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Since 2009, Instrowest has been supplying Instrumentation and electrical support to the Mount Keith Nickel Concentrator for their thrice-yearly plant shutdowns.

Through supplying quality tradesmen and completing all tasks to a high standard, Instrowest has developed an excellent working relationship with BHPB staff onsite. As a result, Instrowest has gradually taken on the greater role in the E/I shutdown work scope.

Instrowest currently supplies personnel for both day and night shifts, along with a custom-built Project and Shutdown Support trailer, which is a clean room, workspace and office rolled into one. The trailer also carries a large range of well-maintained calibration instruments, hand-tooling, and power tools, as well as commonly used spare parts and consumables.

The custom-built Project and Shutdown Support Trailer has been specifically built to service our clients’ needs. It enables us to mobilise to the site quickly and have the facilities and tools to complete the work scope to a high standard while minimising our reliance on the site's facilities to service our needs.

Instrowest attends site pre-shutdown to scope all of the work involved, liaise with site planners, and establish the exact requirements of Instrowest for the upcoming maintenance period. This benefits both client and contractor, allowing the shutdown to proceed smoothly. In 2009, when Instrowest initially started attending these shutdowns, the majority of our scope involved assisting the valve contractor, Tyco (now Pentair) in the change out of isolation and control valves onsite. This has resulted in a good professional relationship, working together to complete the valve change-outs on schedule and ensuring the valves are pre-commissioned and ready to go on startup.

Following our success on the valve crew, Instrowest has taken on board the calibration and maintenance of the flotation cell dart valves. Prior to this, BHPB had expressed continual disappointment in other contractors’ poor completion of this task and the resulting operational issues. Instrowest presented assurances to site staff that we could do it far better. As a result, Instrowest has now been calibrating the dart valves to a high standard for a number of years, repairing issues and resulting in praise from site supervision for the newfound performance and reliability of the flotation dart valves. Instrowest has also put forward recommendations to further improve the site’s dart valve reliability and performance.

In a similar situation to the dart valves, BHPB had expressed concerns over the efficiency and cost of their weightometer contractor. As this is a core business area of Instrowest, the case was put forward that we could do it better and with greater efficiency, and this was achieved. As an example, deficiencies in the return scats conveyors weigh zone have been rectified, with the replacement and re-alignment of the rollers and frames resulting in increased accuracy and reliability of the belt weigher. Instrowest has also made further recommendations to improve the accuracy and performance of other belt weighers onsite.

Other tasks Instrowest has completed onsite include servicing the instrumentation on the mill motor, gearbox, and pinion lube packs and servicing and recalibrating HSB pressure switches and instrumentation. Issues were found and rectified and recommendations were reported. Instrowest has succeeded here where others have failed; this is because of our experienced personnel and suitable high-quality calibration and test equipment.

As part of Instrowest’s continual push to improve the site’s instrumentation function and reliability, as well as reduce maintenance spending, many proposals have been presented to Mount Keith. These include weightometer upgrades and repairs, dart valve upgrades and repairs, pinch valve and repairs, and upgrades to the lube system instrumentation to improve monitoring, reliability and reduce maintenance spend.

Shutdown Reporting

At the conclusion of any shutdown, Instrowest compiles a post-shutdown report detailing all work carried out, calibration results, defects found, and any recommendations. This is received well by BHPB supervision and planners, providing contractor feedback, a record of activities performed, and information to improve the performance of the plant as seen by instrumentation specialists.

Conclusion

Through the completion of repeated maintenance shutdowns for Mount Keith Nickel, Instrowest has proven to be the leader in providing a high-quality Electrical Instrument team. We are fully equipped to carry out all related maintenance tasks, meeting and exceeding BHPB’s expectations. Instrowest continues to complete shutdowns better than the competition by investing in tools and equipment to enable us to be the industry’s best in E/I shutdown support.

If you would like Instrowest to assist you with any weighing queries or problems please contact Instrowest.
Email: admin@instrowest.com.au
Website: www.instrowest.com.au

Tags: Instrumentation, Instrument Installation, Instrument Calibration, Calibration Services, Shutdown Services, Shutdown Support Trailer, Belt Weighers