Multotec, a South African engineering and mineral processing company, has added two rubber vulcanisation presses to its manufacturing facility in Spartan, Gauteng, South Africa, which will reduce lead times for customers.

The company explained that the new additions have improved both the production capacity of the facility as well as the dimensional capability in the production of lifter bars, shell plates, head plates and grate plates for mill linings.

Thando Makhoba, managing director, Multotec Rubber, said the new hydraulic presses have larger daylight openings to accommodate higher throughput and larger dimensions of products.

He said it would enable the company to produce lifter bars up to 40 mm wide, with advanced human-machine interface (HMI) software and a locally developed PLC control system.

Additionally, it will also mean that the company can improve production rates and improve customers' experiences, Makhoba claimed.

The HMI hardware and software will make it easier to operate technology remotely, which can improve efficiency, according to the company.

Waldo Verster, Mulotec Rubber's technical manager, said the new technology would allow the company to press more units per cycle, with one press capable of pressing between seven and 14 lifter bars at a time.

"For the customer, these integrated liners are quicker to install, so they reduce mill re-lining time. And they are also safer, as they can be installed by a mill liner handler operated from outside the mill," Verster said.