Being a market leader means constantly improving yourself and your production. Energosteel Company follows this rule and each time offers its clients new solutions for the use of grinding balls. Not so long ago our metal laboratory was equipped with a semi-industrial two-chamber mill. This mill operates in closed mode. The method of grinding is dry. The two chambers are separated by a blank partition, which allows two types of grinding balls to be tested simultaneously. Specialists of Energosteel together with research institutes of Ukraine developed two methods of laboratory tests. These methods regulate the test process and guarantee the objectivity of the results obtained. The main objectives of the planned tests are: Comparison of the specific flow rate of different grinding balls under identical operating conditions. Comparison of the grinding quality of the material when using different grinding balls. It should be noted that by various grinding balls, we mean not only different in type (shape) grinding media, but also geometrically identical grinding balls made of different grades of steel. Thus, in the future we plan to provide our partners with recommendations that will help to choose the most effective grinding balls, taking into account the specific operating conditions.
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We have written many times that the high quality of the produced steel grinding balls is the main priority for Energosteel. We are meticulous in our choice of round steel supplier to achieve this. We use strict controls to ensure the consistently high quality of our steel grinding balls. After all, even seemingly insignificant defects on the surface of round steel bars have a direct impact on the grinding balls quality. In June this year, representatives of Energosteel held a series of meetings on the supply of the main raw materials for the grinding balls production with the leading manufacturers of round steel in Europe. Especially notable was the visit to the company that manages the modern steel plant and has strengthened its position as a leading domestic and foreign supplier with over 120 years of experience. The plant produces hot-rolled steel from the billet of its own smelter, which uses scrap metal to produce steel. The plant and its management made a huge impression on the representatives of our company: huge areas, well-groomed territory, modern equipment from Danieli (the third largest supplier of equipment for the metalworking industry in the world). The plant’s capacity is more than 100 thousand […]
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Despite everything, we continue to work and develop cooperation with the leading manufacturers of round bars in Europe. Thus, in May of this year, a meeting was held between representatives of Energosteel and a potential supplier of round steel bars. This metallurgical plant specializes in the production of high-quality alloyed steel grades and is the undisputed leader in all of Europe. Based on the results of the negotiations, the stages of development of further cooperation were outlined. We are confident that the agreements reached at the meeting will have positive results for both sides. Energosteel thanks the company representatives for the friendly welcome. We sincerely hope for a long-term fruitful and mutually beneficial cooperation.
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The high quality of products is the key to successful competition in the market. Therefore, each manufacturer pursues two goals: cost reduction and improvement of quality indicators of products. Today we will talk about mining and processing plants. We have already noted that most of the mining and processing plants, according to the recommendations of our specialists, have conducted a number of tests over the past 2-3 years to reduce the diameter of the grinding balls used. The result of such changes was a finer grinding (disclosure of the “grain”), which in turn increased the content of the useful element in the industrial product. This method is very effective in the conditions of the mining and processing plants, which are designed using a three-stage scheme of crushing rock. This scheme is in most cases common in the post-Soviet space. A two-stage scheme with a small (up to 4-5) number of sections is mainly used abroad. Changing the diameter of grinding balls in this case does not always bring the desired result. In this case, the installation and introduction of an additional ball mill into the enrichment scheme has the maximum expediency. In other words, an additional grinding unit is introduced […]
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We continue to introduce our readers to interesting queries that come to us for miscalculation of grinding balls assortment. The first request, in 2022, came from Belgium. The company is a cellulose grinding company. Cellulose shredding is the first and so far only case where the conversion of natural cellulose into hydrate cellulose is done without chemical action on cellulose. Cellulose can be grinded in different types of ball mills, namely tubular, planetary or vibration mill. In our case, a ball mill of 2500x3000mm is used for grinding; the main electric motor has a power of 160kW. The armor in the mill is made of rubber, wavy-shaped plates with small elevators. The load of the mill is 20t. The grinding media is a 50 mm diameter steel balls. This grinding process is characterised by two factors: Flammability of the ground medium in the ball mill; The periodic type of grinding. One grinding cycle lasts 8 hours. We want to note that our specialists first encountered such a production. We studied cellulose grinding in ball mills. The most important factor in the choice of grinding balls (for these conditions) is the complete absence of a possible split of balls during operation. […]
