ABB Introduces New Digital Tool Designed to Enhance the Uptime of Gearless Mill Drives in Mineral Processing

ABB has introduced a new tool within its ABB Ability™ Predictive Maintenance for Grinding (PMG) platform, designed to streamline troubleshooting and diagnostics in mineral processing, making them faster and more efficient.

Traditionally, troubleshooting grinding technology required an engineer to be physically present onsite or to have direct remote access to the plant to identify issues. The newly developed cloud-based application, Trendex™, revolutionizes this process by providing users with high-resolution fault data visibility—capturing information 3 seconds before and 1.3 seconds after an event. Trendex™ automatically uploads event files to the cloud and links this data with transient records, giving users near-instant access to operational data from any internet-connected device. Additionally, the application offers improved diagnostic and visualization features, enabling engineers to quickly restore production.

By eliminating the need for a direct remote connection and offering immediate access to high-resolution event-related signals, Trendex™ significantly reduces response times during a trip. In a process like grinding, where every operational minute is critical, unplanned downtime can greatly impact business profitability and productivity. The integration of Trendex™ into the ABB PMG platform empowers users, regardless of location, with real-time data to identify faults as they occur, quickly determine the root cause, and swiftly return to full production.

ABB Gearless Mill Drives (GMDs) play a crucial role in efficiently extracting critical minerals, such as copper, from increasingly low-grade ores across the globe. The industry faces the challenge of meeting growing demand for these critical minerals, which are essential for the energy transition, by ensuring that all necessary infrastructure is operational and reliable.

"Unscheduled downtime is a challenge familiar to anyone in the mining industry," said Carlos Miguez Fernandez, Global Product Manager for Service, Business Line Gearless Mill Drive, ABB. "In recent years, we’ve seen systems under increasing pressure to maximize uptime due to market demands. At ABB, we are continually seeking ways to improve equipment availability and reduce operational costs—Trendex™ is the latest development in this ongoing mission. It enhances our predictive maintenance platform for grinding by providing advanced real-time insights."

The ABB Ability™ PMG platform is an advanced digital service designed to maintain, assess, and analyze GMD systems. It offers easy access to GMD system parameters, allowing for performance visualization based on past activity, real-time data, and future maintenance needs. The platform aims to extend the lifetime of grinding assets through better resource utilization, support continuous operation, and prevent unexpected downtime. When used in conjunction with the Grinding Connect mobile app, users receive live notifications for precise fleet management and monitoring. With the addition of Trendex™, users now have instant access to event-related signals in high resolution, anytime and anywhere, as long as they have an internet connection.