Tag Archives: ground engaging tools

Murray Engineering showcasing GET, safety systems and EV charger at IMARC

Environmental, Equipment maintenance, Mining equipment, Mining events, Mining services, , , , , , ,

One of Australia’s largest multi-disciplined mining and civil engineering companies, Murray Engineering, is again taking centre stage on the IMARC exhibition floor this year, presenting visitors with new products as well as those that have already been well received by the markets.

Murray Engineering’s positioning at the entrance to the ICC Sydney IMARC exhibition area means attendees will get a good look at the Talon BPX ground engaging tools (GET) and JumboGuard drilling safety system. The company will also again show off part of its electric vehicle charger range.

Murray said a year ago it planned to transform GET safety and longevity at major underground mining contractor Byrnecut’s sites over a 12-to-18-month period by deploying Talon BPX GET and Key Account Manager, Nathan Bradshaw, says progress has been swift and well received.

“We have currently completed over 50 loader conversions and will continue the rollout next year whilst we continue to work with Talon on product development and improvement, ultimately driving down the operating costs for our customers,” he says. “We have seen a massive reduction in downtime when the bucket teeth are eventually required to be changed out.

“Then there is the significant improvement in safety with the hammerless design as well as a reduction in manual handling. It is truly a win-win for the team.”

The Malaysian-made Talon BPX GET has a hammerless mechanical system with a pull-on/push-off mechanism that actively moves the shroud on the lip during installation and removal, significantly enhancing the safety of maintenance personnel, Murray Engineering says. Murray has also worked with Talon to introduce a “closed-loop recycling system” in which worn GET is collected on site and returned to the foundry to be re-processed into new units.

“We have seen our customers, improve safety, reduce operating costs and really engage with the recycling program,” Bradshaw says. “We have currently sent over 65 tonnes of waste product back to the foundry for processing. It gives our customers the confidence that we are genuinely engaging in the total life cycle of the product, from the foundry to the foundry.

“We are currently talking to many potential customers about the product introduction. When you can offer improved safety with a reduction in operating costs and a reduction in downtime with a closed-loop recycling program, it really is a no-brainer. It’s an amazing product.”

JumboGuard, a product designed in Australia by Victoria’s YUMARR Automation, has been in the market longer than the Talon GET.

YUMARR developed a laser scanner-based jumbo assistance system that can be retrofitted to all types of underground drilling equipment, including production drills, cable bolters and development drills. The system “observes” the machine’s surroundings and monitors the movement of people. If a person moves into a hazardous area or if a hazard is detected it shuts down the boom hydraulics, blocking movement and rotation of the drifter and boom.

Murray Control Systems Manager, Michael Finney, says more than 250 of the units have been sold in Australia and now the first JumboGuards have been deployed at sites offshore.

“We are now deploying generation two units,” Finney says. “We are constantly reviewing data and feedback provided by our customers to ensure the best possible performance from the system.”

IMARC is running from October 29-31 at the ICC Sydney. International Mining is a media sponsor of the event

Weir offers up a ‘revolution’ for GET rope shovel dippers

Equipment maintenance, Mining consumables, Mining equipment, Mining services, Steel and iron ore, , , , , , ,

It is always hard to replace a tried and trusted brand, but the ESCO® NEXSYS® GET Lip System for rope shovel dippers looks to be making a strong business case for mine sites already used to working with the existing Whisler Plus™ system.

Weir says the system is designed to lower lip maintenance requirements, extend tooth and adapter life and, ultimately, provide miners with longer uninterrupted shovel operation.

The Weir – ESCO Division has achieved this using field data from hundreds of Whisler Plus system installations, laboratory simulation and analysis and customer input, it says.

“We’ve been serving Whisler Plus customers for 20 years. We are proud of the reputation it has within the marketplace for wear life and longevity,” Kevin Stangeland, Vice President of Global Products, ESCO, told IM at the recent MINExpo 2024, in Las Vegas. “At the time of its release, Whisler Plus was seen as revolutionary; it has allowed us to capture a market share close to 50%.”

