In northwest Romania, Scenario Design Products claims it is forming the spine of operations all year spherical at the Salina Ocna Dej mine, where by dozens of wheel loaders and crawler excavators are boosting efficiency and increasing basic safety at the salt mine – the two underground and at the floor amount. Positioned in Cluj County, Salina Ocna Dej is a person of the most essential salt mines in Romania, specialising in the extraction of reliable rock salt. The mine is a department of the Countrywide Salt Modern society (SALROM), which is a person of the leading 10 salt producers in Europe. The Romanian organisation has seven mining functions and has also developed tourist attractions at 5 of its web pages – Salina Praid, Salina Târgu Ocna, Salina Slănic Prahova, Salina Cacica and Salina O.M. Râmnicu Vâlcea.
Approximately 40 Circumstance machines have been bought by SALROM about the previous 10 years, which has been the outcome of a lengthy-expression strategic partnership among the salt mining group, Titan Machinery Romania, and Case. Salt mining has very long been an crucial trade in the Transylvania region of Romania since the late Center Ages. All through that interval, the extraction of the salt was carried out in the kind of conical, parallel-piped or trapezoidal underground chambers and it was performed by hand, with a chisel and a hammer. These days the procedure takes advantage of blasting then mechanised load and haul.
Salina Ocna Dej Technical Director, Francisc Torpenyi, describes additional about the evolution of salt mining machines and procedures: “I recall from the old mine that we worked employing dump vehicles with self-loading trailers…at the underground degree of salt extraction, we even experienced a patented equipment invented by a previous director of Salina Ocna Dej – a ‘Rada Dej’ drilling rig. It was anchored by a device and consequently it was movable. It walked from one particular position to yet another and drilled holes for explosive loading. In 1992 and 1993 came the to start with present day drilling rigs, which was a big evolution. They moved by themselves and they have been electrical – a person of them we however use, and the other has now been presented to the Slănic mine.”
Section of this evolution has been via the use of Situation equipment, equally underground and on the surface area degree. The initial Case equipment were purchased in 2011 following a common tender was held at organization amount, in which 12 wheel loaders – the 821 and 1221 versions – ended up bought. Torpenyi continues: “Several Scenario equipment have been purchased due to the fact then…in 2014 we purchased two Case 821 wheel loaders, and in 2017 we purchased 4 other wheel loaders, 921F and 921G, for the underground and a mini wheel loader Situation SR160. In 2016 and 2020, two Case CX210D tracked excavators had been procured for use underground. Then the fleet of tools was done with two much more wheel loaders Scenario 1121 for the surface area degree in 2017 and 2019.”
Evaluating the functionality of the equipment, Salina Ocna Dej Head of Specialized Company, Gabriel Racz, experienced this to say: “Compared to the machines we have used just before, Situation devices are very efficient, significantly additional successful, far more affordable and extra technologically state-of-the-art. If we look at the Scenario equipment with the many others of the exact bodyweight, the usage of the Case machines is fifty percent. In terms of mobility, toughness and deployment capacity, we are really pleased.”
Torpenyi then expands on how the operators are applying the development products: “Our individuals have turn out to be professionals in these machines. As the devices are operated with a joystick, it has enabled them to create their techniques and productivity. For case in point, in the underground levelling operation – the cleaning of ceilings and salt walls that have a tendency to fall – we use a unique milling cutter on the new Situation CX210D excavator, and although we have not executed this operation for a extended time, the operators have by now formed incredibly successful capabilities.”
Operations at the mine are 80-90% mechanised, with the Case machines driving an boost in efficiency and effectiveness. As a result, an rising variety of Situation devices have been purchased as the decades have handed by. In truth, in addition to the superior quality and functionality of the Scenario machines, a key motive why Salina Ocna Dej has ordered so numerous Situation devices has been the relationship with Titan Machinery Romania. Torpenyi describes: “The collaboration has advanced truly nicely, instantly proportional to the progress of the partnership. We are satisfied simply because almost everything is likely quite properly. When a issue arises, the remedy is prompt, and the remedy is finished in time. Interaction is superb, and that provides us assurance.”
Titan Machinery Romania Building Devices Revenue Supervisor, Adrian Călina, agrees: “For us SALROM is just one of our most vital partners. As with all shoppers in our portfolio, we generally want to existing the very best possible provide so that we can proceed the collaboration.” Titan Machinery Romania Design Equipment Spot Manager, Bogdan Marian, expands on the services Titan is furnishing: “Communication is one of the most significant characteristics in our partnership. Responses to requests are constantly speedy and options to complications that crop up are never late. I am confident that by preserving the equipment in frequent working purchase, in conjunction with the finest features, the collaboration will continue perfectly into the long run.”
What could this long run search like? Torpenyi points out: “Like any mine – irrespective of whether it is salt or coal – it has a term of lifestyle. From the stage of watch of investment decision potential customers, we are seeking for and making an attempt to propose point out-of-the-artwork systems to decrease charges and raise dependability. There are no devices that are strictly made for salt. They are tailored from other actions these as development, coal mining, digging land and so on. And acquiring an ideal machine is a problem, even with salt grinders or salt transporters. Of course, our extensive-phrase technique is certain by demand, which is fairly frequent. At least the demand for food items salt is frequent, every single particular person consumes amongst 3 and 7 grams of salt for each day. But we attempt to preserve up with technology, and dependent on the demands and operations, we do.”
