Mechani Mags Showcases Smart Monitoring in Conveyor Magnets

Year-end shutdown planning is under way at mines, processing plants and recycling yards across South Africa, with maintenance schedules being locked in and inspection checklists prepared before the December break. Boksburg-based Mechani Mags, which makes conveyor magnets and magnetic separators and sells online under the African Magnets name, has chosen this window to highlight a feature of its DRY-TYPE suspended belt magnet that tends to be overlooked: the monitoring system built into every unit.

Built-in monitoring on every unit

The DRY-TYPE electro-magnets pull ferrous tramp metal out of material on the conveyor, shielding crushers, belts and the equipment further down the line. The company is best known for their oil-free design, but each unit also comes with features that let plant teams track how the magnet is performing and pick up faults before they cause an unplanned stoppage.

The product specifications on the company's website list an integrated belt-slip and tear detection system, which keeps watch on belt performance and helps prevent damage. A PT100 temperature probe also monitors the casing temperature continuously.

On a busy plant, both of these count. A self-cleaning overband magnet depends on its belt to carry captured tramp metal off the conveyor. When that belt slips or tears without anyone noticing, metal can pile up on the magnet face or drop back onto the conveyor. An early warning lets maintenance crews deal with the fault during a planned stop instead of an emergency one.

Engineered for tough sites

Each unit carries an IP66 rating. It is fully sealed against dust and water and can be cleaned with a jet spray. The magnet works in any position and at any incline, even upside down, so engineers have room to manoeuvre when fitting it to an existing conveyor layout.

A stainless steel wear plate, internally welded lifting lugs and a precision-machined contact casing make up the main build. The coils are aluminium, with a rectangular cross-section and double glass insulation. They are rated to class H (180 °C) and wrapped in glass tape and Nomex sheeting. A WEG IE3 motor paired with an SEW gearbox drives the belt. Four crowned carbon steel pulleys, fitted with locking elements and plummer block bearings, make it simpler to keep the belt aligned.

The belt is joined with the company's own stainless steel slat fastener system. Heavy-duty reinforced belting is available as an option where extra durability is needed.

Oil-free and easier to maintain

Because the DRY-TYPE design uses neither oil nor fans, there are no coolant fluids to manage. That lowers the risk of contamination and corrosion and reduces time lost to maintenance. According to the company, its dry magnets hold a premium energy efficiency rating equivalent to IE4 and produce the same magnetic power as standard models on 50% less electrical input.

This kind of Dry magnetic separator can be used above ground or underground, and optional Ex certification is offered for hazardous areas. Plants with little vertical clearance can choose a low head-room model, and a manual-clean version is available for sites that do not need a self-cleaning belt.

The role of magnets in tramp metal protection

Protecting conveyors and processing equipment usually takes more than one device, and magnetic separators are one piece of that picture. Magnetic separators take ferrous items such as bolts, drill steel, tools and other loose iron out of the product stream before they reach sensitive machinery.

Many plant designers plan tramp metal protection as a series of layers. Conveyor metal detector systems and suspended magnets both have a place in that approach. Which combination works best depends on the material on the belt, the belt width and speed, the burden depth and the type of metal the plant is likely to encounter. Mechani Mags designs magnet solutions with each client around their particular requirements and site constraints.

Support for shutdown season

Mechani Mags also provides support services that fit well into planned shutdowns. These cover repairs and upgrades, training, site inspections, compliance reports and gauss testing. Its on-site repair and inspection services are designed to give clients fast support wherever they are.

Operations already running Mechani Mags magnets can also order auxiliaries, among them magnet control panels, flame-retardant belting, suspension chain sets and magnet spares. Stocking spares and belting before the break can mean the difference between a brief planned stop and a longer delay once the new year starts.

Why early warning matters

Wherever ore, aggregate, coal or recycled material travels on a conveyor, tramp metal remains a constant risk. One piece of steel that reaches a crusher or chute can cause damage, rip a belt or stop the plant. Since the magnet is the first line of defence, a magnet that is underperforming exposes everything downstream.

For that reason, Mechani Mags gives priority to monitoring and simple maintenance. A slipping or torn belt, or a casing running hotter than normal, signals that something has changed. Built-in detection and temperature monitoring make those changes easier to notice, so repairs can be scheduled rather than rushed. Together with the oil-free design, which does away with checking and replacing coolant oil, the goal is a magnet that works reliably with less hands-on attention.

Teams who want to understand the principles before speaking to an engineer can find an explanation of how belt magnets work on the company's website, along with an example of a self-cleaning magnet in operation.

Made in Boksburg, exported worldwide

Mechani Mags builds its products at its head office and workshop at 30 Bisset Road, JetPark, Boksburg, and exports to customers around the world. The dry magnet design draws on more than 50 years of expertise in magnetic separation technology. Besides the DRY-TYPE electro-magnet, the range includes a rare earth ferrochrome magnet that separates ferrochrome from slag, and extra heavy-duty lifting magnets for scrap handling, ball loading and furnace loading.

Engineers, plant managers and procurement teams can browse the full product range, specifications and support services at https://africanmagnets.com/.

About Mechani Mags

Mechani Mags is a South African maker of conveyor magnets and magnetic separators that remove tramp metal in mining, processing and recycling. From its base in JetPark, Boksburg, the company produces oil-free DRY-TYPE suspended overband belt magnets, ferrochrome magnets, lifting magnets and auxiliaries. It also provides repairs, upgrades, training, site inspections, compliance reports and gauss testing, and supplies and supports clients in South Africa and abroad.