Considering the machines these systems are used on are viewed as the workhorses of the open-pit sector, rope shovels, ESCO knew it would need something equally revolutionary to move existing customers onto a new product.

Stangeland and the ESCO team believe they have achieved that.

The NEXSYS system comes with a new tooth design that requires fewer point changes, according to the company. This is thanks to a rear wear cap that extends service life and protects the rear stabiliser boss. Additionally, the system has dual lock slots to allow lock installation on the side of the dipper with less wear. A single sealed lock on the GET teeth reduces impacted fines for easier removal with an off-the-shelf hand tool.

Weir also stresses the benefits of an optimised nose position and geometry for an extension of adapter life with improved penetration and loading. An advanced point configuration maintains a sharp profile and increases life by over 15%, the company claims.

The addition of a leading edge lip insert – made from a very high hardness alloy – to increase adapter stability and better distribute loads, provides up to four times greater resistance to wear, reducing overall rebuild complexity and cost, according to Weir.

Add to this an up to 15% lighter adapter for overall system weight savings and Weir clearly has a product in contention for retaining – or building on – the market share the Whisler Plus has accrued.

At MINExpo, Stangeland confirmed the NEXSYS GET Lip System had been “in the dirt” with field trials for over 18 months at three trial sites – one of these in iron ore – with up to 40% total cost of ownership reductions calculated through fewer “downtime events” and fewer components used during the campaign.

He said the company was using the findings from these positive trials to “refine” and “optimise” the system ahead of going commercial with NEXSYS system.

Epiroc Scooptrams to receive the Wearpact GET treatment

Equipment maintenance, Mining equipment, , , , , ,

Epiroc Scooptram underground loaders can now be equipped with CR Powered by Epiroc Wearpact ground engagement tools (GET) option as factory-fit, the OEM says, offering extended wear life.

Wearpact GET is a premium edge lip built feature on the bucket, suitable for any material and loading conditions, according to the company. This integration follows CR, an Australian provider of advanced GET and digital solutions, joining Epiroc in February 2023.

Epiroc says its high performance underground loaders are designed with safety, reliability, serviceability, productivity and operator comfort in mind. Customers can augment these benefits by adding the Wearpact feature to the Scooptram loader for hard-rock underground mining applications.

The Wearpact GET is a safe, high-quality, bolt-on GET system. The low profile, self-sharpening edge ensures optimal penetration and clean engagement at every pass, ensuring up to 40% longer wear life, according to the company.

Erik Gert, Global Product Manager – Large Loaders, Underground division, Epiroc, said: “The Scooptram underground loaders are productive machines and one of the most important parts that keeps productivity ongoing is a well functioning bucket. By adding the Wearpact GET option on a standard machine, customers will enhance their loader bucket with a longer life. This means less time spent in the repair shop and less downtime for the Scooptram loader, leading to a continuous productivity cycle.”

Hannah Sabih, CR Powered by Epiroc GM Underground, added: “Epiroc’s loaders are already market-leading, and now buckets will come with our Wearpact GET for the best possible performance. The retainer is engaged from the top of the lip, enabling safer installation and change out, as well as reliable retention. The low profile ensures maximum wear life of the GET, reducing maintenance downtime and improving machine availability.”

The GET is already available for Scooptram ST18 and Scooptram ST14 loaders in the Smart and Green series, with Scooptram ST7 and Scooptram ST1030 options available in 2025, the company says.

Weir expands ESCO GET capacity with new foundry in China

Equipment maintenance, Mining consumables, Mining equipment, Mining services, , , , , ,

The Weir Group has officially opened its new foundry in Xuzhou, China, expanding capacity for the manufacture of ESCO® ground engaging tools (GET) in line with continued growth opportunities.

