Master Magnets Electro Suspension Magnet Still Going Strong!
By chameleon | 13 October 2016
Master Magnets was contacted by a customer whose transformer rectifier for their Electro Suspension Magnet had failed. Alarmed at the failure, we checked through our project records. After some searching, we discovered that the Electro Suspension Magnet had been originally supplied in 1989. It was actually older than some of our staff!
The customer was also surprised by the age of the Electro Suspension Magnet. 1989 was the year the Berlin Wall fell, the first GPS satellite was put in to orbit, and the birth of the Internet.
As with many Electro Suspension Magnets, this had been installed and just left to do the job of separating tramp ferrous metal. It required little maintenance and was providing excellent protection of down-stream processing equipment.
Assessing Critical Risk
In this particular case, the only failure had occurred in the transformer rectifier and not the Electro Suspension Magnet. After conducting a critical equipment risk assessment, the client identified that failure of the electro magnet was an area of great concern.
Electro Suspension Magnets are manufactured to order at our European manufacturing HQ in Redditch, UK. The average lead time, from approval of drawings to despatch, is six (6) weeks. Having acknowledged the importance of the Electro Suspension Magnet’s function within the process, the client decided to purchase a critical spare.
However, there have been changes in technology and design since 1989. The Electro Suspension Magnets have had several design improvements including:
- The electromagnet coils have ducts to improve the rate of cooling within the coil. This increases the efficiency of the magnet;
- The thickness of the steel for the base plate has increased to give better wear rates in heavy-duty applications;
- The terminal boxes have been redesigned to incorporate new technologies in terms of gasket material and resins;
Subsequently, a new Electro Suspension Magnet, with the same dimensions of the original 1989 design, would enable better levels of metal separation.
For additional information on any size of Electro Suspension Magnets or Permanent Overband Magnets, please contact us on:
Email: sales.redditch@buntingmagnetics.com
Telephone: +44 (0) 1527 65858
