Over 1.9 billion tonnes of sugarcane are harvested annually for use in food, beverages, pharmaceuticals, and energy. Mechanical harvesters are used to complete the harvesting process, removing the leafy top of the cane and the stalks.
The leafy tops and stalks are collected separately; rotating arms strip the leaves and undergrowth from the stalks before passing them through a cutter that processes them into smaller pieces known as billets.
The collection of the crop is a rapid process putting extreme pressure on the equipment being used. Overloading the harvester increases wear on its parts. Failures of components such as the primary extractor hood and wear ring can result in extended downtime or further damage to other harvester components.
Recently, the Integra™ services team at Welding Alloys Argentina has undertaken the repair of these parts for several manufacturers in their region, using our range of composite wear plates. One challenge faced by customers was the need to optimise the lifespan and performance of the extractor ring and hood without increasing the part’s weight.
As these parts are prone to wear from impact and abrasion, a solution was required to prevent this. The segments inside the hood were manufactured using Hardplate 100 3+3; a reduction from the previous plate size resulted in a weight reduction of 33%. During the project, we were able to increase the number of segments inside the hood from 22 to 33, resulting in better closure between the edges of the plates. The closure of the gaps reduced material leaks and consequently increased harvesting efficiency. This overall solution resulted in an increase in the lifespan of the component of up to 3 times that of original repair.
The wear rings were also shaped and formed to size using our Hardplate 100 composite wear plate. The plates offered the customer a solution that increased the wear resistance of the equipment and subsequently reduced downtime and operating costs.
Hardplate is a versatile and adaptable wear plate composed of a low-carbon-based material and welded overlay. Hardplate is available with a standard total overlay thickness ranging from 4 to 15mm.
Contact us to find out how our composite wear plates can reduce maintenance costs and lower the total cost of ownership of your equipment.
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