The foundry, which is part of Weir’s ESCO global foundry network, celebrated the breaking of ground back in July 2022.

The opening ceremony, hosted by Weir’s CEO, Jon Stanton, was attended by a Senior Leadership Team from Xuzhou Hi-Tech Industry Zone and other members of Weir and its ESCO division from China and across the globe.

Occupying a 16.5-acre (6.7-ha) site in Xuzhou’s High-Tech Industrial Zone, the new foundry features the very latest technology and equipment, incorporating high levels of automation, the company says. These enable Weir to optimise capacity and enhance its foundry processes, improving efficiency and further reducing cost of manufacture, aligned with the goals of Weir’s Performance Excellence transformation program. The company added: “It strengthens our global foundry network, ensuring we remain highly responsive to customers’ needs.”

The new foundry represents a $60 million investment and will replace the existing foundry that is located close by. Staying in Xuzhou allows Weir to, it says, capitalise on its culture of continuous improvement and sustainability, resulting in consistently high performance in process control, safety, employee engagement and on-time delivery.

The new foundry has been designed to produce a wider range of our proprietary GET products, including larger sized components, enabling the manufacture of more product types in a more cost-effective way, according to Weir. It expands the company’s foundry capacity in China by over 30% and provides additional flexibility across its global network to best serve customers around the world.

Stanton said: “The opening of our new foundry in Xuzhou is a significant strategic milestone for Weir. I’d like to congratulate our project team in Xuzhou who have designed and built what we expect to be the safest, most efficient, most sustainable, most advanced foundry within our global network. I’d also like to thank our partners throughout the Xuzhou Government for their time and experience to help deliver this important project.

“This investment demonstrates our commitment to long-term presence and economic contribution in Xuzhou, ensuring Weir drives further efficiency and sustainability in our operations while supporting our continued growth as supplier of premium mining GET technology to customers worldwide.”

MotionMetrics-BeltMetrics

Weir eyes game-changing energy intensity reductions with ore characterisation project

Base metals, Comminution of minerals, Environmental, IoT, Mineral processing, Mining equipment, Mining software, Sustainable mining, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

With an extensive footprint from the rock face all the way through to tailings, it was only a matter of time before the Weir Group decided to enter the ore sorting game.

In recent years, the company has re-focused as a pureplay mining and aggregates company that can provide value throughout the flowsheet.

The company ditched its oil & gas exposure and added to its process plant and tailings remit with the acquisition of ESCO, a front-end-focused mining technology company with leading market share in the ground engaging tool (GET) segment.

Having more recently incorporated Motion Metrics into the mix – now within the ESCO division – it is embarking on a project that could have positive ramifications throughout the wider Weir Group offering.

Motion Metrics is a developer of artificial intelligence (AI) and 3D rugged machine vision technology. Its smart, rugged cameras monitor and provide data on equipment performance, faults, payloads and rock fragmentation (read: particle size distribution (PSD)). This data is then analysed using embedded and cloud-based AI to provide real-time feedback to the mining operation.

Initially developed for GET applications, these technologies have recently been extended into a suite of products and solutions that can be applied from drill and blast through to primary processing. Motion Metrics has, in the process, built up an impressive customer base and income stream, performing well since the acquisition.

Weir has outlined a £500 million-plus ($604 million-plus) emerging digital market opportunity for the entity, with much of this hinged on rugged machine vision technology, its sophisticated digital platform and the ability to add ore sensing to its offering.

This became clear at the company’s recent Capital Markets Day during a presentation from Chris Carpenter, VP of Technology for Weir ESCO.

Sensing, not sorting

At this event, Carpenter said the company was combining Motion Metrics’ PSD capability with ore characterisation technology to explore high-value opportunities for its clients.

“Looking further out, we believe ore characterisation…has the potential to transform mining by moving less rock, using less energy and creating less waste,” he said during his presentation. “Ore characterisation technology, which is underpinned by sophisticated sensing systems, captures critical data on properties and composition of rock, including rock hardness and mineral and moisture content.”

