A custom-engineered chute has been delivered by Weba Chute Programs to a mining operation in Saudi Arabia, following greater than a 12 months of shut collaboration to evaluate the shopper’s operational challenges and establish alternatives for enchancment, the corporate says.
In line with Faizal Mahomed, Shopper Companies Supervisor at Weba Chute Programs, the connection with the mine started in 2023 when the corporate was invited to the positioning to judge efficiency points on a number of current chutes and suggest potential options.
“The latest set up of our first chute at this mine follows earlier website visits the place we have been requested to supply enter on doable enhancements,” Mahomed says. “The operation had lengthy been dealing with points with its current chutes, which didn’t adequately management materials circulate, leading to extreme put on and gear injury.”
One of many main challenges was frequent blockages that interrupted manufacturing and triggered expensive downtime and upkeep. Throughout his preliminary website go to, Mahomed was in a position to assess the operation instantly and made a key commentary concerning the lump measurement of the fabric being transferred. This led to a suggestion to widen the discharge opening of the present chute – successfully resolving one of many primary points.
“There was nonetheless an issue with materials falling freely by the chute for almost three metres, gaining velocity and inflicting extreme impression injury,” Mahomed explains. “As we constructed a relationship of belief with the shopper, they requested a feasibility examine on one in every of their most problematic chutes. This finally led to the primary order in late 2024 for one in every of our custom-designed options.”
The problematic chute was feeding a conveyor right into a surge bin and included a bypass operate that was not working successfully. This design flaw continuously triggered blockages, forcing shutdowns for guide clearing.
Critically, Weba Chute Programs additionally recognized that the chute’s positioning in relation to the pinnacle pulley required modification to enhance general efficiency.
“Our suggestion was to implement our 2.3 m custom-engineered chute design at the side of repositioning the pinnacle pulley,” Mahomed says. “This required the development of a brand new head body, modifications to the gantry and a slight elevation of the conveyor. These adjustments enabled the profitable set up of the Weba Chute in March, and it has since carried out precisely as anticipated.”
Mahomed highlights that controlling the fabric circulate was central to the chute’s design, significantly to allow efficient bypass when the surge bin was full – one thing Weba Chute Programs was in a position to reveal by detailed CAD fashions and simulations. Each the present chute and the proposed resolution have been digitally modelled, permitting the shopper to match the efficiency and clearly visualise how the brand new design would deal with their points.
“The optimised angle of repose in our chute, mixed with the usage of a useless field, have been key parts within the remaining design, chosen after evaluating a number of alternate options,” Mahomed says. “Our resolution additionally diminished the necessity for extra gear, whereas decreasing put on, noise ranges and dirt emissions.”
That is achieved by guaranteeing that incoming materials lands on a mattress of fabric already current contained in the Weba Chute, shaped by the position of the useless field, successfully shielding the liner and considerably lowering upkeep necessities.
The profitable implementation of this custom-engineered chute marks a major milestone in Weba Chute Programs’ ongoing collaboration with the Saudi Arabian mining operation, it says.
Mahomed concluded: “By combining on-site evaluation, superior modelling and a custom-engineered design, Weba Chute Programs delivered an answer that not solely resolves longstanding operational challenges but additionally enhances effectivity, reduces upkeep and improves general plant efficiency. This challenge underscores the worth of engineered switch level options and the significance of shut buyer engagement in attaining lasting outcomes.”
