The industrial tests stages. VІ. The testing Methodology preparation

We have come to the industrial test stage for a complex works on the preparation Methodology for conducting industrial tests and it signing.

Methodology for conducting industrial tests is the main document completely regulates the testing process, starting from the grinding balls incoming inspection to final test results calculation.

The main thing is that all members directly related to industrial tests from both sides (the enterprise and grinding media supplier representatives) should participate in the Methodology writing. Members from third side (for example the specialized scientific and technical organizations) can participate in industrial tests.

Let’s consider the main points and briefly describe their content.

The title page. It must include all industrial tests participants and their positions. The enterprise and testing grinding media indicates on the title page. The title page certified with industrial tests participant’s signatures and enterprises seals.

The introduction (the test object). This chapter indicates the test place (a factory, a section, a mill number, etc.) and clearly describes the testing grinding media physical and technical characteristics. As a rule, this chapter also describes the current situation in the grinding process – grinding media type, their specific consumption and other ball mill (section) technical and technological parameters before the tests starting.

Industrial tests objectives and tasks. The main industrial tests objectives and tasks clearly spelled out in this chapter. As a rule, it is experimental grinding media performance characteristics (specific consumption) definition in grinding process.Provided that the test grinding media have a significant difference (other diameter, other geometric shape, other manufacture material, etc.) from currently used, then the main tasks include the main technological parameters of the grinding process (a productivity, grinding quality, the mill power consumption, etc.) determination. All indicators and their calculation methodsare clearly prescribed in this chapter. The industrial test results comparison with the current situation will occur according to them.

The commission and responsible persons. All persons directly related to industrial tests indicate in this chapter. It should be the chief technologist (enricher), supervisors shift, heads of the ball farm, chiefs of the grinding workshop (masters), engineers of the technical control department, etc. We draw your attention, the specialist’s positions can be different depending on the enterprise specialization, but it must be technical specialists who make the decision and can influence the testing process in emergencies events. The grinding media supplier (manufacturer) representatives indicate in this chapter. The chapter contains information that all industrial tests data are public, i.e. all industrial tests members including supplier representatives have access to them.

A preparatory work. This chapter indicates a preparatory measures complex. It should be performed before the industrial test starting. It contains of following stages:

• The ball mill selection and measurement for industrial tests conduction;
• The grinding media acceptance;
• The grinding media bulk weight determination;
• The industrial tests period determination (or replacement period determination, when the tests perform by substitution method), etc .

The industrial tests conduction. This is the largest chapter in the Methodology and includes many sub-items. There are some basic ones:

• The industrial tests conditions. It should be indicated the mill must work in full accordance with the technological regulations adopted at the enterprise (a mill productivity, preventive maintenance quantity, a raw materials uniformity, compliance with the mill loads schedule, etc.);
• The measurements frequency determination. It is desirable to provide such measurements twice a month;
• The mill loads quantity and schedule determination. It can be corrected by measurements results;
• All calculation of the necessary current indicators. They were approved earlier in the chapter «Industrial tests objectives and tasks»;

The results processing. The source data origins, calculation methodology, reports and acts type indicate in this chapter. We will review this chapter in our next publication.

Summarizing all of the above, we can distinguish several theses mandatory for implementation to reliably and objectively industrial tests perform:

1. All interested industrial test members from both sides participate in the Methodology development.
2. All indicators and their calculation method prescribe in the Methodology. The results of provided industrial tests will be evaluated according to these indicators.
3. Information about mill (section) operation with the testing grinding balls is open to all industrial test members.
4. The industrial test conditions (technical and technological) must fully comply with the planned indicators in the enterprise. Deviation from the approved parameters should not exceed 1-2%.
5. The methodology clearly specifies the indicators for test results comparision. Indicators can be performance of this mill or neighbor mill for the previous period. Performance can be with planned indicators or it can be the whole enterprise performance.
6. The Methodology conditions are mandatory to all industrial test members.