“When coupled with Motion Metrics fragmentation analysis technology, it has the potential to be a game changer, giving miners a full picture of the size and characteristics of rocks.”

Weir has outlined a £500 million-plus emerging digital market opportunity for Motion Metrics, with much of this hinged on rugged machine vision technology, its sophisticated digital platform and the ability to add ore sensing to its offering

This concept is not new. Measuring the quality of ore has been spoken of for decades and, more recently, has become a reality with the likes of MineSense, NextOre, IMA Engineering, Scantech, Malvern Panalytical and Rados International, among others, all having trialled technology or deployed commercial solutions across multiple commodities and sites.

Metso Outotec, one of Weir Minerals’ big competitors in the plant and tailings arena, has also spoken of the potential for bulk ore sorting by using its existing portfolio of material handling modules, crushing stations, mobile crushing equipment and bulk material handling solutions as the basis, while incorporating sensors from other vendors.

Weir believes it is one step ahead of its OEM counterpart in its pursuit of ore sorting, even if Carpenter is only referring to the trials currently being conducted at an unnamed copper mine as “ore characterisation” studies.

“With the acquisition of Motion Metrics, what we essentially bought was the ruggedised vision systems used in both mobile and fixed applications,” he told IM in January. “While the ore sensing piece is by no means trivial, the integrated AI capabilities and digital infrastructure that allows the data to be transported via a variety of avenues is incredibly important.

“Being able to pick up the data is one thing but being able to transport that data to the right people in a secure, accurate and timely manner is something different altogether.”

With a portfolio that includes LoaderMetrics™, BeltMetrics™, TruckMetrics™ and CrusherMetrics™, Motion Metrics and the Weir ESCO R&D team had several potential applications to start its ore characterisation journey with.

The company has settled on a BeltMetrics installation for its first trial, with Carpenter confirming the sensing solution under the microscope is currently positioned above a conveyor that is directly after the crusher in the flowsheet.

“We feel we will learn quickest over a conveyor belt, so it is really an expansion of the existing BeltMetrics solution that we will start with,” he said.

The sensing options open to Motion Metrics for this trial were also vast, with the aforementioned ore sorting vendors using the likes of X-ray Fluorescence, magnetic resonance, prompt gamma neutron activation analysis, pulsed fast thermal neutron activation, and others within their solutions.

Motion Metrics has chosen to incorporate hyperspectral imaging into its PSD mix.

Carpenter explained: “When you think about ore characterisation, we are just moving from a visual spectrum base with Motion Metrics vision-based systems to the expanded light spectrum for gathering data and making decisions. This is all being built on the established digital platform the company has.”

The company is not alone in using this type of technology. MineSense has spoken of trials using multispectral sensing technologies, while Australia-based Plotlogic has been tapping hyperspectral imaging to provide precision orebody knowledge prior to mining.

Collaborating on energy intensity reductions

Safety, scalability and flexibility were three factors taken into account with the hyperspectral imaging decision, but Carpenter was also aware of the potential limitations in using such technology.

Mines will need to be willing to make some changes and invest in alternative infrastructure to leverage the most value out of the solution the company is putting forward.

“That is where productivity partnerships that we spoke about on the Capital Markets Day are going to be really important,” he said. “It is going to be essential to collaborate with customers.”

The initial collaboration with the trial mine site looks to be extensive, stretching from the back end of December throughout 2023.

The site is already equipped with a significant amount of Weir Minerals and ESCO equipment, so the collaboration appears to have started well before this trial.

“Throughout the year, we will have the opportunity to make enhancements; starting out with an initial system that is upgraded,” Carpenter said. “By the end of the year, we should have high confidence of having something ready to commercialise. It could also be that we have other trials running concurrently with this one to extend the learnings.”

