Economy & Market

Friction-free conveyors are the way to go

Published

8 years ago

January 2, 2019

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Sagta Engineering, a Shanghai, China, based engineering consulting company, is trying to introduce air cushion technology in conveyor systems in India. Frank Wang, General Manager, and U.K. Mullick, Chief Consultant of Sagta, say it is a maintenance free and environment friendly technology.

Material transportation equipment plays an important role cement plants. What are the innovative products you have?
Frank Wang (FW): Roller and tubular conveyor systems are well known among user. But both of them require a lot of maintenance because of friction they generate. We are in the process of introducing air cushion conveyor in India. Air cushion lifts up the rubber belt, removing friction in air cushion conveyors (ACC). It brings in several advantages – energy saving, environment-friendly and requiring minimal maintenance. We have introduced air cushion technology to Tata Steel, NTPC and MECON, an engineering and consulting company, etc., in India.

What are the key differences between belt and air cushion conveyor systems?
UK Mullick (UKM): In a conventional belt conveyor, where belt is running on rollers, a number of rollers appear along it. Basically the concept of ACC is very much similar to that of conventional belt conveyor, but the difference is there are no rollers in the new technology. Instead of rollers there are certain modules and on the surface of the modules there are a number of small holes through which pressurised air comes and keeps the belt afloat, so that the material loaded onto the conveyor belt moves on the airfill. A very thin airfill is generated due to high pressure air jet that comes from the module.

What are the advantages an air cushion conveyor user can expect?
UKM: The majority of power consumption of a conveyor is for overcoming the frictional resistance of number of rollers present in the system. If there are no rollers, then there is no friction due to which the power consumption will come down drastically. And this reduction is seen to be in the range of 20-70 per cent, which is really a great phenomenon- we are not only saving money, but also saving costly energy. Secondly, this 20-70 per cent saving depends on the length of the conveyor, longer the more.

FW: The lifespan of rubber belt in a conveyor is very important. Generally, due to friction the rubber belt lasts about three or four years and needs replacement. Sometimes it gets broken. There is a lot of downtime that goes into repairing the belt. Due to friction-free air cushion the lifetime of the rubber tends to be much longer. To our surprise, the rubber belt of our first project is still there even after 15 years, and no replacement needed anytime soon.

Is there any advantage in installation cost?
UKM: Cost is generally based on length of the conveyor – if it is less than a kilometre, the cost of ACC is slightly more compared to the conventional one. In a long distance conveyor, say 10-20 km, the installation cost is more or less the same. Simple reason is, say for a 15-km conventional conveyor’s power installation needed is 4,200 kW, while for ACC technology the installed capacity required is 2,500 kW. That is a drastic difference due to absence of rollers. So, this is definitely an innovation so far not tried out in India and they are the way to go.

Are there any disadvantages or limitations for ACC when compared conventional conveyor…
UKM: If you ask me, is it possible to convey big boulders? The answer is simply "no." The maximum weight that can be conveyed by ACC is approximately 50 milli meters (mm). As for angle of inclination, it can take a very good angle of inclination up to 35-40 degrees. But one should be conscious about a thing – it cannot take right or left turn, and it has to be straight. As such this is very good for long distance material handling. For that purpose we have already approached JSW and they are planning to implement long distance conveyor and this technology is under their active consideration, subject to their visiting China and seeing it physically.

So it cannot be implemented in all terrains…
UKM: If the conveyor route has to pass through hills and mountains and have to take several twists and turns, you may need to install different types of conveyors ? conventional conveyor for a portion of it, pipe conveyors where twists and turns are there, and ACC where the route is straight. Since Sagta Engineering is capable of supplying any kind of conveyors or a combination of all the three, it can offer the best solution to any terrain.

In India, the government follows L1 (least capital cost) method for choosing suppliers, though the trend is changing of late. How do you propose to pitch your product to them?
UKM: If you want to adopt any innovative technology, at that point of time one cannot compare the initial investment cost. If it can pay back the additional cost incurred in about three years, that is great.

Any more innovative products in pipeline…
UKM: Another innovative technology is friction-free coupling. Generally we have fixed coupling that is rigid coupling where bolts and nuts are used. Suppose if there is a little misalignment in drive and driven end, and if it is allowed to run at a very high speed, in no time the bolt or nut will shear and break, bringing the whole process/system to a standstill. Now for power transmission or stop transfers for motors of more than 30 kV we are using fluid coupling for different applications in power, mining, or cement sectors.

FW: But Sagta has come out with a new magnetic coupling which uses permanent magnet on either side – driver shaft side and driven shaft side. Suppose if the blower is installed, and between motor and blower if you put a magnetic coupling, and due to installation problem if there is some small misalignment, since these two items are not touching each other, (as they are held only by magnetic force), this is not going to hamper the driven or driven side operations. These particular couplings are available from 30 kW to 4500 kW. Friction-free coupling is also maintenance free and has a lifetime of 30 years, we can say. This product has been welcomed by the Chinese heavy industry, including steel plants.

Another product that is in the final stages of development is magnetic speed adjusting device used in motors and blowers. These can be used in the cement industry as well. It is also long lasting and maintenance-free.

– BS SRINIVASALU REDDY

Concrete

Fornnax Wins AIRIA’s Special Export Award for Rubber Machinery in 2025-26

Published

2 days ago

October 19, 2026

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Fornnax Technology Pvt. Ltd. has been honoured with the Special Export Award – Rubber Machinery for 2025–26 by the All-India Rubber Industries Association (AIRIA), in recognition of its highest exports of tyre recycling plants to the European region.

