5 exchangeable wear lining element to the shell of a rotating drum of an ore mill BACKGROUND Wear lining elements (sacrificial liners) are secured to the internal casing of ore mills. They are typically provided as segments, and they are secured internally of the mill shell by bolts which are conventionally fitted from the internal side of the shell and project through apertures in the 10 liners and through mounting bores in the shell. A nut and sealing washer are threaded onto and tightened onto each bolt from outside the shell, drawing the liner to the inner surface of the shell. An example of a conventional liner segment fastener system is shown in US Patent No. 4018393 (Larsen). Typically the bolts used for such application are referred to as linerboits. Attempts have been made to improve wear lining segment fastening, which results in easier 15 removal and replacement of liner segments. For example, US Patent No.6082646 (Clarke et al.) discloses a fastening system for liner assemblies of ore mills which threads bolts from the external side, so that the bolt bears against the external side of the mill shell, and a nut is used on the internal side sitting in a recess formed in the liner segment. A more recent wear lining segment fastening system is disclosed in W02009100881 0 (Metso 20 Mineral (Wear Protection) AB) in which the wear lining elements are equipped with threaded holes with associated guide pegs. Various types of lifting and handling equipment, such as lifting cranes, are used for placement of the wear lining elements against the internal casing of the mill. Such handling equipment typically comprises a lifting arrangement such as an arm or a lifting crane, that can be 25 manoeuvred inside the mill, and that is provided at its free end with a grip arrangement with which a wear lining element can be gripped and supported, With the aid of the lifting crane, the grip arrangement and thus the lining element can be displaced essentially freely in space or with at least two or three degrees of translational freedom in space, ie. in the x-, y- and z-directions.

WO 2015/010163 PCT/AU2014/050134 2 With the aid of a number of rotational degrees of freedom its attitude also can normally be controlled, for example the roll, pitch and yaw angles of the grip arrangement. One of the major problems when exchanging drum linings is the difficulty of positioning and adapting each individual wear lining element, such that its mounting hole or attachment means 5 are aligned with the attachment (fixing) holes that are arranged in the mill casing before the wear lining element can be moved into place, and the fasteners secured thereto. During mounting of wear lining elements, it is typical for the crane operator, by radio or similar, to be in wireless communication with personnel who are in the close vicinity of the intended mounting location of the wear lining element or a support surface on the wall (mill casing). The crane operator 10 receives commands and information about how the wear lining element is to be oriented in order for the mounting holes of the wear lining element to be located in line vwith the mounting holes of the wall. In order to provide the information required to make it possible for the crane operator to align the mounting holes of the wear lining element with the fixing holes in the mill casing the personnel must be present dangerously close to the mounting location and, in certain cases, under 15 the wear lining element that is suspended from the crane arn. It should be understood that this operation is quite unsafe, not least because the wear lining elements that are being exchanged are typically very heavy. A prior art system. which attempts to improve the control and positioning of a wear lining element relative to the internal surface of a mill casing (or wall), has been proposed and 20 marketed by the present applicant as LINERVISIONn 4 . This system uses two sensor units with 2D cameras and integrated infrared illumination placed into the mounting (bolt) holes of a wear lining element. This provides position and alignment of the sensor unit. The two camera views are wirelessly transmitted to a decoding unit and displayed on a monitor placed so that the reline machine operator can use the view to align the liner with the fixing holes in two dimensions. The 25 infrared illumination avoids shadow effects from work lights used inside and outside the nill, as it would be a problem with visible light illumination. The edge of the liner hole is visible and is used as a reference to align the fixing holes.

