Continuing to build on a successful relationship,
Haver & Boecker engineers presented on various aspects of vibrating screens and the screening process, and hosted a plant tour to reinforce what students have learned in class. It’s the second year the company opened its doors to enhance students’ learning.
“I wanted to give the students a chance to learn from industry experts, not just me,” said Professor Erin Bobicki, who added that there was no way to show a full-scale vibrating screen in a classroom.
Dieter Takev, Haver & Boecker’s vice president of engineering and technology, and Duncan High, processing equipment technology division manager, walked students through the basics of screening, material sizing and vibrating screen mechanical performance. Students learned about types of material and screening equipment, calculations for determining optimum performance, and the mechanical design of different components.
Takev also showed the group how mining and aggregates operations use Haver & Boecker’s Pulse vibration analysis software, developed by Haver & Boecker specifically to monitor the health of vibrating screens and detect irregularities that would prevent optimum performance.
“Learning the process through which the screens are made was valuable, as was the opportunity to work with the vibration analysis system,” Bobicki said. “Probably most of the students would think of vibration analysis as a mechanical engineering task, but the truth is that mining and mineral processing are very interdisciplinary and you end up touching a variety of functions within the industry.”
In the program’s second year, both sides agree it’s worthy of continuing. One of last year’s participants was hired by Haver & Boecker, joining their processing equipment technology team after graduation.
“The students now have a much greater appreciation for screening equipment and the science and engineering that goes into it,” Bobicki said.
Peter Kilmurray, Haver & Boecker vice president of sales, said the company will open the same opportunities to other interested educational institutions. “Our team takes pride in the innovation and testing that goes into each product design,” Kilmurray said. “We’re more than willing to spend time introducing future industry leaders to ways they can make a difference in the industry.”