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Sometimes we face a situation where our clients consider the possibility of using cast-iron (chromium-alloyed) balls in ball mills at mining and processing plants. Our specialists have studied this topic and we wish to share the results with you. The highly chromium balls are mainly used exclusively in cement milling in Ukraine, the Russian Federation and practically all over the world today. This is due to the nature of the shredding process in the industry: dry grinding, stopping of the mill, usually once every 3-4 months, low hardness (abrasiveness) of the ground material. However, in the processing industry, where wet milling is used, the situation is fundamentally different. The last attempt to use chromium balls in Ukraine was in July 2016. We have tried to gather as much information as possible about all tests of this type of grinding balls. For the sake of objectivity, we averaged the results (specific consumption) of each test and multiplied by the current value of cast-iron (chromium-doped) balls. Thus, we obtained a universal measure of shredder cost per ton of ore with cast-iron balls. Below are the results of our calculations: During the period 2014-2016, several industrial tests were conducted at Ukrainian mining and […]
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More photos at photo gallery A significant event for the mining industry of the Eurasian region was the largest and most comprehensive exhibition that covers all aspects of the industry: from mining equipment to grinding balls is Mining Turkey Fair 2021. The Mining Turkey 2021 exhibition was held from December 9 to 12 in Istanbul, at the Tüyap Fair Convention and Congress Center. The delegation of the Energosteel company found the opportunity to present its products (steel grinding balls of European quality) to the industry professionals and visited the exhibition together with company PROSES MUHENDISLIK DANISMANLIK INSAAT VE TASARIM A.S ..that is its official representative on the Turkish market. Within the framework of this exhibition, Energosteel representatives held business meetings with partners and clients who have shown great interest in our company and products, negotiated with leading consumers of steel grinding balls who want to cooperate with us. The interest in the products of our company and the recognition of the Energosteel brand by visitors and participants of the exhibition gives us confidence that we are moving in the right direction and motivates us to new achievements.
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Have you ever wondered how the process of grinding occurred in the 17th and 18th centuries? It was at this time, according to historians, the industry of mineral processing was emerging. Which grinding media were the first in use? What did the ball mills look like and what design? By chance we came across a video in which the author came up with a very bold and interesting theory about this topic. In short, according to the author, many of the cannons (especially large calibre – diameter of 100mm and above) are actually ball mills for grinding iron ore. All external and structural alterations of the mill drum were introduced already in the early 19th century and presented to the public as artillery pieces (cannons, mortars, etc.) of past eras. Let’s face it, a rather bold assumption, and many specialists of the «enrichment» branch will take it as a joke. About the grinding media. The first mention of steel grinding balls that we’ve found takes us back to 1633. The annual report of Ustyuzhno-Zhelezopolskiy plant (Novgorod Governorate) indicates that during that year they produced 422 tons of this production. This is more than 338,000 balls. They range in diameter from […]
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In October of 2021, Testing Laboratory of «Energosteel Plant» LLC expanded the measurement sphere and introduced a new test of steel grinding balls. It is a measurement of coercive force (thermal deformation voltage). Test Laboratory of «Energosteel Plant» LLC successfully passed the test on compliance of the measurement system with the requirements of DSTU ISO 10012:2005 «Measurement Management Systems. Requirements for measurement processes and measuring equipment» and received Supplement 2 from 13.10.2021. to certificate 01-0043/2019, which gives the right to carry out this test officially. The coercive force is measured by means of a structuroscope-coercimeter . This test relates to the non-destructive control of mechanical properties and microstructure of steel metal products by magnetic method. The control of tensile-thermal deformation of steel grinding balls is aimed at improving the heat treatment of our products, which gives the consumer confidence that our products will not be destroyed during the mill operation.
