Tetsugen benefits from Sandvik’s renowned Cone crusher technology

Headquartered in the central Tokyo district of Chiyoda, the Tetsugen Corporation recently acquired two mobile cone crushers and a Doublescreen screening plant from Sandvik. Originally focusing on coke production after its founding in 1939, the company has developed into one of the leading companies for slag recycling and utilization in Japan.

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As a national leader in slag processing, it goes without saying that competitive production costs, high efficiency and reduction of downtime are all critical to success. In choosing Sandvik, these factors and more all came into play when the Tetsugen Corporation chose its two cone crushers and one Doublescreen to produce a variety of aggregates. The three machines were selected based not only on their high performance, reliability and low running costs, but also thanks to a direct link to Sandvik's Global Support Centre which has assisted in providing aftermarket back-up in Japan.

The decision to acquire Sandvik mobile crushing and screening equipment was concluded as part of an agreement following a visit to the manufacturing plant in Ballygawley, Northern Ireland in the summer of 2015. The delegation from Tetsugen was accompanied by Shigehiro Kimura, Sales Manager for Sandvik Mobile Crushers and Screens in Japan, and also a representative from our dealer Imagiire. Mr. Kimura's relationship with the company meant Tetsugen could rely on personal consultation when finding a solution for their production requirements. Moreover, this bond provided peace of mind in terms of the knowledge that interruptions to production would be reduced to an absolute minimum. This is all thanks to the assurance that any natural wear and tear experienced through prolonged and regular use can be quickly identified and the components in question rapidly replaced with genuine Sandvik Spare and Wear Parts. The aftermarket service provided in Japan is also able to assist should any unexpected interferences occur during processing.

When recycling slag material, Tetsugen must produce a number of different and precise aggregate sizes. The end product is employed by construction and steel companies for the purposes of road construction and use in concrete foundations. To this end, the company presently utilizes a Sandvik QS331 gyratory cone crusher, a QH331 Hydrocone crusher and a QA441 Doublescreen. The large slag feed size of 400 mm is accommodated by one of their jaw crushers, which is then fed directly into the QS331. This features the high performance Sandvik CS430 gyratory cone which is easily able to accept feed sizes up to 340 mm. The material is then processed by the QH331. The cone crushers feature Sandvik's renowned Hydrocone technology, one of the world's most technologically advanced cone crushers, which is reliable, robust and easy to service.

The QA441 Doublescreen more than adequately provides the sized aggregates required. The 0-40 mm and 0-25 mm are used in road construction, whilst the 5-20 mm aggregates are used in concrete foundations. Sandvik's patented Doublescreen technology has two independently adjustable screenboxes which allow for ultimate precision while screening, resulting in high-quality products for Tetsugen's customers. The Doublescreen's independently adjustable screenboxes deliver exceedingly high precision screening, resulting in a high-quality product for Tetsugen's customers. When performing together in normal conditions, the Sandvik trio provides for an impressive output of approximately 250 metric tonnes per hour, aided in no small part by the QA441's massive screening area.

According to Tetsugen's on-site engineers, the most pleasing aspect of working with Sandvik's machines is their reliability, compact size and ease of operation in the field. In addition, the QH331 is noted to have performed exceptionally during slag processing operations thus far, in particular thanks to the automatic control of its cone crusher. This is aided by the machine's signature level sensor located directly above the cone's input, as well as by the system's hydraulically-adjusted Hydrocone.
In acquiring the ensemble of machines, Tetsugen also took into account the long term running costs necessary for their required production outputs. Into this equation come not only fuel costs but also the expense of replacing and repairing parts and components. Apart from possessing a direct drive system for optimized fuel efficiency, the QH331 also incorporates the unique Constant Liner Performance enabling the extended life of chamber liners. This feature reduces replacement costs, but more importantly greatly reduces periods of downtime. Avoiding such interruptions negates any surprise expenses while simultaneously ensuring high production levels are continually met.

As is the case at Sandvik, quality is also one of Tetsugen's top priorities when providing products to its customers. A distinct challenge when processing slag is the presence of metal and other ferrous materials. Metal detectors and overband magnets are optionally available for precisely this purpose. The caliber of material output by the machines is of the utmost importance when considering its final purpose. This is especially critical for aggregates destined for use in concrete foundations. Thanks to its low permeability and increased resistance to corrosion, concrete involving recycled slag is often used in Japan for coastal construction and bridges which are exposed to saline environments.

In a market epitomized by high-quality and precision, Tetsugen and Sandvik have formed a lasting and successful bond toward meeting the needs of numerous Japanese construction companies. Representatives of the Global Support Centre's Japan location are on call to assist in consistent, unimpeded delivery as Sandvik's machines continue to provide massive output levels for a once neglected waste material.