The Chelyabinsk Zinc Plant continues to implement an operational efficiency improvement program aimed at increasing productivity and improving working conditions for employees. A remote-controlled Brokk-170 machine was used to knock out the lining from the Waelz furnace.
Repair of the Waelz furnace is a rather laborious process. Since over time the lining (brickwork inside the furnace) wears out and dense build-ups (deposits) form on it, which reduce the technological characteristics of melting, it is necessary to replace the lining every eight months. Until recently, workers had to dismantle the lining using a sledgehammer and a jackhammer. The process took at least a week, since no more than three people could work inside the pipe at the same time. The crew was replaced every half hour.
The Brokk-170 remotely controlled machine knocked out the lining and debris from the furnace in just 36 hours. The compact dimensions of the robot make even the smallest spaces within the pipe easily accessible. At the same time, each blow of the robot reaches a power of 400 J, while the use of a jackhammer allowed reaching a maximum of 100 J.
“As part of the operational transformation program implemented at the enterprise, it is necessary to use all equipment at the plant as efficiently as possible , - notes the head of the development department of PJSC CZP Alexander Novikov. - A successful experiment led not only to saving material resources and obtaining an additional 440 tons of commercial zinc without capital expenditures. Most importantly, the new technological solution has significantly improved the working conditions of employees. In addition, the Waelz kiln recycles production wastes, and accordingly, the shelf life of waste at the industrial site is reduced several times. ”
