At a glance
Aurubis Beerse wanted to make the sampling of metal slags faster, quieter and safer, with a compact footprint and within strict emission and noise standards. The existing installation with three towers was outdated and no longer met current requirements.
Lybover designed an integrated solution: a single tower in which crushing, screening and sampling are fully coordinated. The concept combines in-house components, technology from exclusive partners and customer-selected parts into a single total solution.
Capacity and flexibility have been increased. Operator comfort and safety have been greatly improved. The automated, sensor-supported flow ensures that operators can carry out their work.
How can you make sampling metal slag faster, quieter and safer — on a compact footprint and under strict emission and noise standards? Aurubis Beerse opted for a single integrated tower in which crushing, screening, and sampling are fully coordinated. Lybover designed, built and installed the line, using components from its workshop, technology from exclusive partners and customer-selected parts — brought together into a single working unit.
Compact total solution with well-thought-out structure
The new installation replaces an outdated setup with three towers. Today, a single tower approximately 10 metres high is sufficient to accommodate the entire flow. This compact construction required sophisticated structural calculations, with particular attention to dynamic forces at height. The central section, containing all the vibrating elements, is anchored separately and is independent of the rest of the structure. This keeps vibrations under control and protects the rest of the installation and the building.
Dust and noise under control
To ensure that the installation operates with minimal dust, it connects to the final dump bins via a pneumatic docking system during unloading. In combination with a complex lift system that positions containers in a controlled manner, any dust that is released is immediately captured. The entire line is acoustically enclosed, ensuring that the project complies with strict noise standards and that the workplace remains pleasant for operators. Our colleagues from AIR designed the piping, which is connected to the central filter installation, efficiently removing dust for multiple processes simultaneously.
From container to representative sample: the process
The process begins with lifting and unloading, whereby steel bins are brought up via the lift. They pass through the installation one by one and end up in four containers. The material is transported via a funnel to a vibrating chute, supplied by technology partner Spaleck. Next, pre-crushing and sorting takes place: an initial jaw crusher crushes the material, after which a 3D screen with a rubber screen deck divides it into different fractions. The rubber effectively prevents the material from sticking, ensuring smooth and efficient screening.
This is followed by manual fine adjustment and final reduction. Operators can visually adjust the material via a manual sorting line, and finally a second jaw crusher further reduces the size. Finally, the process is completely data-driven and autonomous: the lift has an integrated weighing system and all data is automatically logged for trend and quality analyses. The entire cycle is fully automatic, but can be paused at any time for interventions or maintenance.
Safe and efficient working for operators
During maintenance, the installation automatically switches to a mode in which the lift moves upwards, creating a free and safe passage for work on the underside. Operators retain full control over the process: they operate the lift gate easily with a remote control, so they do not have to leave their forklift truck. In addition, extra sensors ensure that no one is in the danger zone. All control, service, and maintenance activities are brought together on a single, clear interface, allowing operators to easily adjust the cycle speed to the material and current occupancy. To optimally coordinate the design and operation in advance, the customer, and the project team were given a realistic picture of the final layout and all usage scenarios through an extensive VR session. This allowed routes, ergonomics, and safety logic to be refined in detail during the co-engineering process.
Integration of own workshop, partners, and customer components
Lybover brought together components from its own workshop, machines from exclusive partners (such as Spaleck) and components chosen by the customer to form a single working unit. These Spaleck components are specifically tailored to this line and have been extensively tested in the Spaleck test centre, so that the solution performs on site exactly as required.
For Aurubis Beerse, the new installation represents a significant step forward. Capacity and flexibility have been increased, as four containers can now be processed simultaneously per lift cycle, and the system is also suitable for different types of containers. The comfort and safety for operators have been greatly improved: the entire line is enclosed to minimise noise, while pneumatic docking and sophisticated extraction effectively tackle dust. The automated, sensor-supported flow ensures that operators can carry out their work with peace of mind and confidence.