WHEN THE INTERDEPENDENCE OF SEVEN CRUSHERS HINDERS PRODUCTION
Saguenay-based Groupe Alfred Boivin boasts a diversified portfolio of subsidiaries, as well as expertise in numerous fields such as construction, transportation, and forestry, to name but a few. It offers a wide range of products, including granular materials like crushed rock, which it produces at its crushing site.
The crushers are often at risk of disruptions caused by the thick dust, an inevitable side effect of the rock crushing process. The dust directly attacks the filters and other machine components. This is all the more concerning given that the site’s seven crushers are interdependent; the failure of one grinds the whole production line to a halt.
Faced with this major challenge, which had been seen as an unavoidable part of daily crusher maintenance until then, the Groupe Alfred Boivin became acquainted with Propulsa Innovations’ solution. The goal: Reduce daily downtime and prevent breakdowns that could paralyze production entirely.
THE PROPULSA INNOVATIONS SOLUTION
Drawing on the customer relationships it had built during previous installations, Propulsa Innovations approached the Groupe Alfred Boivin. This involved getting their approval to go take measurements on their crushers so that the Epura systems could be adapted to the equipment.
However, it wasn’t until the Propulsa Innovations team set foot on the crushing site that they had the opportunity to meet Jimmy Savard, the crushing superintendent. He had never heard of Epura systems before, but a series of productive conversations showed him just how much the pre-filtration systems have to offer.
While the visit was only meant to take measurements, the team ended up installing five Epura Engine systems (EPU-G5-M15) on several pieces of equipment (Terex J-1170 crusher, Astec GT205 screen, etc.). These self-cleaning pre-filtration systems, installed in front of the original filters, are easy to install because they do not need the machinery to be modified.
Propulsa Innovations knew that its Epura technology could save the customer a lot of headaches by protecting the engines of its crushing systems.
RESULTS
Places like crushing sites, which are full of dust that can hinder crusher engines, are very well known to the Propulsa Innovations team. This means that they were successfully able to improve the Groupe Alfred Boivin’s crushing process, as presented below.
In concrete terms, by installing Epura self-cleaning pre-filtration systems on five crushers at the Groupe Alfred Boivin site, they have seen a significant jump in productivity—around 9%. That increase translates into a significant reduction in downtime; the company is saving 45 minutes a day that had previously been dedicated to original filter maintenance.
It’s also important to point out that installing Epura engine systems gives the Groupe Alfred Boivin greater peace of mind, because they reduce the risk of breakdowns on the crushers.
Better preservation of engine components in heavy machinery
No need to change original filters
Production increased by 45 minutes a day
In conclusion, this situation clearly illustrates how even processes that seemed to be set in stone can be optimized with new, innovative solutions like the Epura technology and its self-cleaning pre-filtration systems.
”The Propulsa Innovations team understood our situation and the fact that our seven crushers are interdependent. The service was professional and the installation was perfect. We’re saving 45 minutes a day, which means 45 more minutes of production time.
Jimmy Savardcrushing superintendent