Abstract: A method and system for inspecting a steel wheel or steel rim of an off the road vehicle is provided. A method and system for predictive modeling of health and remaining useful life of a steel wheel or steel rim of the off the road vehicle is also provided. The off the road vehicles include vehicles at remote locations such as mine sites.

Abstract: An installation, for use with a computer, for inspecting pinion gear teeth, the installation comprising: an enclosure, the enclosure including a back, a top, a bottom, sides and a front, which includes an opening, to define an interior; a transparent window, the transparent window separating at least a part of the interior from an ambient environment; at least one door operatively connected to the enclosure and retractably separating the transparent barrier from the ambient environment; a programmable logic controller which is housed in the enclosure behind the transparent window; a thermal imager which is housed in the enclosure behind the transparent window, is directed to the transparent window and is in electronic communication with the programmable logic controller; a visible light camera which is housed in the enclosure behind the transparent window, is directed to the transparent window and is in electronic communication with the programmable logic controller; and an air blade blower which is attached

Abstract: An apparatus for cleaning industrial gear teeth is provided. The apparatus includes a framework; at least one rail mounted on the framework and extending at least a part of a length of the framework; a gantry in slidable engagement with the rail; a stepper motor mounted on the framework and in motive communication with the gantry: a pair of limit switches which are slidably mounted on the rail; a window which is attached to the framework behind the rail, extends along the part of the length of the framework and includes a horizontal slot which extends along the part of the length of the framework; a pipe which is attached to the gantry and extends through the horizontal slot, the pipe for attachment to a source of pressurized cleaning fluid; and a microprocessor which is in electronic communication with the stepper motor and the limit switches.

Abstract: A system for predictive modeling of wear or damage to a driven gear of an open gear set is provided. A method of developing a predictive model of wear or damage to a driven gear of an open gear set is also provided. The system and method allow for autonomous, non-interfering dynamic collection of data that are used to assist in developing maintenance schedules for large open gear sets. More specifically, it is directed to utilizing data from monitored pinion gears of girth gear sets under full load operating conditions to predict health of a girth gear in the girth gear set.

Abstract: A method and system for inspecting a steel wheel or steel rim of an off the road vehicle is provided. A method and system for predictive modeling of health and remaining useful life of a steel wheel or steel rim of the off the road vehicle is also provided. The off the road vehicles include vehicles at remote locations such as mine sites.

Abstract: A form-fitting eddy current array probe for inspecting helical gears is provided, the probe comprising: a leg which includes a sensor zone with a plurality of eddy current arrays; an arm attached to and normal with the leg to provide an L-shaped probe, the arm including a sensor zone with a plurality of eddy current arrays; a resilient layer underlying the sensor zones; a gel layer attached to an upper surface of the sensor zones, the gel layer including a fluid gel and an outer covering encasing the fluid gel; and an encoder distally located on the leg. A method of inspecting a girth gear set including a helical gear and a girth gear using the form-fitting eddy current array probe is also provided.

Abstract: An installation, for use with a computer, for inspecting pinion gear teeth, the installation comprising: an enclosure, the enclosure including a back, a top, a bottom, sides and a front, which includes an opening, to define an interior; a transparent window, the transparent window separating at least a part of the interior from an ambient environment; at least one door operatively connected to the enclosure and retractably separating the transparent barrier from the ambient environment; a programmable logic controller which is housed in the enclosure behind the transparent window; a thermal imager which is housed in the enclosure behind the transparent window, is directed to the transparent window and is in electronic communication with the programmable logic controller; a visible light camera which is housed in the enclosure behind the transparent window, is directed to the transparent window and is in electronic communication with the programmable logic controller; and an air blade blower which is attached

Abstract: A one-step method of cleaning a girth gear set of a mill in preparation for inspection is provided, the method comprising: substantially emptying the mill; inching the gear; spraying a low, very low or non-Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) cleaning formulation at high pressure onto the gear, the cleaning formulation comprising a non-VOC aliphatic hydrocarbon solvent, an extreme pressure lubricant, a fretting wear lubricant, a non-ionic surfactant, and a mixture of non-VOC unsaturated fatty alcohols; and continuing to spray the low or very low VOC cleaning formulation on the gear for sufficient time for the formulation to clean the gear, thereby providing a so cleaned gear.

Abstract: A one-step method of cleaning a girth gear set of a mill in preparation for inspection is provided, the method comprising: substantially emptying the mill; inching the gear; spraying a low, very low or non-Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) cleaning formulation at high pressure onto the gear, the cleaning formulation comprising a non-VOC aliphatic hydrocarbon solvent, an extreme pressure lubricant, a fretting wear lubricant, a non-ionic surfactant, and a mixture of non-VOC unsaturated fatty alcohols; and continuing to spray the low or very low VOC cleaning formulation on the gear for sufficient time for the formulation to clean the gear, thereby providing a so cleaned gear.

Abstract: A one-step method of cleaning a girth gear set of a mill in preparation for inspection is provided, the method comprising: substantially emptying the mill; inching the gear; spraying a low, very low or non-Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) cleaning formulation at high pressure onto the gear, the cleaning formulation comprising a non-VOC aliphatic hydrocarbon solvent, an extreme pressure lubricant, a fretting wear lubricant, a non-ionic surfactant, and a mixture of non-VOC unsaturated fatty alcohols; and continuing to spray the low or very low VOC cleaning formulation on the gear for sufficient time for the formulation to clean the gear, thereby providing a so cleaned gear.