WO 2015/010163 PCT/AU2014/050134 3 Another system which attempts to improve the control and positioning of a wear lining element relative to the internal surface of a mill casing (or wall) is disclosed in W02013/036194 (Metso Minerals (Sweden) AB). In this system a two-dimensional sensor (an image recording camera) is disposed externally of the mill, and used to determine the relative position of the wear lining 5 element and a determined mounting position on the inner surface of the wall. In this arrangement the camera sees the wear lining element through a mounting hole in the wall. This system has certain disadvantages, the first of which is that as the two-dimensional sensor (camera) is outside the mill, its field of vision is restricted to some extent, Secondly as it is a two dimensional sensor it can only be used for the relative position in an X-Y plane, and cannot be used to determine the 10 relative depth of the wear lining element relative to the wall. A weakness of both abovementioned systems is that the information presented to the operator is in 2D (an X-Y plane) without any depth information. This means alignment of the fixing holes in the wear liner and mill shell is not usually possible. The wear lining element could be presented with one mounting hole closer to the mill casing than another. This skewing of the liner will 15 result in collision with adjacent wear lining elements, preventing placement of the liner against the mill shell. The operator must therefore be able to use other references to allow fitting. Furthermore the current 2D systems cannot be employed in automated mill reliinig operations. The present invention seeks to overcome at least some of the abovementioned disadvantages by providing an improved control and positioning system for use in mounting an exchangeable wear 20 lining element at an inner surface of a wall surface using three-dimensional sensors. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to a first aspect the present invention consists in a control and positioning system for use in mounting an exchangeable wear lining element at an inner surface of a wall that is subject to wear, said wall being the shell of a rotating drum of an ore grinding mill, and said wear lining 25 element is supported at the free end of a manoeuvrable arm that is a component of a lifting arrangement that is controlled during the handling of the wear lining element during a mounting operation, whereby said wall is provided with at least a first set of fixing holes and the wear lining element is equipped with at least a second set of mounting holes, whereby the wear lining WO 2015/010163 PCT/AU2014/050134 4 element is intended to he tightened against the surface by means of attachment means that are introduced through said first set of fixing holes and said. second set of mounting holes, characterised in that at least one three-dimensional sensor is arranged to be introduced into one of said holes of either said first set of fixing holes or said second, set of inounting holes, in such a 5 manner that the field of view of said sensor will be at least one of said second set of mounting holes when said sensor is inside one of said holes of said first set of fixing holes, or will be at least one of said first set of fixing holes when said sensor is inside one of said holes of said second set of mounting holes, whereby said sensor is arranged to transmit a signal that represents a relative position between itself and the respective hole within its field of view and provide an 10 image and with the guidance of said image the mounting position of said wear lining element at said wall can be determined. Preferably said at least one sensor is two sensors, each fitted to holes of either the first set of fixing holes or second set of mounting holes. Preferably said three-dimensional sensor is introduced from outside said wall into one of said 15 holes of said first set of fixing holes it does not extend outside the one of said fixing holes beyond the inner surface of said wall. Preferably said three-dimensional sensor is anyone of a laser device, range camera, time of flight camera or a field sensor. Preferably the control and. positioning system further comprising a CPU/control unit. 20 Preferably the control and positioning system further comprising a monitor, Preferably said mounting operation is controlled by an operator in the vicinity of said mounting operation and capable of viewing said monitor. Preferably said mounting operation is controlled by an operator remote from said mounting operation and capable of viewing said monitor, said CPU/control unit and said monitor in 25 communication with said sensors using wireless and/or cable communication. Preferably said second set of mounting holes on said wear lining element are blind holes.

