VESCONITE IN MINING
Vesconite’s origins lie in the gold mining industry, a notoriously harsh working environment. The product was developed as a maintenance-free alternative to bronze bushings traditionally used in mining equipment. Unlike bronze, Vesconite eliminates three key issues: The need for regular lubrication; the effects of dirt and grit on costly components; the damage caused by water to traditional bushing materials. Vesconite offers up to 10 times the lifespan of traditional bushings in these harsh conditions and saves hours of downtime caused by machines requiring frequent lubrication.
“We were happy with the packaging. Our bearings are a very delicate and integral part of our OEM equipment; therefore, packaging is very important to us.”
A maker of mining and mineral processing equipment
Common Mining Applications
BENEFITS FOR MINING
- Vesconite has been shown to offer up to 10 times the life of bronze in these harsh conditions.
- Vesconite is wear resistant and eliminates time-consuming greasing of bushing parts.
- Vesconite prevents damage to costly machine shafts.
- Vesconite is unaffected by dirty, gritty and damp conditions.
- Vesconite does not swell or distort when exposed to water.
- Vesconite low friction co-efficient and high abrasion resistance is well suited to many mining applications.
MATERIAL COMPARISON
Bronze was the traditional material used for bushings in mines, since there were no viable alternatives until Vesconite fit-and-forget bushings. The problem with bronze is that it does not always perform well in the dirty, often wet conditions found in the mines. Also, bronze parts are often stolen for their scrap value. Bronze works well as a bushing material if regularly greased, if dirt is kept out, and if there is no moisture or water. But these are three big “ifs” in the harsh conditions encountered in mines.
Nylon bushings have often been tried in mines. However, nylon absorbs moisture – up to 9% by mass in a humid atmosphere. This causes nylon to swell by up to 3%. Swelling means that clearances are lost and unexpected seizures occur. Humidity also causes nylon to soften. This leads to the wear rate speeding up, and bushings squeezing out because they cannot take the bearing load. Vesconite’s water absorption is so low that any swelling and softening effects are negligible.
Vesconite Mining Case Studies
