Screw Press Support Legs and Conveyor Rail — Container-Mounted System

Malaga, Western Australia | April 2026

Reviewed by: Elite Engineering WA • AS/NZS 1554 Certified

Structural Steel Custom Fabrication Mining & Resources

Project Summary

Elite Engineering WA fabricated structural steel support legs and a retractable conveyor rail system for a container-mounted screw press installation. The project involved designing and manufacturing support frames that could accommodate a large screw press while allowing a screw conveyor to extend out from the side of the container during operation, then retract fully for transport.

The assembly was fabricated from carbon steel with hot-dip galvanising for corrosion protection in mining environments. Working with our client, we developed a solution that balanced structural integrity with operational flexibility—the screw conveyor slides in and out along precision-engineered rails, giving the client the ability to deploy their filtration system quickly and relocate it without permanent site modifications.

Project Context

Our client operates a containerised screw press system that needs to be mobile yet fully functional in mining applications. The challenge was clear: the equipment had to fit inside a standard container for road transport, but once on site, the screw conveyor required significant reach outside the container envelope for effective operation.

Standard support frames wouldn’t work because they couldn’t accommodate both the containment requirement during transport and the extended working envelope during use. The client needed a custom solution—structural steel supports strong enough to handle the screw press loads, with integrated slide rails that would allow smooth conveyor extension and retraction without compromising structural stability.

Design and Engineering Requirements

The key design constraints shaped every decision on this project:

Load capacity: The support legs needed to carry the full weight of the screw press and associated equipment, including dynamic loads during operation
Container compatibility: All components had to fit within standard container dimensions when retracted for transport
Conveyor extension range: The slide system had to provide sufficient reach for the screw conveyor to discharge material effectively outside the container
Retractable mechanism: When not in use, the entire conveyor assembly had to retract fully and lock securely for road transport
Corrosion resistance: Hot-dip galvanising was specified for long-term protection in mining and industrial environments
Installation flexibility: Bolted flange base plates allow the assembly to be secured to various foundation types at different sites

The Solution

We engineered a modular steel support frame with integrated conveyor slide rails. The primary structure consists of heavy-duty structural steel members with precision-welded bracing to handle both static and dynamic loads. Base flange plates are bolted for ease of installation and relocation.

The retractable conveyor system uses engineered slide rails that run the length of the support assembly. These rails allow the screw conveyor to extend out from the container side during operation and retract fully when the system needs to be transported. Locking mechanisms secure the conveyor in both extended and retracted positions to prevent movement during transport or when the system is idle.

All structural welding was completed to AS/NZS 1554.1 Category SP standard. After fabrication, the complete assembly was hot-dip galvanised to provide the corrosion protection necessary for mining site applications and long service life.

Manufacturing Process

The project followed our standard structural steel fabrication workflow:

Stage 1: Material preparation Structural steel sections were cut to size using our CNC plasma cutting equipment. All members were prepared and checked against the engineering drawings before assembly commenced.

Stage 2: Assembly and welding The support frame was assembled in our Malaga workshop with full penetration welds on all critical structural joints. Precision jigs ensured the slide rails remained perfectly aligned—misalignment would cause binding in the conveyor mechanism during operation.

Stage 3: Quality control Each support assembly underwent dimensional checking to verify that all critical dimensions met the engineering requirements. The slide rails were tested for smooth operation with no binding or excessive play.

Stage 4: Surface preparation and galvanising After fabrication, the assemblies were prepared for hot-dip galvanising. All surfaces were cleaned and prepared to AS/NZS 4680 requirements before being immersed in the galvanising bath. The final coating provides long-term corrosion protection in harsh mining environments.

Stage 5: Final inspection and despatch Galvanised assemblies were inspected for coating quality and completeness. The completed units were palletised and prepared for transport to the client’s site.

Standards Compliance

All structural welding on this project was completed to AS/NZS 1554.1 Category SP (Standard Purpose). This standard covers structural steel welding for general fabrication where full structural integrity is required but the application does not fall under the more stringent requirements of Category BP (Bridge and Pressure).

Hot-dip galvanising was completed to AS/NZS 4680, ensuring coating thickness and adhesion meet the requirements for long-term corrosion protection in aggressive environments.

Project Benefits

Operational flexibility: The retractable conveyor system allows the client to deploy their screw press equipment in various locations without permanent site infrastructure. When the job is complete, everything retracts into the container for road transport.

Structural integrity: Heavy-duty structural steel fabrication provides the load-bearing capacity needed for continuous screw press operation in demanding mining applications.

Transport efficiency: The container-compatible design means the equipment can be moved between sites using standard road transport, reducing mobilisation costs and expanding the client’s operational reach.

Long service life: Hot-dip galvanising ensures the support structure will withstand decades of mining site conditions without significant corrosion deterioration.

Applications

Container-mounted screw press systems with retractable conveyor rails are used across multiple industries:

Mining dewatering operations — portable filtration systems that can move between different mine sites as mining fronts advance
Civil construction projects — temporary dewatering and sludge handling for large-scale construction sites
Industrial maintenance turnaround — portable filtration for plant maintenance shutdowns
Environmental remediation — mobile treatment systems for contaminated site cleanup
Resource processing — modular filtration systems that can be relocated as processing needs change