Power management company Eaton has announced that the Airflex® Floating Housing Brake, an air-cooled spring-applied brake featuring long-wearing friction material and a rugged rotating disc, is now available in sizes 130 and 138. Designed with a tapered shaft lock (TSL), exceptional friction life and “quick change” friction lining to reduce maintenance time and cost, the brake is built for heavy duty dragline equipment for surface mining operations.

The brake’s friction pads can hold up to 2400 E-stops before a friction change is needed, requiring replacement one or two times every three to five years, instead of up to six times per year. When replacement is required, the “quick change” friction lining can be replaced in minutes, instead of the hours required for traditional braking systems. The TSL also helps maximise service life by eliminating spline wear during freewheeling.

“At Eaton, we understand that limiting downtime is paramount to the success of mining operations. Even scheduled downtime for maintenance can eat into the productivity and profitability of a mine,” said Mike Williams, Product Line Manager, Eaton. “The Airflex Floating Housing Brake is revolutionary disc brake technology that reduces downtime and maintenance costs by maximizing friction life, eliminating gear spline wear, lowering inertia and speeding maintenance.”

The Floating Housing Brake drastically reduces rotational inertia as compared to typical caliper brake systems. With 20% less inertia on hoist functions and seven percent less inertia on swing functions, the softer braking capability reduces thermal power loading, yielding softer braking and less friction and motor wear. Airflex Floating Housing Brakes are compatible with a wide range of motors. The brakes are rated for 288,000 in-lbs to 432,900 in-lbs of torque.