WO 2015/010163 PCT/AU2014/050134 5 According to a second aspect the present invention consists in a control and positioning system for use in mounting an exchangeable wear lining element at an inner surface of a wall that is subject to wear, said wall being the shell of a rotating drumn of an ore grinding nill, and said wear lining element is supported at the free end of a manoeuvrable arn that is a component of a 5 lifting arrangement that is controlled during the handling of the wear lining element during a mounting operation by a crane operator, whereby said wall is provided with at least a first set of fixing holes and the wear lining element is equipped with at least a second set of mounting holes, whereby the wear lining element is intended to be tightened against the surface by means of attachment means that are introduced through said first set of fixing holes and said second set of 10 mounting holes, characterised in that two three-dimensional sensors are arranged to be introduced into respective holes of either said first set of fixing holes or said second set of mounting holes, in such a manner that the field of view of each said sensor will be a respective one of said second set of mounting holes when each said sensor is inside one of said holes of said first set of fixing holes, or a respective one of said first set of fixing holes when each said sensor 15 is inside one of said holes of said second set of mounting holes, whereby said sensors ate arranged to transmit signals that represents relative position between the themselves and the respective holes within their field of view and in combination provide an image and with the guidance of said image the mounting position of said wear lining element at said wall can be determined. 20 According to a third aspect the present invention consists in a method of mounting an exchangeable wear lining element at an inner surface of a wall that is subject to wear, said wall being the, shell of a rotating drum of an ore grinding mill, and said wear lining element is supported at the free end of a lifting device that is controlled during the handling of the wear lining element during a mounting operation, whereby said wall is provided with at least a first 25 set of fixing holes and the wear lining element is equipped with at least a second set of mounting holes, whereby the wear lining element is intended to be tightened against the surface by means of attachment means that are introduced through said first set of fixing holes and said second set of mounting holes, characterised in that at least one three-dimensional sensor is arranged to be introduced into one of said holes of either said first set of fixing holes or said second set of 30 mounting boles, in such a manner that the field of view of said sensor will be at least one of said WO 2015/010163 PCT/AU2014/050134 6 second set of mounting holes when said sensor is inside one of said holes of said first set of fixing holes, or will be at least one of said first set of fixing holes when said sensor is inside one of said holes of said second set of mounting holes, whereby said sensor is arranged to transmit a signal that represents a relative position between itself and the respective hole within its field of 5 view and provide an image and with the guidance of said image the mounting position of said wear lining element at said wall can be determined. According to a fourth aspect the present invention consists in a method of mounting an exchangeable wear lining element at an inner surface of a wall that is subject to wear, said wall being the shell of a rotating drum of an ore grinding ill, and said -wear ining element io 10 supported at the free end of a lifting device that is controlled during the handling of the wear lining element during a mounting operation, both said wear lining element and said mill casing having a plurality of attachment holes which must be aligned with each other for mounting of said wear lining element to said mill casing, whereby at least one three-dimensional sensor is placed within one of said attachment holes on either said wear liner element or mill casing so 15 that it has within its field of view at least one attachment hole of the other component, and arranged to transmit a signal that represents between itself and said at least one attachment hole of the other component within its field of view, and provide an image and with the guidance of said image the mounting position of said wear lining element at said wall can be determined. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 20 A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. I is a cross-sectional view of a first embodiment of part of a mill casing using a control and positioning system during positioning of a wear lining element during a mounting operation according to the present invention. 25 Fig, 2 is a cross-sectional view of a second embodiment of part of a mill casing using a control and positioning system during positioning of a wear lining element during a mounting operation according to the present invention. Fig. 3 is perspective view of the liner and part mill casing of Fig. 1.

WO 2015/010163 PCT/AU2014/050134 7 Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a third embodiment of part of a miill casing using a control and positioning system during positioning of a wear lining element during a mounting operation according to the present invention. Fig. 5 a schematic representation of the control and positioning system being employed in Fig. 1 5 where the operator carrying out the mounting of operation is in the vicinity of the nill site. Fig. 6 a schematic representation of the control and positioning system being employed in Fig. I where the operator carrying out the mounting of operation is remote from of the mill site. BEST MODE OF CARRYING OUT INVENTION Figs. 1, 3 and 5 depict a first embodiment of a mill casing 3 of an ore mill with a control and 10 positioning system 10 during positioning of a wear lining element (liner) 1. Mill casing 3 is the shell of a rotating drum of an ore grinding mill, but in these figures only a part of mill casing 3 is shown for ease of reference. Miil casing (rotating drum) 3 is for a SAG or ball ore mill of a conventional type to which liner 1 is secured to using conventional liner attachment means, such as liner bolts (not shown). Mill [5 casing 3 has an internal backing layer 4, typically of rubber, against which liner I abuts when secured thereto. A manoeuvrable handling arm 15 is used to support and place liner I against mill casing 3 in a mounting operation. Mill casing 3 has a plurality of fixing holes 7, one of which is shown in Fig. 1. Liner I has a plurality of mounting holes 2, one of which is shown in Fig.1 20 In this embodiment control and positioning system 10 comprises two three-dimensional (3D) sensors 5, connected to a CPU/control unit 6 and monitor 8 which when in use can be used for controlling the placement of liner 1. Monitor 8 is preferably able to provide two-dimensional and three-dimensional information. Sensors 5 are wirelessly connected to CPU/control unit 6. It should be understood that the term "three-dimensional sensor" means a sensor that can sense 25 and provide data of movement in three dimensions, eg movement in a three axes X-Y-Z coordinate system. In this embodiment each sensor 5 is introduced from outside of mill casing 3, and placed into a fixing hole 7. Preferably each sensor 5 does not extend through its respective fixing hole 7 into the interior of the mill, so as to minimise risk of damage thereto, but located sufficiently close to WO 2015/010163 PCT/AU2014/050134 8 the interior (mating) surface end of its respective fixing hole 7, so that it has a wide field of vision Vw depicted by dotted lines. As can be seen in Fig, 1 the field of vision Vxv of sensor 5 is much wider in this location, as compared to positioning it outside of mill casing 3, shown by the representation of sensor 5A having a narrower field of vision Vn. 5 Control and positioning system 10 using three-dimensional sensors 5 is able to use mounting holes 2 as the necessary reference identifiers on liner 1, and as sensors 5 are within respective fixing holes 7. they are themselves the reference identifiers for mill casing 3. As shown in Fig. 3 liner I having its mounting holes 2 as the reference markers can be sensed three dimensionally, as represented by the X1-YI-Z1 and X2-Y2-Z2 axes. The output frot the two sensors 5 in 10 combination can be used for controlling the placement of liner 1. In use, a crane (or liner handling) operator 12 can view an image on monitor 8 to assist in placement of liner t-. The image being provided for operator 12 may be in 3D representation, 2D or preferably 2%D (a 2D picture of the X-Y plane with distance readout for the Z axis). Whilst Fig. 5 depicts placement of liner 1 carried out by operator 1.2 located in the vicinity of the 15 mill, it should be understood that alternatively as shown in Fig. 6 operator 12 may instead be remotely located from the mill site as is possible using the Internet or a LAN, using wireless and/or cable based conimunication. In a second embodiment as shown in Fig. 2, three-dimensional sensors 5 of control and positioning system 10 are actually placed in respective mounting holes 2 in liner 1, and the field 20 of vision Vw is where liner 1 is to be placed. In this embodiment, each fixing hole 7 is the necessary reference identifier. Like that in the first embodiment, an operator can see an image on monitor 8 to assist in placement of liner 1 Fig. 4 depicts a third embodiment which is similar to the first embodiment, in that each three dimensional sensor 5 is in a fixing hole 7, however in this embodiment the liner IA has a blind 25 mounting hole 2A. The use of three-dimensional sensors 5, by providing the relative depth (Z axis data) of the wear lining element relative to the wall, not only overcomes the liner skewing problem associated with the prior art, but will also reduce the time needed to place a liner.

