Select a Month
August, 2024 1 January, 2024 1 January, 2023 6 February, 2023 8 March, 2023 7 July, 2023 1 September, 2023 2 December, 2022 6 November, 2022 13 October, 2022 10 September, 2022 8 August, 2022 11 July, 2022 7 June, 2022 11 May, 2022 7 April, 2022 10 March, 2022 10 February, 2022 8 January, 2022 8 December, 2021 7 November, 2021 11 October, 2021 9 September, 2021 9 August, 2021 11 July, 2021 10 June, 2021 11 May, 2021 6 April, 2021 10 March, 2021 9 February, 2021 13 January, 2021 9 December, 2020 6 November, 2020 9 October, 2020 11 September, 2020 8 August, 2020 10 July, 2020 10 June, 2020 8 May, 2020 11 April, 2020 5 March, 2020 12 February, 2020 12 January, 2020 13 December, 2019 7 November, 2019 11 October, 2019 7 September, 2019 12 August, 2019 12 July, 2019 10 June, 2019 10 May, 2019 11 April, 2019 15 March, 2019 11 February, 2019 9 January, 2019 11 December, 2018 6 November, 2018 9 October, 2018 10 September, 2018 8 August, 2018 11 July, 2018 8 June, 2018 7 May, 2018 11 April, 2018 10 March, 2018 9 February, 2018 10 January, 2018 10 December, 2017 10 November, 2017 14 October, 2017 14 September, 2017 11 August, 2017 14 July, 2017 11 June, 2017 14 May, 2017 15 April, 2017 15 March, 2017 10 February, 2017 11 January, 2017 12 December, 2016 11 November, 2016 19 October, 2016 12 September, 2016 14 August, 2016 13 July, 2016 9 June, 2016 10 May, 2016 17 April, 2016 11 March, 2016 10 February, 2016 11 January, 2016 8 December, 2015 7 November, 2015 9 October, 2015 12 September, 2015 9 August, 2015 8 July, 2015 7 June, 2015 10 May, 2015 10 April, 2015 9 March, 2015 9 February, 2015 7 January, 2015 9 December, 2014 7 November, 2014 7 October, 2014 10 September, 2014 7 August, 2014 8 July, 2014 5 June, 2014 7 May, 2014 4 April, 2014 8 March, 2014 5 February, 2014 6 January, 2014 6 December, 2013 3 November, 2013 8 October, 2013 8 September, 2013 5 August, 2013 6 July, 2013 6 June, 2013 4 May, 2013 6 April, 2013 10 March, 2013 4 February, 2013 5 January, 2013 5 December, 2012 5 November, 2012 5 October, 2012 4 September, 2012 5 August, 2012 5 July, 2012 2 June, 2012 3 May, 2012 4 April, 2012 2 March, 2012 3 February, 2012 4 January, 2012 6 December, 2011 3 November, 2011 3 October, 2011 2 September, 2011 2 August, 2011 3 July, 2011 1 June, 2011 1 April, 2011 1 February, 2011 1 January, 2011 2 December, 2010 3 November, 2010 4 September, 2010 4 August, 2010 1 June, 2010 4 May, 2010 3 April, 2010 6 March, 2010 1 February, 2010 1 January, 2010 1 December, 2009 5 November, 2009 1 September, 2009 4 August, 2009 4 July, 2009 2 June, 2009 9 May, 2009 1 April, 2009 7 March, 2009 1Select a Category
literature
Article Brochure Catalogs Innovation Spotlight Success Stories Technical Articlesaltra-brands
Altra Industrial Motion Ameridrives Couplings Bauer Gear Motor Bibby Transmissions Boston Gear Delroyd Worm Gear Formsprag Clutch Guardian Couplings Huco Dynatork Inertia Dynamics Kilian Manufacturing Kollmorgen Lamiflex Couplings Marland Clutch Matrix International Nuttall Gear Portescap Stieber Clutch Stromag Svendborg Brakes TB Wood's Thomson Twiflex Ltd Warner Electric Warner Linear Wichita Clutchother
News Release Tradeshows Webinar Websiteproduct-platform
Belted Drives Couplings Electromagnetic Clutches-Brakes Engineered Bearing Assemblies Gearing Gear Motors Heavy Duty Clutches and Brakes Linear Products Overrunning ClutchesTwiflex VMS3-VR Brakes for Copper Mine BMR Double-Drum Winder

Based on many past successful collaborations, FLSmidth, a leading global mine hoist OEM, chose to work with Twiflex and their distribution partner, Tritec Sintered Products, to develop a new brake solution for use on a hoist at the Mopani Copper Mines’ Nkana site in Zambia. The copper and cobalt mine is one of the largest in Africa with four underground mines as well as an open pit.
The Blair multi-rope (BMR) double-drum hoist, with a payload of 47.5 tons, operates at speeds up 17.6 m/s in a 1,278 m deep shaft. The brakes are used for parking/holding each time the mine winder stops as well as in an emergency (eg: power failure). The brakes bring the load to rest while controlling the deceleration to a maximum of 2.3 m/s2.
To meet the hoists higher rubbing speeds and provide a higher thermal capacity for the emergency stop, Twiflex engineers designed a new large pad version (174700 mm2 each pad) of its popular VMS3-SPS spring-applied, hydraulically-released brake which is widely used on mine hoists around the world.
Twiflex supplied 16 off VMS3-VR spring-applied, hydraulically-released brakes, 8 off for the fixed drum and 8 off for the clutched drum. The brakes operate on two 6800 mm dia discs (70 mm thick) to produce a total braking torque of 12.2 MNm. For this application, each VMS3-VR is rated at 240 kN braking force with a 2 mm air gap which provides a fatigue life of over 2 million braking cycles. The VMS3-VR can produce up to 285 kN braking force at this air gap but with a reduced cycle life.
The VMS3 design incorporates a unique ‘parked-off’ feature which allows the brake to be adjusted under hydraulic pressure so that when it is removed there is no stored energy making it completely safe for maintenance.