GKN Wheels is addressing the current tyre shortage that is hampering the global mining industry, by launching a new system known in the industry as ‘Bigfoot’. The major challenge is on the widely used 57 in size tyres. Given this situation, GKN Wheels has developed an innovative system to allow a 63 in rim assembly to be adapted to a 57 in hub for the Unit Rig MT4400 haul truck. This allows mines to retrofit the larger, more readily available 63 in tyre on haul trucks that would normally use only standard 57 in rims and tyres.
Australian-based Downer Mining created the Bigfoot concept to alleviate the risk of short supply in the standard tyre size for the 240 t haul truck. In order to take the project from concept to solution, Downer Mining approached GKN Wheels.
GKN Wheels’ North American Technical team collaborated with Caterpillar engineers to develop a solution that adapted to the truck without interfering with the standard components of the Unit Rig MT4400 haul truck.
The technical engineering work for the rim arrangements was carried out at GKN’s dedicated Technical Centre in the US (Chicago, Illinois), with manufacture taking place at GKN’s facility in China. Downer Mining now uses the product at its mining operation in Western Australia.
Commenting on the program, Downer Mining Executive General Manager Plant, Danny Boyling, said: “With the company’s dedication to providing unique solutions, our strategic partnership with GKN over the past five years has, and continues to be, of great importance to us to maintain industry-leading mining vehicles and equipment. We challenged the engineers to develop a product that would resolve the tyre availability issue, and as a result of the collaboration between GKN Wheels and Caterpillar Unit Rig, the Bigfoot program has produced an innovative and effective solution that will maximise uptime and productivity of the Unit Rig MT4400 haul truck in service across Australia.
“Bigfoot provides us with many advantages, including increased productivity and tyre life, with a reduction in potential tyre stress and mechanical heat separation events. The predicted benefits run into the millions of dollars for a medium size fleet haul truck. This all equates to a very attractive tyre option for our production teams. With demand severely outweighing global production capacity of the 57 in tyre, Bigfoot helps to prevent truck downtime and ensures that mine productivity is not threatened by tyre availability.”
Len Hensel, Technical Director at GKN Wheels, North America, comments: “The development of the Bigfoot program highlights our focus on innovation and problem-solving capabilities. We have provided an effective solution to the current challenges of tyre availability in the mining sector. Our world-leading engineering expertise and in-house test capabilities make us perfectly placed to react to industry challenges just like this one.”
GKN is increasingly expanding its capability within the mining market, which includes the recent launch of its Swift Wheel Technologies range.