While some people may use the term iron and steel interchangeably, these metals couldn’t be more different. For one, steel is much more valuable. A ton of steel has a traded price of $4,600, while iron ore, on the same market index, sold at a mere $145. 

Also, the composition of the metals is different, and what products you’ll find in iron and steel are rarely interchangeable. 

In a historical sense, both metals have contributed to the evolution of civilization and culture. Without these materials and their development, people would be unable to create the significant modern edifices that grace our world.

In this article, we’ll discuss the difference between iron and steel and how the iron and steel industries have helped propel modern construction. 

What is Iron? 

First, it is important to emphasize that iron is an element and an essential mineral. It’s a ductile and lustrous metal with a silver appearance when unearthed. 

Iron’s symbol on the periodic table of elements is Fe, and the element has an atomic number of 26.

Although iron was used as one of humankind’s first tool materials, the element is relatively brittle in its raw form. Iron can be hammered into sheets or different forms.

Like many other mined metals, you can form iron into wire or sheets. However, one drawback to iron as a decorative or practical tool is that the element oxidizes when exposed to water or moist air. 

What is Steel?

Steel is an iron alloy, meaning that iron ore is smelted and mixed with other minerals to create different variations. Carbon steel and alloy steel are the two most common types.

Carbon steel is made up of nearly 1% carbon. It is the most common type of steel and represents about 80% of the steel manufactured today.

On the other hand, alloy steels include nickel, chromium, copper, silicon, and vanadium. The metal composition changes as the use of the steel differs, but all the alloys have some carbon and iron. 

What is Pig Iron?

Iron has other alloys besides steel. These include pig iron, wrought iron, and cast iron. These types of iron have carbon added to make them less soft and brittle.

Pig iron is a basic form of iron alloy used for simple structures. Cast iron has a high carbon infusion and is used for cookery or structural supports.

The last form of an iron alloy is wrought iron, which is softer than cast iron and easily molded when exposed to heat. 

Benefits of Steel 

With that stated, steel is still king in the products we make and buy. Because of this, you see steel alloys in everything from building materials to kitchenware.  

Because of steel’s flexibility, durability, and hardness, it is the perfect alloy for manufacturing and consumer goods. 

Iron and Steel Industrial Uses

Mining and manufacturing iron and steel are some of the longest-serving industrial professions. Yet, these industries continue to change and evolve.

To find out the latest techniques in iron and steel, talk to one of our experts on their expertise can help you. Contact us today to learn more.

You need a streamlined system to maximize your production in whatever industry you work in. 

As your business grows, so will probably also the demand for your product, and if you can’t keep up with the requirements, your business will feel a financial loss. Fortunately, conveyors offer a solution to improve workplace performance. 

What if you don’t have much floor space, or your business is spread over multiple levels? This is where the incline conveyor comes in. With an incline conveyor, you meet demands with speed and efficiency, and at the same time, it takes up less space than a flat conveyor.

Do you know the proper handling techniques, though? Read on for advice on using an inclined belt conveyor. 

Which Inclined Conveyor?

It may seem obvious, but the first step is to ensure you opt for the conveyor you need. There are several considerations when making a large industrial purchase, like inclined belt conveyors.

Think about the space available to you and how steep you need your incline belt conveyor to be, which in turn impacts the type of belt you need. 

Incline Conveyor Safety

Incline conveyors have safety features, but you must be cautious when using one. Think of safety procedures regarding industrial machines. Don’t wear baggy clothing or hanging jewelry when using the belt. 

Also, it’s for inanimate materials only and should never be climbed on. Only qualified maintenance specialists should be on the incline belt even when the machine isn’t powered. 

Consider Product Load

Your product load determines what type of belt you need. Because your product will be on an incline, you need a sturdy belt with a strong grip. 

Incline conveyors operate between 0 and 45%, but your angle is another thing that depends on the product you are moving. 

Slippage Reductions

Product waste and reduced production are a consequence of slippage. Maybe your belt is soiled, maybe it’s the different spec of your product. Whatever the cause, you need to resolve it. 

If reducing your angle has no impact, you may need to look into buying a belt with a particular surface. 

