New testing and laboratory centre

Bunting’s newly extended manufacturing facility in Redditch, UK houses a world-leading testing and laboratory centre.  The new Customer Experience Centre focuses on material separation with a wide range of high-intensity magnetic separators, eddy current separators and a revolutionary electrostatic separator.
 
There is an extensive range of laboratory-scale and product-sized test equipment.  During the recent expansion of the Redditch manufacturing plant, the testing facility was given a high priority and modernised, providing the ideal location for controlled and extensive material testing.  The new laboratory provides the perfect platform for visits from company representatives to test samples and assess separation capabilities.

The mineral processing focused testing centre area houses one of the most extensive ranges of high-intensity magnetic separators in the world.  Qualified mineral processing engineers undertake test work for mineral processing companies evaluating reserves across the world.  The magnetic separators enable testing in both a dry and wet state on equipment including rare earth roll separators, electromagnetic filters, and magnetic disc separators.  

The separately located recycling test area houses laboratory-scale eddy current separators, stainless steel separators (HISC and SSSC), and standard magnetic separators such as Drum Magnets.  Such equipment enables the recovery and separation of metals and materials otherwise lost to waste.  The latest equipment addition is the electrostatic separator, expanding the scope of material separation in the mineral processing, recycling and plastics sector.  With technology to separate, detect, and recover a wide range and size of ferrous, non-ferrous, stainless steel and other materials, Bunting is able to provide a total material separation solution recycling industry.

In a controlled and clean working area, Bunting provides tests on a wide range of metal detectors including tunnel-type and gravity-fed models.  Metal detectors often work in conjunction with magnetic separators to ensure a final product is metal-free.

Laboratory tests often include comprehensive chemical analysis using a Hitachi High-Tech Analytical Services handheld X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) Analyser.  This enables the analysis of metal, mineral and soil samples by identifying elements such as Mg, Al, Si, P, S, Fe and is also capable of precious metal and rare earth element analysis.  The XRF empowers Bunting technicians to make detailed and accurate recommendations to reach company’s specific requirements and propose detailed process flowsheet options.

In addition, Bunting has established a working association with the Centre for Critical and Strategic Metals at the University of Birmingham.  This link provides access to an extensive range of mineral processing and recycling facilities and additional expertise.

The customer experience centre enables Bunting engineers to work in partnership with companies developing solutions for specific and often difficult applications.  This could be remotely, with samples sent from all over the world, or at site.  Many UK and European based companies send their engineers to Redditch to participate in the test work.

“Having the ability to test and prove the separation capabilities of a specific machine is priceless,” explained Adrian Coleman, the General Manager of Bunting-Redditch.  “There is a constant flow of materials arriving to be tested and being returned.  We are fortunate enough to have unique laboratory-scale technology that enables separations that are simply not possible in other test houses."