We supply the Sugar Industry with coating protection solutions used to combat harsh wear and tear on equipment. This includes, but is not limited to: Sugar Cane Cutters, Hammers, Shredders. Sugar mill equipment is also subject to non-slip and non-stick coatings, as well as adhesion, hard-facing and protective coatings.
The above video shows you a Saint Gobain TufCote® Grade M, 6.3mm diameter being applied to a Sugar Cane Hammer. This is the best product for abrasion resistance and lays between 3 to 5mm thickness in a run.
The powder welding process utilises an Oxy-Acetylene flame which is ideal for the deposition of smooth, thin, well bonded layers onto a wide range of substrates, including cast iron. The hard-facing takes place at lower temperatures, which minimises oxidation and distortion of the workpiece and enables easy surfacing of edges.
The Oxy-Acetylene Flame Spraying process followed by subsequent fusing as a two-stage process, after spraying the coating is fused with an oxy-acetylene burner or for mass production by using induction heating or in a vacuum furnace allows the coating to be metallurgically bonded, extremely hard, corrosion resistant and resistant to impact and chipping. The powders used for spray and fuse hard-facing are typically compositions of Ni, Cr, Co, Bo, Fe, W and WC in varying blends.
The necessity for cutting/slashing and ploughing in the Sugar Industry means that the components used are subject to very abrasive and corrosive conditions, in their day to day use. Metal/thermal spray coatings and hard-facing can provide solutions for wear and corrosion resistance, as well as extending life and increasing performance of equipment in the Sugar Industry.
Components that can be coated include, but are not limited to:
- Cane knives.
- Sugar beet mill pump casing.
- Sugar beet bucket hooks.
- Sugar cane crusher roll bearing and journal.
- Sugar cane crusher rolls.
- Sugar cane shredder.
- Sugar cane cutter teeth.
The metal spray and hard-facing processes use various forms of equipment that employ wire, powder and cord to deliver the required solutions.
Every issue of abrasion does not involve the same solution and therefore requires a careful study of each individual or specific application according to:
- Type and size of the abrasive material.
- Abrasion rate, temperature, impact occurrence.
- Geometry, size and the weldability of the part.
Saint Gobain Tuf-Cote®
TufCote® “rope like” hard-facing electrodes to improve abrasion and erosion resistance. It is brazed using an oxygen-acetylene torch and can be welded onto mild steel, low carbon steel, low alloyed steel, stainless steel, lamellar grey cast iron, spheroid cast iron. It can also be brazed on to certain alloys of manganese steel with precautions. TufCote® is weld-able on itself, making local repair or recycling of parts possible.
Sugar Cane Cutters
Industry: Sugar cane production.
Problem: During operation the cutter teeth are subject to severe abrasion resulting from the dry fibrous materials extracted from the cane sugar and also from abrasive sands. Medium load impact can also occur during operation. Once the harvesting period begins, the equipment cannot be stopped for maintenance, thus emphasising the requirement for the equipment to be reliable during the large period.
Equipment Concerned: Teeth of cutters.
Service Conditions:
- Ambient temperature ~20°C to 50°C.
- Medium corrosion environment.
- Risk of medium shocks.
Caution: Usually, the cutters are manufactured from high tensile strength alloys. Make sure that the alloy to be coated can be hard faced. If the base material to be coated is not compatible with a hard-facing operation, flaking off and excessive cracking can occur.
Coating Solution: Use specifically the TufCote® GN 6.35mm ⌀ or GM 6.35mm ⌀. Thickness 3 to 5mm.
Benefits of the TufCote®:
- TufCote® brazing alloy extends 2 to 3 times the life.
- The extension of the life-time allows to make more campaigns of production.
- Risk of medium shocks.
- Simplicity, easy learning of the brazing procedure, make it a possible application on site or in job shop.
- No capital investment is required to apply the TufCote® brazing flexible cord (only a flame torch is required).
- TufCote® can be applied on construction steel (the hard steels, or special and expensive steels are not required). Cutters could be made from relatively cheap steels.