WO 2015/010163 PCT/AU2014/050134 9 In the abovementioned embodiments two three-dimensional sensors 5 are employed. However, it should be understood that in other not shown embodiments a single three-dimensional sensor 5 could be used. The problem with using a single sensor 5 is that you must be able to determine the orientation of liner I,1A. In such arrangement the single three-dimensional sensor 5 would either 5 require a field of vision that is wide enough to view two holes on the opposed component, or use some other additional reference identifier, such as that on handling arm 15 that can be part of the control system. Another alternate method of determining orientation of liner 1, IA would be to use features on the face of liner 1,1 A or mill casing 3 such as curvature to derive the departure from the required orientation. It is possible to use a combination of these inputs. 10 It should also be understood that more than two three-dimensional sensors 5, say three sensors 5, could be used to improve alignment. It should be understood that the control of the positioning system 10 need not be controlled by an operator, but instead sensors 5 and CPU/control unit 6 of system 1.0, may be part of an I5 automatic mill reline machine. It should also be understood that the three dimensional sensor 5 may be of any suitable device capable of 3D sensing, including a laser device, range camera, time of flight camera or field sensor, or a combination of such devices. The field sensor may be of any suitable type, including a capacitance field sensor, magnetic field sensor or electrostatic field sensor. 20 In the abovementioned embodiments "fixing holes 7" in mill casing 3 and "mounting holes 2" in liner 1, are all attachment holes. The terms "fixing" and "mounting" have been used to differentiate the attachment holes in mill casing 3 from those in liner L The terms "comprising" and "including" (and their grammatical variations) as used herein are used in inclusive sense and not in the exclusive sense of "consisting only of. 25

Claims

1. A control and positioning system for use in mounting an exchangeable wear lining element at an inner surface of a wall that is subject to wear, said wall being the shell of a rotating drum of an ore grinding mill, and said wear lining element is supported at the 5 free end of a manoeuvrable arm that is a component of a lifting arrangement that is controlled during the handling of the wear lining element during a mounting operation, whereby said wall is provided with at least a first set of fixing holes and the wear lining element is equipped with at least a second set of mounting holes, whereby the wear lining element is intended to be tightened against the surface by means of attachment means that 10 are introduced through said first set of fixing holes and said second set of mounting holes, characterised in that at least one three-dimensional sensor is arranged to be introduced into one of said holes of either said first set of fixing holes or said second set of mounting holes, in such a manner that the field of view of said sensor will be at least one of said second set of mounting holes when said sensor is inside one of said holes of said first set I5 of fixing holes, or will be at least one of said first set of fixing holes when said sensor is inside one of said holes of said second. set of mounting holes, whereby said sensor is arranged to transmit a signal. that represents a relative position between itself and the respective hole within its field of view and provide an image and with the guidance of said image the mounting position of said wear lining element at said wall can be 20 determined.