With more than a decade of experience in India’s tyre recycling industry, Fornnax has contributed to the development of advanced recycling technologies and infrastructure. The company currently holds a 90% market share in India’s domestic tyre recycling sector, while exports account for 30% of its business, spanning markets such as Europe, Australia and the GCC.

The award marks another milestone for Fornnax, whose tyre recycling lines and advanced shredding technologies are supporting the growth of the circular economy in India and international markets.

Commenting on the recognition, Mr. Jignesh Kundaria, Founder and Director of Fornnax, said:

“This honour from AIRIA is a reflection of an incredible journey we have undertaken over the years. When we started Fornnax, there was no established recycling industry in India to follow. We chose to build for the future instead. Today, when you see India’s tyre recycling sector, it has already transformed into a dynamic, high-growth industry and we are extremely proud to have played our part in building it.”

Unlike standalone equipment suppliers, Fornnax focuses on developing complete, high-capacity recycling infrastructure. Its integrated systems combine multiple stages of shredding and size reduction to enable efficient, continuous operations. This system-level engineering approach helps recycling operators improve throughput, equipment reliability and operational consistency.

The recognition reinforces Fornnax’s commitment to developing engineering technologies that contribute to a more efficient and circular recycling ecosystem.

Looking ahead, the company aims to expand its international presence while continuing to develop advanced shredding and recycling solutions to address the growing volumes and evolving requirements of the global recycling industry.

For more information, visit: www.fornnax.com

Concrete

Wonder Cement appoints Mahesh Singh as VP Corporate Brand Communication

Published

2 weeks ago

October 9, 2026

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Singh brings 20+ years of brand and marketing experience, and will lead integrated corporate brand communication initiatives at Wonder Cement

New Delhi

Wonder Cement, a leading cement manufacturer, has appointed Mahesh Singh as Vice President – Corporate Brand Communication. In his new role, he will oversee corporate brand strategy and communication, including digital and performance marketing, public relations, trade, events, exhibitions, sports and experiential marketing.

Singh brings over two decades of experience across marketing and communications, with roles spanning the automotive industry, agencies and entrepreneurship. He spent more than a decade with Honda Motorcycle & Scooter India, working across integrated communication, media, digital, retail and consumer engagement. His stint also included helping build the company’s digital marketing capabilities.

He moved to dentsu X India as Vice President – Strategy & Planning, working across categories such as automotive, auto components, electric vehicles, FMCG, consumer electronics, BFSI, apparel and brand consulting. His responsibilities included media and marketing strategy, product launches, content, performance marketing and consumer activations.

Singh subsequently took an entrepreneurial route with Radiant Brands before joining Shriram Ltd (SPR Autotech) as Head – Marketing & Communications. There, his remit included brand and corporate strategy, communications, PR and ORM, retail identity, loyalty programmes and events.

At Wonder Cement, Singh will be responsible for bringing together the company’s corporate brand communication initiatives across digital, performance marketing, PR, trade, sports and experiential platforms. The role will focus on creating an integrated approach to communication across consumers, trade partners and other key stakeholders.

The appointment brings to Wonder Cement a marketer whose career has spanned the brand, agency and entrepreneurial sides of the communications ecosystem.

Wonder Cement, part of the RK Group, is a cement manufacturer with roots in Rajasthan and a focus on quality, trust and transparency. The company has grown to six manufacturing plants, and a cement capacity of 21.5 MTPA. With more than 2,000 employees and a network of over 5,000 dealers, its operations span manufacturing, distribution and customer engagement, with a focus on consistent product quality and efficient execution.

Concrete

JSW Cement commissions additional 1 MTPA grinding unit at Nagaur

Published

2 weeks ago

October 8, 2026

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With this commissioning, JSW Cement’s total cement grinding capacity has increased to 25.10 MTPA,
Mumbai

JSW Cement, one of India’s leading green cement producers and part of the diversified JSW Group, today announced the successful commissioning of an additional 1.00 MTPA cement grinding unit at Nagaur, Rajasthan. The commissioning marks another significant milestone in the Company’s growth strategy.

With this commissioning, JSW Cement’s total cement grinding capacity has increased to 25.10 MTPA, while its total clinker manufacturing capacity, including clinker capacity at its joint venture, JSW Cement FZC, stands at 9.74 MTPA.

JSW Cement had commenced operations in North India in March 2026 with the Nagaur Integrated Plant, comprising a 3.30 MTPA clinkerisation unit and 2.50 MTPA cement grinding unit. With the commissioning of the additional 1.00 MTPA cement grinding unit, the plant’s total cement grinding capacity has increased to 3.50 MTPA, enhancing the company’s ability to cater to the growing cement demand across Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab and the National Capital Region (NCR). The expansion has been funded through a strategic mix of equity and long-term debt.

During the quarter ended 30th September 2026, JSW Cement has also commissioned the Alternate Fuel Handling System and the Waste Heat Recovery system (WHRS) at the Nagaur Integrated Plant.

Nilesh Narwekar, CEO, JSW Cement, said: “The commissioning of additional 1.00 MTPA grinding capacity at Nagaur is a key strategic priority for us and will accelerate JSW Cement’s expansion into North India. We look forward to servicing the growing needs of the region and contributing to the economic growth of Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab and the NCR area. I am delighted to share that the company has commissioned this grinding unit within the expected timeline, showcasing our project execution capabilities. Further, the Alternate Fuel Handling System and the Waste Heat Recovery system (WHRS) are expected to substantially reduce our production costs going forward.”