- Possibility to rebuilt TufCote® on a cutter previously hard-faced.
- Coarse and angular tungsten carbide grains, for better resistance to abrasion and a better anchorage of the carbides.
Other Solutions
Contact MSSA for more coating solutions with stick welding electrodes.
Sugar Cane Shredder
Industry: Sugar Cane Production – after harvesting, the cane sugar is transported to the mill where the cane billets are reduced by the shredder machines into fibrous materials. Then the sugar juice is removed by the extraction station.
Problem: During the smashing, shredder hammers are subject to severe abrasion as a result of the dry fibrous materials extracted from the cane sugar. Usually the shredder machine hammers are manufactured from Ni-Hard cast iron and could be designed with removable tips. Once the harvesting period begins, the shredder cannot be stopped for maintenance, emphasising the requirement for the equipment to be reliable during the whole season.
Service Conditions:
- Ambient temperature ~20°C to 50°C.
- Medium corrosion environment.
- High rotating speed, risk of medium shocks.
Caution: Usually, the shredder machine hammers are manufactured from Ni-Hard cast iron. Due to the low thermal expansion coefficient, the Ni-Hard cast Iron cannot be directly brazed thanks to the TufCote®. Intermediate removable supports (such as patches) are manufactured and then brazed with the TufCote®. After brazing the support are fitted back on the shredder.
Coating Solution: TufCote® Abrasion-Resistant Coating: Tungsten carbide with a metal matrix; 5 mm thickness. Use specifically the TufCote® Grade A 8mm ⌀ (even 6.35mm).
Benefits of the TufCote®:
- TufCote® brazing alloy extends the life time 3 times more than Ni-Hard cast iron.
- The extension of the life-time allows to make 2 campaigns (could be extended to 3 campaigns).
- Due to the fact that, TufCote® is brazed on removable patches, the hard facing operation of the shredder is an unlimited renewable operation.
- Simplicity, easy learning of the brazing procedure make it a possible application on site or in job shop.
- TufCote® can be applied on construction steel (the hard steels, or special and expensive steels are not required). Cutters could be made from relatively cheap steels
- No capital investment is required to apply the TufCote® brazing flexible cord (only a flame torch is required).
- TufCote® can be applied on construction steel (the hard steels, or special and expensive steels are not required) = shredder patches could be made from basic steels.
- Possibility to rebuilt on a coating previously welded.
- Coarse and angular tungsten carbide grains, for better resistance to abrasion (TufCote® Grade A).
- A metal wire is inserted inside the cord and avoids “butt”.
TufCote® GRADE A Product Specification
- Self Fluxing Alloy Matrix: 37 to 40% in weight.
- Tungsten Carbides: 60 to 63% in weight .
- Particle Size: Grade A within 0.1 to 1.6mm (10–150 mesh).
- Packaging: TufCote® is supplied as a continuous flexible cord, length depending on diameter and included in a protective plastic box. Available in 4.75mm or 6.35mm or 8mm ⌀.
TufCote® Application Procedure
Preparation of the Piece
- Surface must be cleaned and free of surface contamination.
- All edges must be cut by grinding.
Preheating of the Area
- With oxy-acetylene torch, preheat the piece area to 450°C (840°F).
Prime Cote (if required)
When welding stainless steel with TufCote®, an under layer might be applied about 300µm thick on surface before apply TufCote®:
- To avoid any oxidation of surface
- To prevent chromium migration to the surface (black bulk)
- To increase TufCote® bonding.
Hard-facing Operation with TufCote®
- The torch flame must form an angle of about 45° with the piece surface to be hard-faced, and TufCote® at a 45° angle to the same surface.
- The flame must swing from side to side of the weld deposit.
- TufCote® is then fed through the holder 4-6” at a time.
- The tip of the cord should not be lowered or lifted during the fusion process.
- The maximum speed of deposition is about 2Kg/hour (4.2 lbs/hour).
For more information on Metal Spray equipment or consumables, call us on 07 3823 1004, or email us using our contact form.