Abstract: A form-fitting eddy current array probe for inspecting helical gears is provided, the probe comprising: a leg which includes a sensor zone with a plurality of eddy current arrays; an arm attached to and normal with the leg to provide an L-shaped probe, the arm including a sensor zone with a plurality of eddy current arrays; a resilient layer underlying the sensor zones; a gel layer attached to an upper surface of the sensor zones, the gel layer including a fluid gel and an outer covering encasing the fluid gel; and an encoder distally located on the leg. A method of inspecting a girth gear set including a helical gear and a girth gear using the form-fitting eddy current array probe is also provided.

Abstract: A method of examining a wheel or rim on site is provided using an eddy current array probe in electronic communication with a computer, the computer having a processor and a memory, the memory to provide instructions to the processor. The method involves standardizing the eddy current array probe with a reference standard, adjusting the eddy current array probe with a lift off screw to provide a suitable distance between the probe and a surface of the wheel or rim, scanning the wheel or rim with an alternating current, sending a data set to the computer, the computer analyzing the data set, and the computer displaying a three-dimensional image of the data set on a user interface. This method is particularly developed for off road vehicles at mining sites or any off road vehicle wheels and rims.

Abstract: A gyratory crusher and system for determining a close-side setting or an open-side setting is provided including a point cloud generator mounted proximate the crusher; a drone; a laser emitter mounted on the drone to mark the first trace on the mantle at a predetermined position of the gap; a camera mounted on the drone to capture a series of image of the first trace as the mantle of the gyratory crusher rotates; and a computer in communication with the camera, the point cloud generator and the drone, the computer comprising a memory and a processor, the memory providing instructions to process the image to provide a gap width and to determine at least one of a close-side setting or an open-side setting from the gap width.

Abstract: A one-step method of cleaning a girth gear set of a mill in preparation for inspection is provided, the method comprising: substantially emptying the mill; inching the gear; spraying a low, very low or non-Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) cleaning formulation at high pressure onto the gear, the cleaning formulation comprising a non-VOC aliphatic hydrocarbon solvent, an extreme pressure lubricant, a fretting wear lubricant, a non-ionic surfactant, and a mixture of non-VOC unsaturated fatty alcohols; and continuing to spray the low or very low VOC cleaning formulation on the gear for sufficient time for the formulation to clean the gear, thereby providing a so cleaned gear.

Abstract: A gyratory crusher and system for determining a close-side setting or an open-side setting is provided including a point cloud generator mounted proximate the crusher; a drone; a laser emitter mounted on the drone to mark the first trace on the mantle at a predetermined position of the gap; a camera mounted on the drone to capture a series of image of the first trace as the mantle of the gyratory crusher rotates; and a computer in communication with the camera, the point cloud generator and the drone, the computer comprising a memory and a processor, the memory providing instructions to process the image to provide a gap width and to determine at least one of a close-side setting or an open-side setting from the gap width.

Abstract: An improved gyratory crusher is provided. The gyratory crusher comprises an eccentrically rotating mantle lined with a mantle liner, a concave lined with a concave liner, the concave housing the mantle to provide a crusher chamber, and the crusher chamber having a gap. The improvement is a system for determining a close-side setting for the gyratory crusher based on the gap width. The system includes a cross hair laser emitting a first trace and a second trace, the laser mounted to mark the first trace on the mantle liner and to mark a second trace traversing the gap and at least intersecting the concave liner at a preselected position of the gap, a camera mounted to capture an image of the first and second trace, and a computer in communication with the camera, the computer comprising a memory and a processor, the memory providing instructions to the processor to process the image to provide a gap width and to calculate a close-side setting.

Abstract: An improved gyratory crusher is provided. The gyratory crusher comprises an eccentrically rotating mantle lined with a mantle liner, a concave lined with a concave liner, the concave housing the mantle to provide a crusher chamber, and the crusher chamber having a gap. The improvement is a system for determining a close-side setting for the gyratory crusher based on the gap width. The system includes a cross hair laser emitting a first trace and a second trace, the laser mounted to mark the first trace on the mantle liner and to mark a second trace traversing the gap and at least intersecting the concave liner at a preselected position of the gap, a camera mounted to capture an image of the first and second trace, and a computer in communication with the camera, the computer comprising a memory and a processor, the memory providing instructions to the processor to process the image to provide a gap width and to calculate a close-side setting.

Abstract: A method of examining a wheel or rim on site is provided using a system comprising an eddy current array probe in electronic communication with a computer, the computer having a processor and a memory, the memory to provide instructions to the processor. The method comprises: standardizing the eddy current array probe with a reference standard; adjusting the eddy current array probe with a lift off screw to provide a suitable distance between the probe and a surface of the wheel or rim; scanning the wheel or rim with an alternating current; sending a data set to the computer; the computer analyzing the data set; and the computer displaying a three-dimensional image of the data set on a user interface. This method is particularly developed for off road vehicles at mining sites or any off road vehicle wheels and rims.