Another option is to add a belt dressing. Then, spray it on to make the belt sticky.

Flights and Cleats

With a cleated belt, you can move materials 25% faster. In addition, your belt can be at a steeper angle while reducing rollback. A cleated conveyor is often used for fine materials.  

Reduce Carryback

When the material you’re transporting sticks to the conveyor belt, it can be costly, but carryback is an issue that occurs with all conveyors. It’s also a hazard when the product inevitably falls somewhere it shouldn’t be. 

The incline conveyor is no exception. This is where belt cleaners come in, scraping off large chunks and big portions of adhered material. 

Conveyor Belt Tracking

Conveyor belt tracking aligns your belt to follow the designed track. With belt slippage, you risk adding stress to the motor and wearing your belt, as well as reducing production. 

Quality Counts

Buying suitable parts for your incline conveyor belt saves you money in the long run. 

For example, clutch couplings are used in most forms of industry transmission equipment, so buying your clutch coupling at a low price and going for the cheapest will cause problems. Whether from system breakdown or reduced production, cheap parts cause a risk.  

Even seemingly small parts should be chosen with consideration. 

Your Inclined Belt Conveyor  

An inclined conveyor is beneficial and used in many industries. Food and beverage, mining, and agriculture are just a few. Ensure your incline conveyor works to the best of its ability with careful inspection and maintenance. 

Contact us if your company would benefit from buying quality parts for your industrial machines. 

Hydraulic clamps are one of the most common industrial tools. Check out almost any workshop, and you’ll likely see dozens in various shapes and sizes.

So why has the mining industry used them on such a limited basis? Over the last decade, there has been a steady increase in the use of hydraulic clamps in the mining industry.

In 2020, the mining industry in the US produced more than $82.3 billion in minerals. As operations scale up, companies are starting to pay close attention to anything that improves efficiency and safety.

Read on as we look at some of the critical applications of hydraulic clamps in mining.

The Benefits of Hydraulic Clamps in Mining

When you’re dealing with something as critical as mining, one of the most important targets you can aim for is reliability. This reduces downtime and makes processes repeatable.

Hydraulic clamps allow you to position components precisely and hold them in place with the correct amount of force. This, in turn, makes sure your operation is as efficient as possible.

Another benefit of using hydraulic clamps in a mining application is a distinct reduction in shutdown time. By using the proper hydraulic clamping tool, you reduce cycle times and improve safety as well.

How Hydraulic Clamps Help Increase Productivity in Mining

The combination of reduced shutdown and faster cycle times goes a long way to improving productivity. Additionally, the cumulative effect of less maintenance and higher operator confidence boosts productivity even more.

Take, for example, the problem of supporting incline belts. Traditionally, belt components might be supported by manually applied bolts and portable clamps.

In the case of a series of incline belts that span a longer than average distance, the stress placed on the belts may be far too high for portable clamps and other traditional methods.

Installation of these belt systems is a complicated task. However, using a hydraulic clamp system can significantly reduce the time it takes to get up and running.

Maintenance of such high-tension belts may also present a high difficulty level. For example, an operator may need to install several bolts for each fixture and must precisely tighten down each.

However, the correct application of hydraulic clamps can drastically reduce this complexity. First, an operator must position the belt element and press a button to secure the fixture properly.

How Hydraulic Clamps Improve Safety in Mining

A repeatable and reliable process is vital in an environment with its fair share of safety concerns.

A sudden release of tension on an incline belt is not something any technician wants to experience. Because these belts are heavy and under immense load, any failure can be a critical safety event.

The mining applications of hydraulic clamps go a long way to reduce risk and directly impact operator safety. Using hydraulic clamps, a belt system can be easily disassembled in sections and inspected or replaced.

Choosing the Right Hydraulic Clamps

Any system is only as good as the quality of its components. Therefore, getting the correct hydraulic clamps for each situation is essential. In addition, choosing the proper application will reduce calibration, maintenance, and refitting delays.

Still have questions about the use of hydraulic clamps in mining? Are you ready to purchase? Contact us today, and we will ensure you get the perfect system and can confidently operate.

