Solid engineering services are the backbone of every successful and progressive mining operation, supporting the water, power, infrastructure, equipment, and mechanical systems that make mining possible. For nearly every problem on site, there is an engineering solution waiting to be uncovered by the right person who has the technical aptitude, mixed with a dash of ingenuity. It is this perfect balance of expertise that customers have come to expect from Camco Engineering. 

As a market leading provider of mechanical engineering services, the team at Camco Engineering have been delivering specialised equipment services to the mining industry across Australia and Papua New Guinea since 1995. With workshops based out of Canning Vale and Belmont in Western Australia, the company is well-positioned to service the country’s largest mining prospectors, and their extensive portfolio of successful mining projects speaks for itself.  

Specialising in the maintenance, refurbishment, and manufacture of fixed plant processing equipment, Camco is committed to undertaking complex engineering challenges and strives for continuous improvement in all aspects of their business. “We undertake the repair, supply and manufacture of a wide range of mining goods and services that are integral to ensuring the ongoing reliability of our client’s assets and equipment,” enthuses the Camco engineering team. 

As a trusted supplier to Camco, Motion Australia has enjoyed a fruitful working relationship with their engineering teams, supplying a wide range of industrial solutions products as part of their client projects. Based out of a neighbouring location in Western Australia, Sheree Munnik, Key Account Executive for Motion has overseen multiple projects alongside Camco, performing joint site visits to liase with their mining clients and connect them with strategic supply partners. 

Sheree is a maverick in her field of specialisation which is gearbox refurbishment and repairs. She describes Motion’s customer relationship with Camco positively as one that has been mutually beneficial to both businesses through the diversification of expertise and reach within the mining sector. 

“We’ve enjoyed a supply relationship with Camco for nearly three years now and they have been generous with inviting us into the fold working with their clients,” says Sheree. “We supply Schaeffler T41D bearings for their gearbox refurbs and repairs and work with bearings manufacturer to ensure the bearing specs and requirements for their mining projects are met.” 

Schaeffler recommended the T41D bearings from their FAG X-Life range because they are specifically designed for plant processing equipment such as vibrating screens, or ‘shaker screens,’ for sorting raw materials. The screens are typically inclined over motorised gear shafts that use centrifugal force to sift and crush materials down to size for sorting. 

“Due to frequent heavy shock loads from abrasive materials, shaker screens are prone to breakdowns,” says Sheree. “And the most common cause of a breakdown are bearings failures. This is due to the fact most standard bearings simply cannot handle the continuous stress of constant force of movement,” she explains. As a result, the suitability of the bearings for screen applications is a engineering problem on many gearboxes and improving the integrity of the screens is the aim with refurbishments. 

The T41D bearings’ Durotect CK surface coating contain a thin layer of chromium on the inner ring bore that provides protection against corrosion, wear and shock loads. The bearings in the Schaeffler FAG X-Life range are made in a state-of-the-art German manufacturing facility where they are heat treated for temperature stability and resilience under shear force. Additionally, surface treated cages and tighter dimensional tolerances make fitting the bearings an easier process.

“We supply Camco Engineering with the FAG T41D bearings because they are the best in their class,” says Sheree. “Additonally, we provide aftersales support in a range of different areas. We perform joint site calls to gain an understanding of the end user and take measurements and collect specs; update them on any changes with our supplier; manage their stock requirements and provide logistics support. This eliminates the risk of prolonged wait times or stock shortages and provides the customer and their client with peace of mind.” 

“We often meet with the engineering team at Camco to go through projects together and get to know their clients better,” furthers Sheree. “At the same time, we always keep the lines of communication open with Schaeffler as one of our partnering manufacturers to help us make recommendations. It’s a very generous relationship between all parties who share a common goal of solving engineering problems, and together we have achieved great growth over the last few years,” she concludes. 

Schaeffler T41D Bearings: Feature and Benefits

• X-life quality = 70% longer life than standard bearing types

• Bainite heat treatment for temperature stability up to 200C

• Surface hardened cage for high wear resistance

• Cage guided by outer ring better accommodates centrifugal forces

• Tighter OD and ID dimensional tolerances for better control of fit in housing and on shaft

• Durotect CK hard coating on bore for reduced fretting corrosion and shaft wear