2. A control and positioning system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said at least one sensor is two sensors, each fitted to holes of either the first set of fixing holes or second set of mounting holes,

3. A control and positioning system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said three-dimensional 25 sensor is introduced from outside said wall into one of said holes of said first set of fixing holes it does not extend outside the one of said fixing holes beyond the inner surface of said wall.

4. A control and positioning system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said three-dimensional sensor is anyone of a laser device, range camera, time of flight camera or a field sensor, WO 2015/010163 PCT/AU2014/050134 1i i A control and positioning system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a CPU/control unit.

6. A control and positioning system as claimed in claim 5, further comprising a monitor.

7. A control and positioning system as claimed in claim 6, wherein said mounting operation 5 is controlled by an operator in the vicinity of said mounting operation and capable of viewing said monitor.

8. A control and positioning system as claimed in claim 6, wherein said mounting operation is controlled by an operator remote from said mounting operation and capable of viewing said monitor, said CPU/control unit and said monitor in communication with said sensors 10 using wireless and/or cable communication.

9. A control and positioning system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said second set of mounting holes on said wear lining element are blind holes.

10. A control and positioning system for use in mounting an exchangeable wear lining element at an inner surface of a wall that is subject to wear, said wall being the shell of a 15 rotating drunk of an ore grinding mill, and said wear lining element is supported at the free end of a manoeuvrable arm that is a component of a lifting arrangement that is controlled during the handling of the wear lining element during a mounting operation by a crane operator, whereby said wall is provided with at least a first set of fixing holes and the wear lining element is equipped with at least a second set of mounting holes, whereby 20 the wear liing element is intended to be tightened against the surface by means of attachment means that are introduced through said first set of fixing holes and said second set of mounting holes, characterised in that two three-dimensional sensors are arranged to be introduced into respective holes of either said first set of fixing holes or said second set of mounting holes, in such a manner that the field of view of each said 25 sensor will be a respective one of said second set of mounting holes when each said sensor is inside one of said holes of said first set of fixing holes, or a respective one of said first set of fixing holes when each said sensor is inside one of said holes of said second set of mounting holes, whereby said sensors are arranged to transmit signals that represents relative position between the themselves and the respective holes within their 30 field of view and in combination provide an image and with the guidance of said image the mounting position of said wear lining element at said wall can be determined. WO 2015/010163 PCT/AU2014/050134 12 I1. A method of mounting an exchangeable wear lining element at an inner surface of a wall that is subject to wear, said wall being the shell of a rotating drum of an ore grinding mli, and said wear lining element is supported at the free end of a lifting device that is controlled during the handling of the wear lining element during a mounting operation, 5 whereby said wail is provided with at least a first set of fixing holes and the wear lining element is equipped with at least a second set of mounting holes, whereby the wear lining element is intended to be tightened against the surface by means of attachment means that are introduced through said first set of fixing holes and said second set of mounting holes, characterised in that at least one three-dimensional sensor is arranged to be introduced 10 into one of said holes of either said first set of fixing holes or said second set of mounting holes, in such a manner that the field of view of said sensor will be at least one of said second set of mounting holes when said sensor is inside one of said holes of said first set of fixing holes, or will be at least one of said first set of fixing holes when said sensor is inside one of said holes of said second set of mounting holes, whereby said sensor is 15 arranged to transmit a signal that represents a relative position between itself and the respective hole within its field of view and provide an image and with the guidance of said image the mounting position of said wear lining element at said wall can be determined.

12. A method of mounting an exchangeable wear lining element at an inner surface of a wall 20 that is subject to wear, said wall being the shell of a rotating drum of an ore grinding mill, and said wear lining element is supported at the free end of a lifting device that is controlled during the handling of the wear lining element during a mounting operation, both said wear lining element and said mill casing having a plurality of attachment holes which must be aligned with each other for mounting of said wear lining element to said 25 mill casing, whereby at least one three-dimensional sensor is placed within one of said attacunent holes on either said wear liner element or mill casing so that it has within its field of view at least one attachment hole of the other component, and arranged to transmit a signal that represents between itself and said at least one attachment hole of the other component within its field of view, and provide an image and with the guidance of 30 said image the mounting position of said wear lining element at said wall can be determined-