A mine needs a lifting system – Technology Grade 8 Mini Pat Term 3 Questions and answers pdf. This mini-PAT will run over four weeks. For this mini-PAT, you should form teams. Each team will pretend to be a mechanical engineering company. Each company will submit a tender for the design and construction of a “mine-lifting system”, commonly called “mine shaft headgear”.
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The lifting system is used to take miners underground and back up again. It is also used to lift the mined ore to the surface. After you have designed your lifting system, you will have to make a model of it. The model will have a mine winch, shaft headgear and a lift cage.
Technology Grade 8 Mini Pat Term 3 Questions and answers pdf Download
What does the headgear of a mine do?
The headgear is the tall structure above a mine shaft. Its main job is to hold up the system that moves equipment, workers, and materials up and down the mine. Without it, nothing could be safely transported in or out of the mine.
For example, imagine a crane lifting materials on a construction site. The headgear is like the tall part of the crane that supports the pulley system, allowing it to lift and lower materials.
What happens in the winding house of a mine?
The winding house is where the machinery that moves the hoisting cables is located. Inside, there’s a drum that winds and unwinds the cable, which moves the cages or skips up and down the mine shaft. The winding house must work accurately because it controls the movement of people and materials.
Think of it like the engine of a car. The engine powers the car’s movement, just like the winding house powers the movement of the mine’s hoisting system.
Explain what a sheave wheel is and what it does.
A sheave wheel is a large, grooved wheel at the top of the headgear. It guides the cable that lifts and lowers the load in the mine shaft. The sheave wheel reduces friction and wear on the cable, helping it to last longer and work more efficiently.
Picture a bicycle. The sheave wheel is like the gears that guide the chain and make it easier to pedal smoothly without wearing out the chain.
What does a head frame do?
The head frame is an important part of the mine’s structure. It supports the sheave wheel and the hoisting system, allowing the cable to run straight down into the mine shaft. This is crucial for safely lifting and lowering loads.
Imagine a ladder supporting you as you climb up or down. The head frame does a similar job for the cable system, keeping everything stable and secure.
Why do the legs on a head frame always slope towards the winch?
The legs of a head frame slope towards the winch to keep the structure stable. This design helps balance the forces at play when heavy loads are being moved, ensuring that the head frame stays strong and doesn’t tip over.
Think of a tripod stand for a camera. The legs are spread out to keep the stand stable, just like the sloped legs of the head frame keep it steady under heavy loads.
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Week by week Guide
Week 1
- Investigate: Mineshaft headgear and head frames…
- Investigate: Mine winches.
- Design: Design brief, specifications and constraints for a mine shaft headgear
Week 2
- Evaluate: Choose and combine the best ideas
- Make: Sketch your team’s final design
- Make: Draw your head frame design
- Make: Draw your head frame design to scale
- Make: Draw your head frame design as a 3D isometric projection
Week 3
- Make: List of materials and budget
- Make: A model head frame
Week 4
- Make: Complete your model
- Communicate: Present your tender
- Evaluate different tenders
