NMS Maintenance Services Breathe New Life into Aging Production Lines

A production line that has been operating for more than 10 years will inevitably face recurring challenges. Efficiency declines, downtime becomes more frequent, the gap between actual output and design capacity widens, and maintenance costs continue to rise.

Hunan Yijin Mining, a copper-molybdenum mining project with an annual production capacity of 600,000 tonnes, once faced these very challenges. The project’s two production lines were equipped with complete crushing and screening systems supplied by NMS in 2016 and 2018, respectively. However, as operating years accumulated, environmental protection standards became increasingly stringent, equipment deterioration intensified, skilled workers became scarce, and routine maintenance fell short. These compounding issues led to frequent unplanned shutdowns and severely constrained the capacity of the mineral processing system.

After learning about the project’s situation, the maintenance team from Jiangxi Gold Intelligent Service Engineering Co., Ltd. (GIS), an NMS subsidiary, promptly mobilized to the site. From laboratory analysis of the ore’s Bond Work Index and Abrasion Index to a comprehensive review of the process flows and systematic inspections of equipment operating conditions and electrical systems, the team accurately identified each bottleneck.

With the diagnosis complete, the maintenance and upgrade plan was quickly put into action. The process flows were optimized, crusher chamber configurations and wear-resistant materials were upgraded, and the electrical systems were connected to the intelligent O&M management platform to enable predictive inspections. The environmental dust collection systems were rebuilt, and inefficient elements in the production layout were systematically addressed.

Following the upgrades, hourly equipment throughput increased from less than 300 tonnes to nearly 400 tonnes, while the failure rate dropped to below 3%. Monthly maintenance downtime was reduced to just five days, an 80% reduction. The standby production line was largely no longer needed, operating costs fell significantly, and unplanned shutdowns became largely a thing of the past.

The completion of the upgrades was not the end, but the beginning of long-term support. After the work was completed, the maintenance team transitioned to an on-site service model. Powered by NMS’s intelligent O&M platform, the team provides round-the-clock monitoring, refined management, and predictive maintenance for the production lines. By responding quickly and addressing issues precisely without disrupting production, the team helps ensure long-term, stable operation.

On one occasion, the intelligent O&M platform detected abnormal high-frequency vibration readings from a CC600 cone crusher and immediately issued an alert. Upon receiving the notification, the on-site team promptly inspected the equipment and confirmed that the concave had developed a crack. After the concave was replaced, the high-frequency vibration readings immediately returned to normal, and the production line resumed stable operation. A potentially serious failure that could have caused equipment damage and halted the entire production line was prevented at an early stage. This incident demonstrated the practical value of predictive maintenance.

In 2025, Hunan Yijin Mining was recognized as a National Green Mine, while its crushing workshop team was named a 2025 Hunan Provincial Model Team for Mine Safety Production. These two honors recognize the production line’s stable, efficient, and environmentally responsible operation, and serve as strong recognition of the on-site maintenance team’s work.

An aging production line does not necessarily have to be replaced. Professional LCS full life-cycle maintenance services can restore its performance and help it meet its operational potential once again. Backed by NMS’s technical expertise and a team of professional maintenance specialists, its subsidiary GIS provides customized, intelligent maintenance services that help customers reduce costs, maintain stable production, and improve efficiency—breathing new life into every piece of equipment.