The two primary key performance indicators for the trial surround accuracy and speed, with Carpenter saying the company is targeting to at least meet the metrics competing technologies have been promoting over recent years.

“In both cases, we are well equipped to measure both and – in the initial phase – we are performing well,” Carpenter said.

“Right now, when they (the mine site) carry out an assay, they have to stop the conveyor belt, take a sample off and send it to a lab. At best, the feedback takes hours, if not days. Motion Metrics has done a really good job of building the sensors, algorithms and platforms to process the data coming from above that belt very quickly.”

There are a team of very experienced, PhD-equipped personnel currently working on this trial, monitoring the real-time results from Motion Metrics’ base in Vancouver, however there is a Weir network across the globe watching and waiting for news.

A sensor above a conveyor belt able to provide ore characterisation data is step one. Step two will most likely involve leveraging this data to provide insights as well as initiate downstream actions.

Then, there is the potential to equip these sensors for the pit on an excavator or wheel loader – which introduces many additional challenges both Motion Metrics and ESCO are aware of. Understanding exactly what is in the bank or going in the bucket will be critical to improving operational efficiencies.

These are longer-term goals that Motion Metrics, ESCO, Weir Minerals and Carpenter are cognisant of – and excited about – that may provide the true value to customers throughout the flowsheet.

“What is exciting for us is that – as may be obvious – the further upstream you can make some good decisions, the more energy you can save downstream,” he said. “As you get into some of the other processing elements in the plant, there are sustainability benefits to be had – a more efficient use of reagents to liberate the elements, a more efficient grinding setup based on ore characteristics, a reduction in water use, etc.

“The driver for this has really been sustainability and energy reduction. It is all about reducing the energy intensity associated with ore.

“We feel we are well equipped and in a good position to deliver on this and provide the industry with the step change in sustainability that it requires.”

S5 System tapping AI technology to solve mine asset management issues

Automation, Communications in mining, Equipment maintenance, IoT, Mining equipment, Mining safety, Mining services, Mining software, , , , , , , , ,

Australia-based engineering company S5 System says it is out to solve three common mining workplace problems using artificial intelligence-based technology that takes minutes to install, is affordable and offers rapid payback on investment.

The company has produced three OEM-agnostic asset management products and is advancing research and development to expand the application range of its specialised monitors, sensors and control devices.

S5 System Founder and CEO, Davoud Nassehi (pictured at the recent IMARC event), says the company’s current focus is on growing awareness of three market-ready products – BoltTight, which monitors the tightness of bolted joints; WearMon, wear liners with real-time monitoring; and GETsmart, a ground engaging tool (GET) dislodgement detection system.

They are currently being used on Western Australia mine sites by the likes of Newmont and Mineral Resources Ltd.

Nassehi says he saw an urgent need for the products in his time working in the mining and telecommunications industries.

“Knowing that industries are going to Industry 4.0, I wanted to help them transition from Industry 3.0 and increase the available insights into machinery, plant and feed processes with more realistic data to use in later lifecycle stages,” he said.

“It makes the workplace safer, more secure and more agile, and saves money by allowing users to know what’s happening in their systems, through monitoring and all the good things that are becoming possible by using IoT.”

The wireless products can be fitted to any equipment brand, are suitable for the harshest mining environments and don’t rely on cameras to provide feedback, according to S5. Installation is not dependent on existing infrastructure, Nassehi added.

“They are plug-and-play products,” he said. “They require zero maintenance, are self-diagnostic and the batteries don’t need to be replaced for years.”

BoltTight uses patented technology to constantly monitor the compression force in bolted joints. The washers are designed in standard metric and imperial sizes, and send data using ZigBee wireless technology to a hub that collects data from all the nearby washers and transfers it to the server for analysis, monitoring and data storage purposes.

Any critical failure can be detected, and a real-time audio-visual alarms notify the operation and maintenance team of the exact location of the failed bolt in the plant’s 3D models, according to the company.