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The world market for grinding balls is about 5 million tons. According to forecasts from analytical publications, by 2025 consumption of grinding balls is expected to increase substantially. This is primarily due to an increase in the production of iron and non-ferrous ores and an increase in industrial construction. For example, while world production of iron ore was 3 billion tons in 2020, it is expected to increase by 571 million tons by 2025. It should be noted that due to the gradual depletion of the raw material base for the extraction of the useful component, it is necessary to process the rock in increasing volumes and to grind the ore more carefully. Grinding balls tend to wear out (from 0.5 to 2 kg/t) and their acquisition costs are estimated to be between 20 per cent and 35 per cent of the total production costs. In view of this fact, the increasing durability of grinding balls over the past few years has become increasingly urgent. «Energosteel» Company follows this trend, constantly improving the quality characteristics of steel grinding balls produced by our plant. Thus, we have mastered industrial production of steel grinding balls of increased volume hardness. Grinding balls of […]
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In September, our company received a request to calculate the cost of grinding balls assortment. The composition of the assortment was specified in the request: Steel ball 36.8mm in diameter – 43 pc.. Steel ball with a diameter of 29.7 mm – 67 pc. Steel ball with a diameter of 25.4mm – 10 pc. Steel ball 19.1mm in diameter – 71 pc. Steel ball 15.5mm in diameter – 94 pc. We immediately contacted the sender of the request. It was one of the equipment suppliers for industrial laboratories, specializing in the mineral processing industry. This assortment is needed to complete one of Bond’s test mills, which will be delivered to one of Kazakhstan’s ore processing factories. Bond Ball Mill is required to determine the crushing capacity of various ores according to the Bond standard. The Bond index makes it possible to determine the power of the mill needed to produce the required size of the material and, therefore, to determine its model. The net Bond index is determined from the dry grinding of the ore under investigation in the laboratory ball mill. We have written more about this here before. The Bond Mill can also be used to determine or […]
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Manufacture of grinding balls LLC «Energosteel Plant» was launched almost 15 years ago – in far 2007. The enterprise was established during a period of market change, when the quality of the product became dominant in the choice of the product. The plant was built using the most modern equipment. Thanks to the application of advanced technologies and cooperation with a number of research organizations from the very beginning we have been able to achieve the best quality of grinding balls in Ukraine. Today, the threshold of more than 500,000 tons of steel grinding balls has been crossed! The steel grinding balls are the Energosteel’s business card. Ball-rolling production is equipped with two lines with a capacity of more than 70,000 tons per year. Since 2018, production volumes have increased by more than 40%. This was made possible by the continuous modernization of equipment and the introduction of the second line of rolled steel grinding balls. LLC «Energosteel Plant» produces the most complete line of steel grinding balls with diameter from 20 to 125 mm. Moreover, LLC «Energosteel Plant» is the first Ukrainian enterprise where the production of steel grinding balls with increased volume hardness (to 65 HRC). Their qualitative […]
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In the selection of grinding balls, the consumer is mostly based on hardness (hardness group) and chemical composition of the balls. The selection does not take into account such factors as the geometrical parameters (design) of the ball mill, the possibility of changing the technological parameters of the production process (quantity of material supply to the mill, dense modes, etc.). These factors have a significant influence on the grinding process, the grinding balls and the formation of internal stresses in the balls. Energosteel specialists constantly carry out research in the direction of production improvement. In this publication we will discuss the topic of intensity of internal stresses depending on the grade of steel from which the steel grinding balls were made. The steel (analogue Gr.2) was chosen as the material to be analysed and is ideal for the production of 25-80mm high hardness steel balls, i.e. grinding balls that operate in cascade or mixed mode. However, the use of this grade of steel is not always appropriate for the production of 90-125mm diameter steel balls. So what is the secret? As shown in Figure 1, steel Gr.2 has a critical point Mh – the beginning of the 200 ̊С martensitic […]
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The aim of LLC «Energosteel Plant» is production and delivery in the specified time and in the full volume of grinding media that meets all requirements of consumers. The quality management system for the production of steel grinding balls is certified in accordance with the requirements of ISO 9001:2015. Annually «Energosteel» carries out a quality management audit in order to maintain the efficient functioning of the quality management system. Thus, in the beginning of September the state enterprise “Kharkiv Regional Scientific and Production Center of Standardization, Metrology and Certification” carried out an audit on the conformity of the Quality Management System LLC «Plant «Energosteel» to the standard DSTU ISO 9001:2015. Energosteel received the certificate UA 8O072.33671383.1.2021. This document is a reliable proof of the quality level of steel grinding balls produced by «Energosteel Plant». Working according to ISO 9001 standards, LLC «Plant «Energosteel» increases its competitiveness on the domestic and international markets, constantly improves production processes and satisfies customers’ needs as efficiently as possible, complies with the requirements of foreign partners and provides steel grinding balls of the best quality.
