eliminate blockages in crushers

80% reduction in equipment damage with big rock detection in cement plant

Achieved 82% fewer crusher blockages and 20% lower unwanted stoppages in cement crusher operations by detecting oversized rocks in real time. This ensured smoother operations, minimized downtime, and delivered significant cost savings.

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crusher blockage

leading building materials supplier in North America

Client Overview

Our client is a leading building materials supplier, producing aggregates, cement, and concrete across North America. They have a strong commitment to sustainability, with a focus on recycling materials, efficient water management, and reducing emissions to minimize environmental impact. With a solid financial foundation, they generate over $5 billion in annual revenue, reinforcing their position as a key player in the construction materials industry.

Problem Statement

Oversized rocks disrupt crushers, leading to blockages in crushers, increased downtime and reduced operational efficiency.

The client faced significant challenges due to inadequate material monitoring systems, leading to equipment damage, blockages, and efficiency losses from oversized rocks. Frequent downtime, higher maintenance costs, and increased fuel consumption further impacted operations. Reliance on human supervision introduced bias, while manual sieve sampling provided low accuracy and infrequent measurements, making real-time monitoring unreliable.

Equipment Damage

Large Rocks in the Apron Feeder cause damage to the Equipment

Large rocks in the apron feeder damage chains, rollers, and pans, causing structural failures. The excessive impact strains the drive system, reducing equipment lifespan. This leads to increased maintenance costs and unplanned downtime.

blockages in crushers

Large Rocks cause Blockages in the Apron Feeder

Large rocks in the apron feeder cause blockages, disrupting material flow and straining crushers. This leads to increased wear, operational inefficiencies, and unplanned downtime.

low Efficiency

Big Rock in Conveyor Before Primary Crusher decreases Efficiency

Oversized rocks on the conveyor before the primary crusher reduce efficiency by causing blockages and uneven material flow. This leads to increased wear, higher energy consumption, and frequent downtime.

High Fuel Consumption

Large Particles After Secondary Crusher Increase Raw Mill Fuel Consumption

Oversized particles after the secondary crusher reduce raw material uniformity, decreasing grinding efficiency in the raw mill. This increases energy demand and fuel consumption, impacting overall process optimization and operational costs.

Solution​

Ripik AI's Big Rock Detection for Grinding Unit for Minimizing Downtime

  • Real-Time Monitoring with Automated Detection Ripik.ai deployed an advanced vision-based AI system to continuously monitor conveyor belts, enabling real-time detection and automated alerts for oversized rocks, ensuring proactive intervention and improved operational efficiency.
  • Proactive Alert System The Vision AI system generates real-time alerts via dashboards or sirens and seamlessly integrates with control systems (DCS/SCADA) to automatically halt the conveyor belt upon detecting oversized rocks, preventing equipment damage and minimizing operational disruptions.
  • Cloud-Hosted and Feedback Enabled The solution features a securely hosted cloud application with advanced feedback mechanisms to enhance detection accuracy, streamline operations, and provide actionable data insights for informed decision-making.
  • Historical Video Feeds & Reporting The Vision AI system analyzes historical footage to identify critical events, big rock occurrences, and operational patterns, providing valuable insights for process optimization. It also generates comprehensive reports highlighting recurring issues and trends, enabling proactive measures for continuous improvement.
crusher blockage

Impact and Validation by End Users

Ripik AI boosted big rock detection by 80%, reducing equipment damage in cement plant

Our Vision AI platform enhanced material handling by leveraging real-time computer vision algorithms to detect oversized rocks, triggering automated alerts for timely removal and preventing equipment damage. Advanced size optimization improved crusher efficiency, reducing wear on critical components and minimizing unplanned downtime. Additionally, precise limestone sizing led to optimized combustion in kilns, lowering fuel consumption and enhancing energy efficiency, ultimately driving cost savings and process stability.

$440K

Expected value generation annually

Our Vision AI platform is expected to generate $440K in annual value by preventing crusher damages, reducing downtime, and optimizing fuel consumption. Automated rock detection minimizes unplanned shutdowns and maintenance costs, enhancing crusher efficiency and drive cost savings and operational stability.

82%

Lower crusher
blockages

Our Vision AI platform achieved an 82% reduction in crusher blockage by detecting and removing oversized rocks in real time. This optimization minimized downtime, improved throughput, and reduced wear on critical crusher components, enhancing overall operational efficiency and cost savings.

20%

Reduction unwanted stoppages

Our Vision AI platform reduced unwanted stoppages by 20% in cement crusher operations through real-time detection and removal of oversized rocks. This improvement enhanced material flow, minimized downtime, and optimized equipment utilization, leading to greater efficiency and cost savings.