Larox® PF filter services

The OEE (Overall Equipment Efficiency) Framework

We have adopted a commonly accepted framework for equipment performance known as OEE to improve our Larox Filter services offering to you. This framework clearly identifies the services in our portfolio that impact OEE (Availability, Productivity, and Quality) which will help us support you with the performance of your filtration plant more efficiently. 

We can arrange a customer workshop with you for reviewing the current and future maintenance and production needs of your plant and can assist in creating a roadmap for improvements for your equipment and operations with our service product portfolio. We will assist in prioritizing and implementing these improvements with the available individual service products or with our Life Cycle Services specifically tailored to the identified needs for your operation. 

We have included some of our filter-related services information below which would impact your OEE:

Availability 

The higher the production throughput of your plant, the more valuable every uptime hour becomes. Increasing, and more importantly, maintaining high filter availability without downtime, is best accomplished in cooperation with your maintenance and operations teams supported by our Filter Services experts.  

The Larox PF filters product portfolio consists of several products that improve availability. We suggest starting the review with OEM spare parts. Our OEM parts and components are designed, tested, and manufactured to match the original specifications to ensure maximum quality, equipment reliability, and optimal lifetime. 

Our Larox PF modernization portfolio includes several retrofit products that improve equipment availability. Our High-pressure wash system, for example, can improve the annual availability by approximately 2% by reducing the cloth clogging phenomena with a return of investment in less than one year. The external Clean In Place (CIP)-washing system can reduce the daily filter washing time to approximately 1 minute compared to 30 minutes of manual washing. Both products can be installed on all sizes of Larox PF Filters.   

Performance 

The correct way to analyze filter equipment performance is to measure the concentrate output in tons/cycle.  We offer a range of services that help you increase your filter performance and unlock additional tonnage per cycle. Cycles times can also be reduced which will effectively resolve the main components of the productivity equation. 

Major production improvements and new levels can be achieved with our Larox PF modernization products. Our Filter expansions increase the filtration capacity which has a direct impact on the capacity per hour. The Larox PF30 filter Endless cloth modernization can add 12-15 cycles per day, equating to 25-30 tons of filtrated cake daily. Our innovative automation system upgrades enable long-term data collection and connectivity. 

Quality 

The third component of OEE is quality. It is not enough to produce as many concentrate tons as possible in as much productive time as your operations team can get. Filtration quality-related targets include stable cake moisture percentage, cake washing efficiency, and filtrate clarity as well as other process-related targets. Our range of Larox PF filters is known in the industry for delivering the best results in cake moisture.  Achieving the fine balance between maximum throughput and concentrate specs may be challenging, we have a variety of service products that will help you maximize your product specifications compliance. 

Ore grades are often declining and becoming more complex in character with the mineralogy of the ores changing. Our goal is to offer you process support that helps you continuously adjust your filter recipe parameters to accommodate the variations in feed properties. Process results can be improved first by simply selecting the appropriate filtrate cloth. We will assist you by conducting laboratory testing to find the optimal filter cloth suited to your process and conditions. Digitalization is another major area of importance to boost efficiency gains. Our ACT Filter optimizer system is equipped with an online moisture analyzer that will increase the number of cake moisture measurements available providing data for optimal filtration process adjustments. 

Safety 

Although safety does not form part of the OEE framework, safety is of utmost importance to us. Our QEHS Management System defines the principles and elements by which conducts its global business to protect its employees and stakeholders, the public, company property, and the environment.  Our filtration training equips participants with the knowledge and skills required for the safe and efficient operation and maintenance of Larox filtration systems. Training is delivered by our experienced team of in-house experts and covers both basic knowledge of filtration systems and Larox technology, as well as advanced training on optimal operation, maintenance, automation, and troubleshooting. 

Regular, systematic inspections by our trained experts provide you with a clear understanding of the current condition and maintenance needs of your equipment, including future spare parts requirements and safety-related information. This information assists in planning and decision-making regarding long-term resource, maintenance, and production schedules that can maximize uptime. The Outotec Equipment Inspection service provides you with clear data and expert recommendations that help to improve decision-making, keeping your operations running like clockwork. 

The efficiency of your process equipment is a critical factor in maximizing your operational profitability. If you are operating aging equipment, you face a difficult choice between investing significant capital in new equipment or modernizing your existing equipment. Our filtration experts will work in close partnership with you to design the most suitable modernization solution for your plant and operations. 

Our Service platforms include in-built maintenance scaffolding which improves access to the plate pack during maintenance operations. The Pressing Air valve upgrade has additional safety features to combat unexpected chamber pressurization during maintenance. 

For more information regarding how our maintenance and service products can improve your filter safety, please contact your local representative and request more information.  

Larox PF Filter Services

Final words 

We believe that the value of the OEE framework and safety are invaluable and commit to aligning objectives with you to assist you with challenges and overall improvements. We also believe in supporting our customers throughout the entire service lifecycle of their equipment. We provide planned and unplanned maintenance support by certified and experienced service experts.

Every Life Cycle Service Agreement is tailored in collaboration with our customers, to suit unique operational needs, based on an agreed scope of services to achieve common targets. The minimum annual price* of the Life Cycle Service agreement for one Larox PF filter is approximately 20k€/$ per year, which is a low investment to drive the development of your filtration operations to the next level. Included in this price you will receive the best OEM guidance for your operations based on your filtration objectives. 

In the Agreement scope, spare parts supply and availability can be included to ensure the availability of components.

For more information regarding how we can assist you to get the best out of your Larox PF filter, please contact your local representative.

*Including mechanical inspection, workshop day for target setting and overall management, spare part, and shutdown planning.