It’s been years since roller coasters used the original, simple design from 1864, when the first Roller Coaster was commissioned.

As more and more customers have flooded into parks worldwide, safety has become paramount.

Operators need to maintain a careful balance between throughput and safety and are required to comply with many rules and regulations. For these reasons, the importance of excellent brakes, sensors, and blocks cannot be understated.

What are Blocks and Sensors?

Roller coasters are divided up into sections called blocks. Each block is separated by a braking point. The blocks are designed to keep two trains from being in the same block at the same time.

Sensors work with the roller coaster block system to keep track of where each train is. These sensors, usually inductive, work off proximity. If, by some chance, two trains reach the same block at the same time, the sensors signal the brakes to stop the rearmost train.

How Roller Coaster Brakes Work

Whether you’re talking about wooden coasters or the more modern stainless-steel version, the basic concept is the same. Stopping a roller coaster relies mostly on friction applied at the right time and with the right force.

Roller coaster components work together to slow trains down at the right time and allow them to speed up again. Different styles of brake are used depending on what the situation demands.

Broadly speaking, roller coaster brakes fall into two categories – Trim and Block.

Trim brakes slow trains down but do not stop them – they “trim” speed from the train. A roller coaster block system stops trains, typically to stop them from impacting others at the station or entering a section that already has a train in it.

There are also several types of brakes that fall into these categories.

Fin Brakes

These brakes hang down over the rails of the track. They squeeze using a carefully controlled hydraulic system, closing on metal fins on the underside of the train. The friction caused gradually slows down the train.

Fin Brakes should be inspected daily. Inspections should ensure they are firmly fixed to the train and have a good braking surface.

Magnetic Brakes

These are usually made up of two rows of magnets that interact with a magnetic fin behind the train. The eddy forces generated push against the direction of the train, causing it to slow.

Due to the physics of the magnetic force, these brakes cannot be used to stop the train completely. This usually means that a fin brake is fitted alongside to halt the train completely.

Skid Brakes

You would expect to find skid brakes on an older roller coaster braking system. They use large ceramic plates that rise and push against the bottom of the track.

Their use has mostly fallen out of fashion over time, not being fitted to newly constructed systems.

Quality Safety Requires Quality Components

Coaster brakes and sensors are the lynchpins of safety when it comes to roller coasters. It’s important to ensure you’re performing regular maintenance and installing good quality components.

For all your requirements, don’t hesitate to contact us today, and our qualified sales personnel will get in touch to help you find exactly what you need.

You undoubtedly take your ski lift maintenance seriously. That’s why keeping the ski lift brakes up to code is essential.

Ski lifts use a complex motor-driven conveyor system to transport riders safely uphill. Hundreds of thousands of dollars each year go into the maintenance of ski lifts to ensure their safety and compliance with state and federal inspection requirements.

You don’t want to let lift maintenance fall behind. New technology continues to improve the functionality of ski lift systems. Keep reading to learn more about the importance of lift maintenance.

Lift Maintenance Year Round

You understand the year-round hard work to ensure ski lifts are up to code. However, no one knows a resort’s ski lifts like its lift mechanic! That’s why when repairs are needed; you want the best replacement parts to keep the lifts running smoothly year-round.

After a long winter season of non-stop use, ski lifts endure a lot of wear and tear. Plus, if you plan to run the lifts year-round, you probably need to replace the breaks. 

Ski Lift Types

Different types of chairlifts can determine the kind of maintenance needed. The most common is the fixed-grip lift, where the chairs are welded onto the cable. 

Detachable lifts have chairlifts clamped onto the cable, meaning they can be removed from the cable. This is a more stable design. It also allows the chairs to slow down for loading and unloading.

Plus, the detachable lifts can move at faster speeds. High-speed lifts are the way of the future. They can improve resort guests’ overall experience.

How Chairlifts Work

A chairlift is suspended from a cable above and pulled up the mountain using a hydraulic tensioning system. The cable passes over compression towers that are at regular intervals up the mountainside. 

At least two terminals on either side of the chairlift have a bullwheel to direct the cable or rope around the wheel. The primary braking system is located at the base terminal or a drive bullwheel.

