CASE STUDY

Restoring a Critical Mining Slurry Pump to Improve Reliability and Reduce Downtime

Large earth moving heavy equipment

The Problem

A major mining operation in regional Australia was experiencing repeated failures of a large slurry pump used within its mineral processing circuit. The pump was critical to maintaining production throughput, and each unplanned shutdown resulted in significant operational losses.

Over a 12-month period, the site recorded:

  • Premature bearing failures
  • Excessive vibration readings
  • Shaft wear beyond tolerance
  • Misalignment between pump and drive assembly

Previous repairs had focused on replacing bearings and seals without investigating the underlying mechanical cause. The recurring failures suggested a deeper issue related to housing distortion, shaft alignment or imbalance.

The client required an engineering partner capable of conducting a complete strip, assess and rebuild process with root cause analysis, rather than a surface-level repair.

The solution

The slurry pump assembly was removed on-site by the SWB Plus Field Services team and transported to the nearest SWB Plus heavy engineering workshop for a full assessment.

1. Strip & Assess Inspection
The rotating assembly was fully dismantled and inspected. SWB Plus engineers conducted:

  • Dimensional checks on shaft journals
  • Housing bore measurements
  • Non-destructive testing (NDT) on critical components
  • Wear pattern analysis of bearings and seals
  • Alignment review of coupling surfaces

The inspection identified that the pump bearing housing had become slightly out of tolerance due to operational stresses, leading to misalignment and uneven load distribution across the bearings.

2. Machining & Restoration

  • To restore dimensional accuracy and structural integrity, the following work was completed in-house:
  • Horizontal line boring of the bearing housing to restore concentricity
  • Machining and polishing of shaft journals
  • Replacement of the damaged stub shaft using a controlled shrink fit process
  • Dynamic balancing of the rotating assembly
  • Precision bearing installation in a clean assembly environment

All machining was completed to OEM specifications to ensure correct fit and long-term reliability.

3. Testing & Verification
Before dispatch, the rebuilt slurry pump underwent:

  • Hydrostatic pressure testing
  • No-load spin testing
  • Vibration monitoring and balancing verification
  • Final dimensional validation

A detailed strip, assess and rebuild report was provided to the client, including root cause findings and preventative maintenance recommendations.

The outcome

The refurbished slurry pump was reinstalled on-site by the SWB Plus Field Services team, including laser alignment and commissioning support.

Following reinstallation, the client reported:

  • Significant reduction in vibration levels
  • Extended bearing life
  • Improved pump efficiency
  • Increased operational uptime
  • Reduced unplanned maintenance events

Since the rebuild, the pump has operated within expected vibration parameters and maintenance intervals have stabilised.

The client has now engaged SWB Plus to support additional slurry pump overhauls and rotating equipment reliability programs across the site.

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