“Currently, in the market, there are very few bolted-connection intelligent solutions,” Nassehi said. “Some use ultrasonic or other non-destructive test tools, which are expensive and require manually checking every joint by experienced technicians. There are smart bolt options attempted in the market, however, embedding electronics inside a bolt compromises its specification and integrity.”

“Miners have been looking for a reliable way of detecting GET failures and locating failed parts for years”

Having experienced first-hand the expensive and time-consuming job of replacing wear liners in equipment such as mills, crushers, feeders and transfer chutes, Nassehi conceived the WearMon system.

The non-invasive online condition monitoring system can be directly installed on any type of mining plant liner material such as rubber, metallic, ceramic, polyurethane and polyethylene, it claims. Via battery-powered wireless wear sensors on one of the bolts, it offers accurate real-time and historical wear data; machine learning; predictive, condition-based maintenance; suggested shutdown planning information; accurate inventory requirements; and service forecasts, Nassehi says.

“This system continuously monitors the remaining thickness at each sensor location and reports to the server,” he said. “Information then is processed on the sever and forms a basis to predict the remaining life. If the next scheduled maintenance state is pre-set, then the shutdown date can be entered directly into the software and, if there is a planned shutdown date entered into system then the software algorithm will determine which liners will need to be changed out and predict the number and location of the required material accordingly.

“Alternatively, if maintenance dates are flexible, the system generates predictions with accurate estimate of the serviceable life of the liners and suggests a replacement date.”

S5’s GETsmart system also has sensors at its foundation. They are inserted into a shovel’s GET and shrouds, and connect wirelessly to the in-cab monitor, which actively scans all sensors. When it detects a tooth break, a real-time audio-visual alarm notifies the operator and they can remotely stop the downstream crusher.

Nassehi said unlike competitor options, the GETsmart system doesn’t rely on cameras – which can get dirty very quickly in a mining environment and so impair visibility – for feedback.

“Estimated to cost the mining industry between 1-5% of total production each year, broken GET are a massive global problem for the mining industry,” he said. “Miners have been looking for a reliable way of detecting GET failures and locating failed parts for years.”

Epiroc to acquire Australia-based GET player CR

Mining equipment, Mining mergers and acquisitions, Mining services, Steel and iron ore, , , , , , , , ,

Epiroc is bolstering its exposure to the ground engaging tools (GET) market through the planned acquisition of Australia-based CR.

The company has agreed to acquire the GET and related digital solutions company as part of a plan to expand its “first-rate offering” of essential consumables and digital solutions, it says.

CR, which has an offering covering surface and underground mining, is headquartered in Brisbane and operates globally. The company’s products include cast lips, teeth, and protective shrouds installed on mining buckets and loaders. Its digital solutions include, among other offerings, the real-time GET loss detection system, GET Trakka, and the Titan 3330 payload management system. The solutions strengthen safety and productivity, and protect against expensive delays in the mining operations, according to CR.

CR has about 400 employees and had revenues of about A$240 million ($163 million) in the 12 months ending September 30, 2022.

“This acquisition will expand our offering of innovative and high-quality consumables and digital solutions that strengthen customers’ productivity and safety,” Helena Hedblom, Epiroc’s President and CEO, says. “We look forward to welcome the strong team at CR to Epiroc.”

The acquisition is expected to be completed in the first half 2023.

Caterpillar lowers UG mining costs, downtime with release of bolt-together LHD buckets

Equipment maintenance, Mining consumables, Mining equipment, Mining services, , , , , , , ,

Caterpillar has launched “bolt-together” buckets for underground loaders that, it says, offer the same strength and durability as standard buckets, but reduce time and costs associated with transportation, assembly and rework procedures for underground mining.

The new bolt-together bucket does not require skilled maintenance operators for underground welding, resulting in a reduced safety risk, according to the company. On top of that, the design allows for efficient underground assembly, where the loader is working, to cut replacement time and lead to lower machine downtime and higher productivity.

