Mechani Mags, the Boksburg manufacturer behind the African Magnets range, is best known for the suspended belt magnets that pull tramp metal off conveyors in mines and processing plants. This October the company is drawing attention to the rest of its range: the rare earth Ferrochrome Magnet used for separating ferrochrome from slag, its heavy duty lifting magnets for scrap handling and furnace loading, and its drum magnets, demagnetising coils and permanent magnet designs. With many South African operations planning maintenance and upgrades around the year end shutdown period, it is a timely point for plant engineers to review where magnetic equipment can do more than protect a conveyor.
Separating ferrochrome from slag
The Mechani Mags Ferrochrome Magnet is formally known as the In-Line Style Rare-Earth Permanent Magnetic Agitating Field Separator, or the MAFS machine. It is engineered for materials that contain small concentrations of ferromagnetic particles, such as ferrochrome, banded ironstone and shales.
The machine is built around the highest strength neodymium rare earth magnet elements. An agitating magnetic field section moves the magnetic material around so that non-magnetic material trapped among the ferromagnetic particles is released, which improves the quality of the separation. Towards the end of the separator, weaker magnetic elements make it easier to let go of the magnetics at the discharge point. Mechani Mags fits the unit with its own wear plate design, and the whole separator can be adjusted vertically so that its position can be tuned to the material being processed.
Applications include ferrochrome processing, where recovering ferrochrome particles from slag supports higher quality output, mining and mineral processing, where it can help improve the purity of banded ironstone or shales, and recycling operations, where ferromagnetic contaminants need to be removed from recyclable material.
Lifting magnets for scrap, ball loading and furnace work
For material handling, Mechani Mags manufactures circular heavy duty lifting electromagnets designed for on-off duty. The magnet is energised to lift and move steel, then de-energised to release the load and return to the loading position. The field depth is relatively shallow but highly concentrated, which maximises holding force on the lifted steel. Typical uses include scrap handling, mill ball loading and furnace loading. These units are not designed to be suspended over conveyor belts.
The lifting magnets are available in diameters from 300 mm to 3,000 mm, with rectangular and oval shapes available for specific applications. They are oil free and fully sealed to an IP66 rating, making them resistant to dust and water and suitable for submerged use. The casing is reinforced against bumps and drops, the coils are impregnated with high temperature resin and Class H insulation, and a heavy duty wear plate protects the bottom of the unit. A warning light or siren can be fitted to show when the magnet is energised, and an optional heat shield plate is available for high heat applications. The magnets are designed for high duty cycles and work with a wide range of DC supply voltages.
Supporting equipment includes power supply units, control panels, remote control pendants and DC cable reeling drums.
More than one way to remove tramp metal
Magnetic separators come in several forms, and choosing the right type depends on where the steel needs to be removed and how the plant is laid out. Alongside its suspended overband magnets, Mechani Mags supplies drum magnets, also called magnetic pulleys, which separate material as it discharges over the head end of a conveyor belt. Its demagnetising coils are used to demagnetise material flowing through the centre of the coil. Permanent magnet custom designs can be built to suit specific requirements and modified to fit restricted spaces.
Many plants use a Conveyor metal detector to stop a belt when metal is found, which protects crushers and downstream equipment but still leaves someone to locate and remove the steel by hand. A suspended belt magnet takes a different approach by lifting ferrous tramp metal off the moving material continuously. Mechani Mags’ own range of suspended magnets includes fan cooled and oil cooled electromagnets in self-cleaning and manual-clean versions, as well as its newer dry-type design.
The company’s Dry magnetic separator is its most modern suspended overband design. It runs without oil or fans, has an energy efficiency rating equivalent to IE4 and, according to the company, delivers the same magnetic power with 50% less electrical input than standard models. It is self-cleaning, includes a belt slip and tear detection system and a PT100 temperature probe for monitoring, and is available in a low headroom model for plants with limited vertical clearance. It can be used underground and can be Ex certified for hazardous environments.
Auxiliaries and spares under one roof
Magnetic equipment depends on reliable power, suspension and belting, and Mechani Mags supplies those items as well. Its auxiliary range includes power supply units for mains voltages up to 1000 VAC at 50 or 60 Hz, control panels compatible with almost any electromagnet system, three phase heavy duty solid state bridge rectifiers, DC cabling, adjustable suspension chain slings with rating tags and a certificate of compliance, beam crawlers and trolleys, cable reeling drums and festoon systems.
The company also stocks replacement belts, pulleys, gearboxes, motors, bearings, shafts, couplings and DC terminal poles, along with Type F flame retardant conveyor belting supplied with test certificates and reinforced heavier duty belts designed specifically for use with magnets.
Repairs, inspections and year end planning
The quieter weeks around the end of the year are often when plants carry out the maintenance that cannot be done during full production. Mechani Mags’ workshop in Jet Park, Boksburg can repair and upgrade any make or brand of magnet, handling units of up to 20 tons, and loan units may be available while a customer’s magnet is in for repair. The company also offers oil to dry conversions, which can usually turn an existing oil cooled electromagnet into an equivalent strength dry-type electromagnet without changing the existing power supply.
A trained site service team is on standby throughout the year and travels worldwide. On-site services include gauss testing and reporting, routine inspection reporting, certificate of compliance inspections, commissioning assistance, fault finding, installation assistance, general repairs and servicing, and site assessments for new magnet applications. Training is also offered. For a faulty magnet, customers can send the unit to the Jet Park workshop for a free assessment and strip and quote, or arrange for the company to collect it.
Built on five decades of magnet work
Mechani Mags builds its designs on more than 50 years of experience in magnetic equipment, and the company exports its products worldwide while supporting an international client base. Its focus on custom engineering means that magnets can be designed around a plant’s particular limitations, from tight headroom to unusual mounting angles.
Engineers, buyers and plant managers who would like to discuss ferrochrome separation, lifting magnets or any other magnetic separation requirement can find the full product range and support services at https://africanmagnets.com/.
About Mechani Mags
Mechani Mags is a South African manufacturer of conveyor magnets, magnetic separators and lifting magnets, trading under the African Magnets name from its head office and workshop at 30 Bisset Road, Jet Park, Boksburg. Its range covers dry-type, fan cooled and oil cooled suspended belt magnets, the rare earth Ferrochrome Magnet, lifting magnets, drum magnets, demagnetising coils, permanent magnet custom designs and a full line of auxiliaries and spares. The company serves mining, processing and recycling customers in South Africa and internationally, and offers repairs, upgrades, training, site inspections, compliance reports and gauss testing.
Media Contact
Mechani Mags
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +27 11 397 6870
Website: https://africanmagnets.com/
