Cat cuts GET maintenance time with Durilock Lip Shroud System for underground LHDs

Caterpillar says it has cut underground LHD bucket maintenance time and increased loading flexibility with the introduction of its new Durilock™ Lip Shroud System for underground loader buckets.

The fully integrated bucket system features hammerless installation and maintenance-free retention of ground engaging tools (GET) with Cat Infinitite™ elastomer compression retainers. Three interchangeable shroud styles enable a mining operation to quickly remove one type and replace with the type best suited to the loader application – without changing the base edge or retention system.

Durilock delivers 50% faster installation and removal of GET compared with legacy, mechanically attached systems, Cat says, and, because there is no need to re-torque bolts periodically, maintenance time for GET is reduced by more than 50%. Additionally, integral corner guards extend bucket in-service time by about 30%.

The Durilock Shroud System is available for Cat R1700 to R3000 loaders and most buckets of 5-10 cu.m capacity.

The Cat Infinitite retention design provides superior retention reliability without time spent performing re-torque procedures, according to Cat. The elastomer compression retainer installs in seconds to allow fast installation and removal, while there is no complex hardware to fail, handle or tighten.

The Durilock system offers three different shroud styles to match the GET to the application and conditions in the mine. The D50S Standard is a traditional wedge shape used in most production and development applications. The D50A Abrasion has a contoured design and repositions more material on the shroud base, and the D50P Penetration has less leading-edge material to deliver easier penetration in dense material.

The lip assembly provides the mounting surfaces for the shrouds and corner protectors, which balance corner and centre station wear rates. Cast corners are welded to the base edge assembly to create the lip assembly. The corners incorporate a stepped design that eliminates corner shroud torsional loads and delivers superior reliability, according to Cat. The integral corner design boosts corner life by 15%, Cat claims, and improves penetration as compared with systems that experience corner erosion and shortened bucket life due to corner rounding.

“With the addition of Durilock, Caterpillar has a complete portfolio of GET products that are designed to meet the unique and challenging requirements of any underground mine,” the company said.