2022’s edition of the Electra Mining Expo took place in Johannesburg, South Africa in September. Hundreds of innovators flocked in to showcase exciting products.
The exhibition presented several awards for standout products.
These included awards such as the ‘Innovation: New Product’ award which contained three separate categories: Mining, Transport, and General Engineering.
The winning products represent the best new innovations for mining in South Africa. Here are the companies that took the prizes for their inspiring inventions.
The 3 best new innovations in South Africa’s mining industry
HardLine by ABC Ventilation Systems
ABC Ventilation Systems’ HardLine product came first place in the ‘Innovation & New Products Awards’.
It also won the ‘Local Manufacturing: Innovative New Product’ award.
ABC is a South African company that manufactures polymer products and ventilation systems. It designs rigid and semi-flexible polymer materials.
What is HardLine and what makes it so innovative?
Engineered to improve airflow in underground mines, HardLine is a Modified HDFE Polymer material that has been converted into ducting.
What makes this ducting stand out is that it is logistically easy to move. To add to this, its material is fire retardant, low-toxicity, and creates less friction than other types of existing ducting.
This makes it both safe and a way for miners to simplify logistics.
It is also recyclable. This is especially significant given the mining sector’s current focus on sustainability.
HYRAX Printer by Aditiv Solutions
Aditiv Solutions is a tech start-up that creates cost-effective, upmarket additive manufacturing (AM) equipment.
The start-up came first place in the General Engineering category with its HYRAX industrial 3D metal printer.
The HYRAX is designed to print complex mining equipment parts.
About the HYRAX and why it is such an innovative product
Aditiv claims the HYRAX is the cheapest product of its kind. In addition, the HYRAX is a highly efficient printer – and also has a much larger build volume than other similarly priced AM technologies.
Miners typically can’t afford to use 3D metal printing widely for parts production, but HYRAX addresses this issue with its cost-effectiveness.
Its use of powder bed fusion technology for non-reactive metals makes it usable for a wide range of applications.
Additionally, it also makes it possible to directly print machine parts straight from CAD data, streamlining the process.
Finally, any unused metal powder can be reused again and again, meaning waste is reduced.
Double Assassin Trailer by Industrial Fire & Hazard Control (IF&HC)
Fires remain a big hazard in underground mines. IF&HC designs and manufactures firefighting products. Its Double Assassin Trailer was the Electra Mining new innovation award winner in the Transport category.
What’s the Double Assassin about and why is it considered extra innovative?
A versatile, adaptable piece of equipment and economical fire control solution, the Double Assassin is a heavy-duty transport trailer and features four wheels, a flat deck, a double cylinder, and tandem axels.
These are all included so that the trailer can safely and effectively put out fires from a distance
It was named the Double Assassin due to its outlet that simultaneously ejects a dry chemical powder and a water foam that extinguishes fire.
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