“Optimised for moving abrasive underground materials, the new bucket design includes improved material thickness for increased strength and a rigid bucket assembly to aid in easier edge installation and removal,” Caterpillar says. “High-grade, 400 BHN materials used for bucket assembly components and high-grade wear protection ground engagement tools (GET) on the removeable shroud assembly deliver a long bucket service life for better cost saving and productivity. With proper GET selection and management, the Cat bolt-together bucket is designed to last through the first machine overhaul period to reduce replacement downtime.”

The buckets are modular in design for quick installation and removal, with the Cat GET available for the new bolt-together buckets including three edge options – bolt-on half arrow, modular weld-on and Durilock – shroud segments, and rock guard to deliver reduced downtime and accelerated repair.

The new bolt-together bucket is available in a range of capacities from 5.3-7.5 cu.m, specially designed for the Cat R1600H, R1700G, R1700 and R1700 XE LHD models. They are built in the same factory and go through the same stringent quality control process as Cat equipment and are supported by the global Cat dealer network, the company says.

MTG hits its stride with GET DETECTION commercial deployment

Comminution of minerals, Equipment maintenance, Mining consumables, Mining equipment, Mining events, Mining services, Mining software, , ,

MTG’s first digital solution, GET DETECTION, has got off to a strong start, with the first commercial deployment of the safety and productivity device making its way into a mine in the Nordic region.

After five years of intense development and successful field tests within Europe and Australia, MTG officially launched GET DETECTION at Bauma 2022, this week.

With its GET DETECTION Series, MTG says it is providing customers with increased safety and peace of mind by preventing any incidents in the crusher in the event of a ground engaging tool (GET) detachment. Based on extensive laboratory bench testing and field tests, the company can state that its solution detects a possible GET detachment in less than three seconds, with a very high level of reliability, preventing a subsequent fall into the crusher.

This new series of DIGITAL SOLUTIONS is a further step in MTG’s commitment to innovation and delivering premium products and services to its customers, it says.

The company is already planning further additions to this digital platform and plans to roll out more functionality for GET DETECTION in the near future.

The GET DETECTION series includes a suite of devices that are compatible with MTG’s TERRA cast lips, the TWINMET and new VEEMET tooth systems as well as the PROMET shrouds. The GET design of these product families enables the addition of sensors and activators to allow digital monitoring of the entire cast lip configuration.

“Thanks to a robust digital ecosystem, the signals emitted by the GET sensors are transmitted via antennas and processed by an electronic control unit,” the company says. “A tablet in the machine’s cabin displays the GET’s live status and alerts the operator in the event of an incident by means of a visual and acoustic signal.”

GET DETECTION has been developed for hydraulic excavators with an operating weight of more than 250 t and is so far available in Australia, Europe and the US. More markets will follow shortly, and new GET Systems will be compatible with the GET DETECTION System, the company stated.

Byrnecut and Sandvik collaborate on new MAKO ground engaging tool

Equipment maintenance, Mining equipment, Mining safety, Mining services, , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Sandvik, with the help of Australia-based mining contractor, Byrnecut, has developed a new and improved Ground Engaging Tool (GET) that, the OEM says, reduces downtime and cost-per-tonne mined.

Over a four-year period, Byrnecut has been instrumental in the development of this new system, MAKO™.

In underground mining, wear and tear is unavoidable, and nowhere is it sharper than for the buckets and the shrouds fitted to loaders.

In the most abrasive conditions, the shrouds can wear out in just a few hundred hours of work. Replacing them – especially when they are welded on – can take multiple shifts: valuable hours where the machine is out of action and productivity dented.

To speed up this process, in 2001, Sandvik introduced its Shark™ range of Blue Pointer™ ground engaging tools (GET) – becoming the first retensionable shroud system for the underground market. Blue Pointer can be summarised as shrouds using mechanical fixings that are significantly faster to replace, Sandvik says.

