Engineering

Mechanical Engineering & Design

  • • Belt (surface and underground), drag, and screw conveyors as well as bucket elevators

    • General layout, detailed design, vendor specification, coordination, and integration, etc.
    – Prepare performance specifications and layout drawings to support a vendor design supply package
    – Design the system based on the performance criteria for the project, incorporating site standard components, and taking into consideration site preferences regarding access and maintenance

    • Custom-designed head pulley, drive, take-up, tail pulley, and loading zone structures
    – Back or floor mounted
    – Including guarding and maintenance platforms with stair or ladder access

    • Modifications and upgrades to existing equipment

    • Drive replacement, upgrades, and modifications including component sizing

  • • Custom equipment design
    – From concept development to detailed fabrication drawings and components specification

    • Hydraulic, pneumatic, and/or electric powered with direct, belt, or chain drives

    • Custom equipment guards incorporating site specific maintenance requirements and recommendations

  • • Custom designed transfer chutes and loading zones

    • Reduced dust generation

    • Reduced chute wear with focused installation of wear plate or replaceable chute sections

    • Improved product loading resulting in fewer belt tracking issues, less spillage, and reduced maintenance on skirting rubber

  • • Evaluation of existing bins
    – Eurocode and FEA evaluation using existing bin wall thicknesses to determine critical areas
    – Integration of redundant hopper supports to reduce the risk of catastrophic failure

    • Design of new bins
    – Material loading evaluation
    – Analysis and design to Eurocode standards
    – Material selection based on flow characteristics, corrosion mitigation, and cost
    – Integration of chutes, feeders, diverters, gates, etc.

    • Piping

    • Dust Collection

    • HVAC

Electrical/instrumentation engineering & design

  • • Software package used to simulate bulk material flow

    • Integral to the design of custom transfer chutes

    • Requires experience and an in-depth understanding of the mechanics of bulk material flow to design a proper chute
    – Learning DEM software is only part of the solution to designing a proper chute
    – Understanding the specific causes of material degradation and dust creation, and how to reduce those issues, are integral to interpreting the results of the DEM analysis, and using it to design of a proper chute

Structural Engineering & Design

  • • Miscellaneous equipment and pipe supports

    • Infill steel and handrail

    • Modifications to and replacement of existing structural steel

  • • Mainstay will work with site maintenance to develop plans regarding the layout of monorails, lifting beams, and lifting lugs to satisfy project requirements

    • Mainstay will prepare lifting plans for specific tasks such as lowering equipment down the shaft or maneuvering components into position during installation

  • • Structural connections can be detailed on the structural drawings allowing the option for site fabrication

    • Experienced reviewers can provide the benefit of avoiding common issues such as:
    – Structures being shipped to site fully welded
    – Diagonal bracing with holes slotted in the direction of the bracing
    – Welded end plate connections where double clip angles are preferable

    • Larger structures and small buildings

    • Concrete (slab on grade, structural slabs)

    • Foundations

Discrete Element Modeling (DEM)

  • • Software package used to simulate bulk material flow

    • Integral to the design of custom transfer chutes

    • Requires experience and an in-depth understanding of the mechanics of bulk material flow to design a proper chute
    – Learning DEM software is only part of the solution to designing a proper chute
    – Understanding the specific causes of material degradation and dust creation, and how to reduce those issues, are integral to interpreting the results of the DEM analysis, and using it to design of a proper chute

Finite Element Analysis (FEA)

  • • Mainstay uses Inventor Nastran for analysis of mechanical components requiring detailed stress analysis

    • Mainstay uses Robot Structural Analysis Professional when simple hand calculations become more complex and time consuming

Project Studies & Capital Cost Estimates

  • • Mainstay will provide preliminary engineering and design (study) services to support the site capital planning process

    • Mainstay will work with clients, fabricators, vendors, etc. to prepare capital cost estimates based on the study scope to support the capital planning and project approval process

    • Mainstay will help clients prepare scope of work documents to assist with the RFP process