In terms of preventative maintenance requirements, one of the biggest issues associated with any wear-lining material is understanding the thickness of the wear lining at any given point in time. Bearing this in mind, HMA Wear Solutions has developed a Wear Indicator that can be incorporated into Iso Pressed Alumina tiles.

This Wear Indicator is designed to provide a visual reference to the quantity of wear that has occurred on any specific tile. Two x 5-mm-diameter indicators are included on the front face of each tile. The 5-mm-diameter remains unchanged, while beyond this depth, the actual diameter of the wear indicator relates directly to the depth of wear. That is, a 12-mm-diameter equals 12 mm depth of tile wear. Total wear, from 5 mm to 17.5 mm, can be measured and monitored to provide accurate feedback on lining performance and wear life. An additional feature is a two-tone transition, whereby at the predefined wear depth of 17.5 mm, the indicator changes colour from black to pink. This acts as a visual indicator that the lining has 30% tile thickness remaining, meaning that proactive replacement planning should be initiated.

In addition to the high abrasion resistance advantages of Iso Pressed Alumina, the Wear Indicator Tile from HMA Wear Solutions offers the added benefit of visual inspection. Here it is easy to identify the coloured indicators and the change in colour at a predefined wear depth. Wear is measurable, as the indicator diameter relates directly to the total wear, down to the change in colour, which signifies that urgent replacement is called for. Preventative maintenance is therefore highly effective, due to the ability to either replace tiles based on total tile wear (with access required to be able to measure) or based on the indicator colour change.

Based on the tonnage processed and the total wear depth measured, the wear rate itself can be determined and assessed across a range of different operating conditions, from feed rate to feed PSD and different seams, etc. HMA Wear Solutions also offers a condition monitoring service, whereby a detailed report on wear liner condition and the anticipated life remaining is provided. Reports are facilitated by visual inspection in order to take accompanying photographs of the wear lining in question.