Even though Sandvik says the system was the market leader in underground mining, it still looked to improve upon the Blue Pointer.

With that in mind, in 2018, Sandvik set about developing a replacement, MAKO, collaborating with internationally renowned specialist mining contractor, Byrnecut.

MAKO continues the shark theme – with a Mako being a shortfin predator – and brings with it several advantages: an innovative patented locking mechanism, hammerless removal system, cast corners improvement (patented) and additional wear indicator, to mention a few.

By far the biggest improvement in terms of reducing downtime and cost-per-tonne mined can be found in the MAKO corner shrouds. Normally, corners – which have a much harder life – tend to wear out and need changing at the mid-life point, compared with the rest of the shrouds. In extreme conditions an additional two ‘half corners’ can be needed for every set of normal shrouds. But thanks to improved material and design, with MAKO there is no need for part-life replacement corners, according to Sandvik.

These improvements have been put to the test in the field, with Byrnecut instrumental in putting prototypes through their paces. The contractor trialled the concept at one of its most abrasive sites – the Capricorn copper mine near Mount Isa in Queensland, Australia.

“Sandvik came along with a team of engineers and said: ‘Right, are you willing to help us develop MAKO?”, Gary Boswell, Byrnecut’s Chief Maintenance Supervisor at the mine, said. “So, we got on board and had a good working relationship with Sandvik. Right from the start we were looking for the same outcome – to lower total-cost-of-ownership and achieve a 1:1 [corner:shroud] ratio, so that we only changed corners when we changed all the other shrouds.”

The Capricorn mine has five Sandvik loaders (LH621s) fitted with 10.7 cu.m buckets. Boswell expects to get 7,500 hours out of a bucket and, because of the aggressive nature of the rock, replaces the GET every 500-550 hours, on average. That is roughly 14 sets of MAKO per bucket life. So, making them last longer and easier to change in one go can make a significant difference to downtime and cost over that lifetime.

MAKO has not achieved its durability performance by simply adding more metal; it’s put metal where it matters. The overall MAKO system also has a very favourable weight/performance ratio, according to Sandvik.

The first MAKO GET was fitted at Byrnecut’s Capricorn site in January 2019. Despite the remote location, the buckets were monitored by Sandvik experts on a weekly basis. It soon became clear that the new range was especially durable – lasting, on average, 12% longer than the best of the rest, as well as avoiding the need for half-life corner shrouds, according to the OEM.

The first MAKO GET was fitted at Byrnecut’s Capricorn site in January 2019

“The first prototype we thought was okay, but there is still room for improvement,” Michael McCormick, the Shark Loadmaster who was hands-on with the development of MAKO, said. “The feedback we got from Gary [Boswell] and the team at Capricorn really helped us understand the issues they were having. When something cropped up, we could quickly develop a short-term ‘hotfix’, before developing a longer-term solution. For instance, we found an opportunity to improve the locking system and had to adapt the pin assembly to ensure the push-off feature was truly hammerless.

“As is natural, we had some performance issues with earlier prototypes, and it took us a couple of goes to get it right. But the ability to work in real time with Gary’s team was the key to enabling us to respond rapidly with quick fixes and validating their effectiveness.”

Boswell concluded: “Safety is paramount, and we did not want our guys hammering or using oxyacetylene to get the shrouds off. But Sandvik fixed that with the push-off feature that can handle worn-out GETs; even those with lifting lugs eroded through use. The issue of transporting heavy shrouds has also been resolved by a new lifting device, which is very effective.”

Sandvik added: “When, like Byrnecut at the Capricorn mine, you are using several hundred [GET] sets each year, the MAKO’s collective benefits add up to significant productivity, cost, time and safety enhancements. The cleve design of MAKO, perfected in the field, helps keep buckets meet their availability and productivity targets.”