The top of the mountain usually has the return bullwheel, although these can sometimes be switched around. The cable is tensioned to account for variations in temperature, as well as the weight of passengers.

This is maintained by either hydraulic rams or a counterweight system that automatically adjusts the position of the bullwheel carriage. 

Ski Lift Brakes

The brakes on a ski lift are critical to its functionality and safety. Therefore, ski lift components include safety and backup systems that rely on functioning brakes. For example, the drive bullwheel has an emergency brake, a service brake, and an anti-rollback device.

It is rare for ski lift accidents, but if they do, they can be devastating. You may remember the incidents at the Sugarloaf resort in Maine. In one instance, the ski lift began to move backward after a series of unfortunate mechanical failures.

It started when the drive shaft broke. Next, a faulty switch caused the anti-rollback system to malfunction and not lock the lift in place. Then the emergency braking system failed to activate automatically.

These incidents, including a cable failing in high winds, are due to aging infrastructure of chairlifts built in the 1970s and 1980s. Sugarloaf spent $1.5 million on lift repair and replacement costs, along with the cost of legal claims from the injured skiers and riders.

In addition to replacing older chairlifts, workers drained the oil from the gearboxes on all of the lifts and meticulously examined components for excessive wear using a scope.

Lift Maintenance Must-Do’s

Does your lift maintenance need an upgrade? Don’t cut corners when it comes to replacing vital ski lift parts. You know the complexity of operating ski lifts, so you can never be too careful!

It might be time for a ski-lift brake overhaul. Check out our complete supply here.

The global paper and pulp market is set to reach $370 billion by 2028.

That market — which makes everything from receipts and catalog paper to post-it notes and paper-based packaging — relies heavily on several types of bearings. Moreover, papermaking machines require these bearings to run well.

Importance of Bearings in Papermaking Machinery

Papermaking machines have three main areas:

• A wet end section that pulls the bulk of water and moisture out of the pulp
• A drying section that removes the remaining moisture
• A finishing section that ensures a standard smoothness, thickness, and glossiness to the paper

The conversion of wet pulp into dry paper relies on those three sections working together. Moreover, those three sections rely on bearings to keep the rolls, gears, motors, rope sheaves, and other equipment functioning correctly. 

All paper industry bearings are manufactured to work toward a long bearing life, an excellent limiting speed, and quality bearing materials that can withstand high temperatures. 

Types of Bearings in the Papermaking Industry

Paper industry bearings come in four main types: spherical roller, tapered roller, cylindrical roller, and ball bearing. 

Spherical Roller Bearings

Spherical roller bearings are the most commonly used bearings in the papermaking industry. Therefore, they’re critical to the success of the three main sections. 

In the wet section, they’re used in forming rolls, suction rolls, center press rolls, and anti-deflection rolls. In the dryer section, both guide rolls and dryer rolls use them. Lastly, the calendar rolls of the finishing section use spherical roller bearings.

Typically made of chrome steel with a cage of brass, polyamide, or sheet steel, the spherical roller bearings can support both radial and axial loads.  

Tapered Roller Bearings

Tapered roller bearings are often used for secondary processes and equipment such as pumps, gears, and pulpers.

Also made from chrome steel, these bearings can function well at high temperatures and speeds. In addition, they can support significant axial, radial, and combination loads. 

Cylindrical Roller Bearings

Cylindrical roller bearings are not widely used in papermaking machinery. However, they’re sometimes customized to fit special operations. 

Most are made from low-carbon steel or alloy and can operate with heavy radial loads at moderate speed.

Ball Bearings 

Ball bearings come in two main types: deep groove and angular contact. 

Both bearings tend to be used in secondary equipment such as gears, pulpers, and winders. However, the deep groove ball bearings are often used in the spreader rolls of the finishing section.

Often made of chrome steel, they can accommodate radial, axial, and combination loads at various speeds. 

Learn More About Bearings 

The paper industry relies on several types of bearings to make the products that people and businesses use daily. Therefore, knowing about the structure and function of each bearing is essential to the overall success of papermaking machines.

The next step is sourcing suitable bearings. Contact Kor-Pak to find out how we can help.