The Sleeve Saver™ features an all-new design engineered to last longer than standard longwall picks, according to Sandvik Mining & Rock Technology.

It works to protect and extend the life of the sleeve and block through an advanced cutting tip and a full-sleeve retainer. A new washer system acts as a bearing, improving rotation and increasing wear life. This results in more uptime and better productivity, Sandvik said.

The Sleeve Saver also enhances safety, as improved wear life reduces the time miners are exposed to the longwall face to replace worn picks, sleeves and blocks. Its universal design fits grooved and ungrooved sleeves.

The product’s cap cemented carbide cutting tip is larger than standard tips, and its efficient low-energy profile design requires less energy to cut material, generating less dust and contributing to overall longer wear life.

A large, non-rotating, full-sleeve retainer protects the entire block bore, with a new washer system that acts as a sacrificial wear bearing, absorbing the wear associated with the pick’s collar that otherwise would be absorbed by the face of the sleeve. The washer also helps to keep abrasive fines from entering the sleeve.

The retainer design reduces likelihood of the drum ‘throwing’ the picks. Superior tool rotation contributes to even wear of the tip for a longer lifecycle.

Average downtime cost for block and sleeve repair is $400/min, according to Sandvik.

“The new Sleeve Saver longwall pick will not only save up to $24,000/h in downtime costs for maintenance, but because it lasts longer than a standard pick, it will reduce the amount of time miners are exposed to the unstable longwall face. Because it protects the entire block bore, it reduces the required frequency of welding on new blocks, which must be avoided in potentially gaseous underground coal environments,” the company said.

The Sleeve Saver is unlike any other longwall tool on the market, according to Sandvik, ultimately providing miners and mine owners with these benefits:

• Increased productivity: less machine downtime for tool, sleeve and block change-outs means more uptime producing coal;
• Increased safety: reduced dust generation and less exposure to the longwall for changeouts results in better safety;
• Lower maintenance costs: Sleeve Saver minimises wear on the tool and the entire block bore, and;
• Longer service life: the Sleeve Saver lasts twice as long as conventional tools in longwall applications, and provides up to 250% longer holder life, based on field and lab tests.

Sandvik’s patented carbide alloy tips mean its tools for multiple industries are the toughest there is.

“In all applications, it is the carbide tip that is the key to tool performance and wear life,” Sandvik said.