OREANDA-NEWS. 381 proposals for improvement have been introduced over the year at the Russia’s largest uranium mining enterprise - Priargunskoe Mining and Chemical Union (PIMCU). Their implementation reduced time expenditures and costs of consumables, as well as improved workplace layouts, safety performance etc.

The leader in the number of submitted proposals among PIMCU divisions was Repair and Mechanical Plant. Maintenance technician Denis Pfeiffer created a device for installation of the inner and outer bearing race, the use of which enabled to reduce compactor assembly time by 7 minutes, while the development of a tool for lapping of cylinder head valves (created by miller Stepan Staritsyn) enabled to reduce the time to assemble the engine by half an hour.

The leader in savings of time required for operating processes was the team of Shaft Sinking Division of PIMCU - deputy chief engineer for mining operations Andrei Radchenko, deputy head of Production and Technical Department Sergey Serov and lead mining engineer of Industrial Engineering Department Natalia Filatova. Software implementation reduced the time needed to develop a lining specification from two working days down to 15 minutes!

The best proposal in terms of savings of raw stock and materials was submitted by workers of Urtuyskoe Mining Directorate and Production Support Department of PIMCU. Electrician Fedor Myatlev developed and installed a spillage protection device for crushing plant. A change in the design of contact welding machine on proposal of the head of the automation laboratory Yuri Zhitluhin enabled to save up to 58 kg of electrodes per year.

19 proposals for improvement of operating processes were accepted for implementation at JSC Dalur. The competition committee considered proposals that speed up the loading and unloading of resin trucks, improve filter press control process, upgrade overhead crane in the repair box as the most interesting and significant ones.

Three suggestions for improvement were accepted for implementation at JSC Khiagda. The company considered the proposal to create a unified stock item catalogue of materials and equipment, submitted by the head of Procurement Department Alexander Vasiliev, as the best one.
17 improvement ideas were implemented at the management company. In particular, results included reduction in the amount of reporting and improvement of access control system.

Authors of all improvement proposals accepted for implementation were awarded. Innovation proposals are accepted at enterprises of ARMZ Uranium Holding Co. all year round. Main categories include "Performance Improvement ", "Quality improvement" and "Resource Efficiency".
"People realize that the main task for today is to increase production efficiency and reduce costs. Development and implementation of each project, even the smallest one, is very interesting and compelling for those who are excited about production process and strive to improve it, "- noted Alexander Kosarev, Director for Development of Production System "Rosatom", ARMZ Uranium Holding Co.