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Not long ago, we announced the appearance of the 6th hardness grade in DSTU 8538:2015. The innovations were more focused on the volumetric hardness of grinding balls. In this article, we want to talk about the fact that even a high value of this indicator does not guarantee high quality. The volumetric hardness of grinding balls is a calculated measure of hardness that generalizes (averages) its value over the entire volume of the grinding ball. The volumetric hardness (VH) is calculated by the formula: where Hsurf, H0,25,H0,5, H0,75, Hc, – the hardness at a distance from the surface of the grinding ball in parts of the radius. Frequently comparing our grinding balls with competitors, the end-user makes a simple comparison of this indicator. In other words, where the value is higher, it is better. This is not always true. For illustration below we shall give a comparison of hardness of steel ball with diameter of 80mm 6 of hardness grade (volume hardness – 59 HRC) of «Energosteel Plant» production with forged ball (volume hardness – 57 HRC) of one foreign producer: As shown in figure, both samples have approximately the same volumetric hardness. In fact we observe that the ball (analogue) is considerably […]
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For the production of grinding balls, Energosteel uses hot rolled round bar from medium and high carbon and low-alloyed steel according to DSTU 8538: 2015. Alloying steel is mainly done by introducing elements that reduce the propensity of steel to corrosion destruction or elements that change the more dangerous form of corrosion to a less dangerous one (e.g., the transition of intercrystalline corrosion to uniform). Steel is most commonly injected with chromium, nickel, aluminium, silicon and molybdenum, separately or jointly, in different ratios. The presence of these elements in sufficient quantities makes steel resistant to corrosion in water, in the humid atmosphere, in solutions of many acids and alkalis and in the atmosphere of dry gases at high temperatures. The erosion resistance increases in steels with a high carbon content. According to DSTU 8538:2015, grinding balls of the “High C” and “High C + Cr” hardness group of production «Energosteel» are made of steels with high content of carbon and alloying elements. In the production of steel grinding balls of “Average C” hardness groups, Energosteel uses steels specially developed by the company’s specialists in conjunction with suppliers of hot-rolled round products, which provide a change in the mechanical properties of […]
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In August 2021, the specialists of Energosteel Company had a business trip to our client in Georgia. This buyer of grinding balls is the first export end-user of our products. The key purpose of the visit is to collect necessary technical information on the operation of steel grinding balls produced by LLC «Plant «Energosteel» in industrial conditions of the client. We will go into more detail about this. Now the whole process of grinding at the customer’s factory has shifted to use steel grinding balls (60 HRC) of 100mm and 60mm diameter. Similar grinding balls of 43 HRC were previously used. Distinctive features of grinding at this enterprise are the following factors: The sufficiently hard and abrasive ore. The grinding is carried out in two-stage sections. Small geometrical dimensions of ball mills, which do not exceed 22-23 cubic meters. Various types (both in shape and material) of armor plates, which are installed in the mills of the first stage. Experience shows that the transition from one type of grinding body to another (any change – the material, size, hardness, etc.) is not always as easy as it seems. In most cases, adjustments have to be made to the process of shredding. Changes […]
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Business meetings with partners are an important part of our business. Email, Skype, mobile phones and other gadgets have come into our lives, but important issues, discussing prospects for cooperation, sharing ideas and experiences we continue to resolve through negotiation. So, the other day TK Energosteel had a seminal business-meeting with a partner who supplies our grinding balls to one of the largest European copper mining and production companies. In 2021, our cooperation reached a new stage of development in connection with the supply of high quality steel grinding balls with high volumetric hardness. According to the Ukrainian DSTU 8538:2015, the grinding balls correspond to the 6th hardness group (to 65 HRC). The balls are characterized by equally high hardness values over the entire cross section of the ball – from the surface to the center, which reduces the percentage of wear to minimum values, and low consumption. In the first half of 2021 the export of steel grinding balls of production «Energosteel» in this region increased more than three times compared to the same period of 2020, and our partner has entered into the five largest buyers of our products. The 2021 tender for the purchase of steel grinding […]
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Automatic grinding media loading into mill most uses in aerated concrete production. What is this method of loading grinding media into a mill? This mechanism consists of two main parts: the container for grinding balls and the grinding channel for grinding media entering into mill. The container equipped with a movable flap. Flap movement can be adjusted (open / close) automatically or in manual mode. In automatic mode: computer monitors the raw material amount fed into the mill and opens the flap after reaching a certain volume and then grinding balls load into the mill. For example, the grinding media specific consumption is 10 kilograms per 1000 tons raw materials grinding. After 1000 tons material loading into the mill, the flap opens for a certain time and 10 kg of grinding balls should enter in grinding channel (approximately 33 pieces of 40 mm grinding balls). Then flap closes and the grinding balls feeding stop. A similar work scheme observed under the condition the person (miller) engaged in flap opening/closing. We draw your attention, it is very important to correctly calculate the grinding balls consumption in order to avoid the mill overloading or underloading by grinding media. The mill loading can […]
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