Delivered to drawing — recent projects
Three projects showing what build-to-drawing actually produces: a replacement set delivered on a schedule the mill could plan around, a material change that fixed a wear problem, and liners made from a worn sample when no drawing existed.
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Projects
SAG shell liners cast to drawing for a copper concentrator
A copper concentrator needed a replacement SAG shell liner set. The OEM quotation carried a six-month lead time, and the mill could not plan a reline window that far out.
CS-01 · Read the case →Grate plate wear cost reduced with Mn18Cr2
The discharge end of a gold plant ball mill was consuming grate plates faster than the shell liners around them, forcing an out-of-sequence shutdown each cycle.
CS-02 · Read the case →From worn trunnion liners to a new drawing and casting
An iron ore operation had no drawing for its trunnion liners and no reliable spare. The only reference available was the worn liners still in the mill.
CS-03 · Read the case →The numbers behind the projects
SAG shell liners cast to drawing for a copper concentrator
The challenge
A copper concentrator needed a replacement SAG shell liner set. The OEM quotation carried a six-month lead time, and the mill could not plan a reline window that far out.
What we did
We reviewed the customer’s drawing, confirmed pattern availability, and quoted with a written lead time. Patterns were prepared, castings poured in Mn18Cr2, heat treated with recorded cycles, and every shell liner section was measured against the drawing before crating.
Results
| Item | Outcome |
|---|---|
| Order to delivery | 42 days |
| Dimensional conformance | Per drawing, verified |
| Material | Mn18Cr2 |
| Documentation | Chemistry, hardness, dimensional report |
At a glance
- Customer typeCopper concentrator, South America
- Mill typeSAG mill
- ComponentShell liners (full set)
- MaterialMn18Cr2 manganese steel
- Order to delivery42 days
- InspectionDimensional report, spectrometer chemistry, Brinell hardness
Grate plate wear cost reduced with Mn18Cr2
The challenge
The discharge end of a gold plant ball mill was consuming grate plates faster than the shell liners around them, forcing an out-of-sequence shutdown each cycle.
What we did
Working from an existing drawing, we reviewed the wear pattern with the customer and changed the specified material for that position from a standard manganese grade to Mn18Cr2 — a compromise between the toughness of manganese and the hardness of a quenched alloy steel. Section thickness at the slot edges was also increased within the drawing envelope.
Results
| Item | Outcome |
|---|---|
| Service interval | Extended between relines |
| Material | Mn18Cr2 |
| Position | Discharge grate plates |
| Outcome | Grate no longer the limiting component |
At a glance
- Customer typeGold processing plant, Australia
- Mill typeBall mill
- ComponentDischarge grate plates
- MaterialMn18Cr2 manganese steel
- BasisMaterial change to an existing drawing
- InspectionDimensional report, hardness testing
From worn trunnion liners to a new drawing and casting
The challenge
An iron ore operation had no drawing for its trunnion liners and no reliable spare. The only reference available was the worn liners still in the mill.
What we did
The customer sent worn samples. We measured the parts, produced a drawing that accounted for the material already lost to wear, and submitted it for approval. Once approved, the liners were cast to that drawing with the same documentation package as any other order.
Results
| Item | Outcome |
|---|---|
| Starting point | Worn samples only |
| Output | Approved drawing + cast liners |
| Material | Manganese steel |
| Repeatability | Drawing retained for future orders |
At a glance
- Customer typeIron ore operation, Brazil
- Mill typeBall mill
- ComponentTrunnion liners
- MaterialManganese steel
- BasisReverse engineered from worn samples
- InspectionDrawing approval, dimensional report, chemistry
Liner steel case studies: measured field data
Ten published mill trials in which liner materials were compared side-by-side in the same machine. Wear rates, service hours and throughputs come from operating records — not catalogue claims. Each study covers the steel chemistry, the heat treatment, and the economics behind the result.
| # | Application | Liner material | Measured result | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Cement mill 1st chamber, vs imported liners | Medium-alloy steel ZG42Cr2MnSi2MoCe | 1.57 vs 2.50 g/t (+59% wear life) | Read case → |
| 02 | Cement mill 2nd chamber, fine grinding | Alloy steel ZGCr13SiMo, 57 HRC | 0.48 vs 2.43 g/t (5× life) | Read case → |
| 03 | φ28′ SAG mill, high impact | Bainitic Cr-Ni-Mo cast steel | 70 days, 910,000 t (1.5×+) | Read case → |
| 04 | Copper ball mills, wet grinding | Air-hardening ZG70Cr3NiMo | +30–60% life, 3 plants | Read case → |
| 05 | Acidic slurry, pH 4–5 | Multi-alloy CHMe steel | 4,000 h / 203,400 t, 1.3×+ | Read case → |
| 06 | 5.0 m overflow ball mill | Cr-Mo-Cu alloy steel | 2,496 → 7,000 h (2.8×) | Read case → |
| 07 | Iron ore, 14 mills in one mine | Modified Hadfield ZGMn9Cr2+RE | +31% wear life, 2× service life | Read case → |
| 08 | Coal pulverizing, power plant | Air-cooled bainitic cast steel | 3–5× life, –30% cost/t | Read case → |
| 09 | Liner-specific formulation | Bainitic cast steel, tight C window | HRC 60+ with ak > 16 J/cm² | Read case → |
| 10 | Weak-acid wet grinding, pH 4.5 | Medium-chromium ZG25Cr7 | 15× slower corrosion | Read case → |
Your mill could be the next case
Everything above started with a drawing — or, in one case, a worn part and a set of measurements.
Can you provide references or arrange contact with existing customers?
Where a customer has given permission we can share a reference, including location and mill type. We will not pass on contact details without their agreement — the same confidentiality applies to your project if you order from us.
Can we visit the foundry before ordering?
Yes. Tell us your travel dates and we will arrange a visit to the plant in Dangyang, Hubei, including a look at castings in production for other customers.
Are these projects covered by confidentiality?
Yes. Customer names, specific locations, tonnages and commercial terms are withheld unless the customer has authorised publication. The engineering content is real; the identifying details are not published.
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