Designing groundbreaking copper refining technology.

• Author: Stewart, Nick
• Position: Ionic Engineering

Having recently patented a new preparation system for copper refineries, the co-owner of a Sudbury engineering and manufacturing firm says the company has unlocked the next phase of technological progress for the industry

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"We've developed the highest-capacity system in the world," says Steve Matusch, co-owner, Ionic Engineering.

"It's pretty much better in all respects than anything anybody else produces. It's smaller, faster and more productive than what's out there right now."

During the refining process, copper is converted into 800-pound cast slabs, known as anodes. These anodes must undergo a special treatment process in preparation for final refining operations, and the systems that perform such processes range hundreds of feet across while handling 500 anodes per hour. With the ability to process up to 600 anodes per hour, Ionic's new 120-ton system is 20 per cent faster, 50 per cent lighter and 60 per cent smaller.

By shrinking the size of the unit to 60 feet across by 20 feet wide, Ionic is also shrinking the time required to install a newly purchased system into the plant. While such systems typically take three months to install as crews assemble it piece by piece, the reduced size of Ionic's system allows it to be shipped in a nearly complete state. The majority of the construction and quality control is even performed in-house prior to delivery. This reduces the installation time to four weeks, freeing up manpower which could be used elsewhere, Matusch says.

"This ensures that companies are purchasing equipment rather than a construction project. This is especially important in foreign markets where language can be a barrier to proper assembly."

Rather than work from the basic anode preparation system design that has been recycled for decades, Matusch says Ionic decided to create its new system from scratch. This involved implementing some of the newest robotic technologies seen in the automotive manufacturing sector. Replacing the hydraulic systems with industrial robots is the key difference and makes ionic the biggest robotics integrator north of Barrie, Matusch...