A gold mining operation in Ontario sought to evaluate the durability and efficiency of two different rubber lining compounds used within their milling process. The objective was to determine which compound provided superior wear life, thus enhancing operational efficiency and reducing downtime.
Initial tests, conducted under seemingly identical conditions within two separate circuits of the mill, produced unexpected results. One compound outperformed the other significantly, suggesting a variable other than the compound itself was influencing wear life.
The straight taper reducer demonstrated a 200% improvement in wear life over the bell-shaped reducer. This discovery underscored the importance of considering all variables in performance assessments, beyond the immediate focus of the test.
Recognizing the need for a comprehensive comparison, further testing must be conducted. This will involve comparing the two rubber compounds under identical operating conditions and with identical fittings to accurately assess their performance. Fuller also recommends switching reducer shapes to straight taper in almost all applications.