Tag Archives: tyres

BHP and Gallawinya agree on tyre agreement for WAIO operations

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

A new contract with Pilbara Traditional Owner business Gallawinya Pty Ltd, will supply up to 4,000 tyres a year for light vehicles and light trucks across BHP WA Iron Ore’s central Pilbara mining operations, the mining company says.

Gallawinya is one of more than 80 Indigenous and Traditional Owner businesses engaged directly in the first half of BHP’s 2023 financial year – with a total spend of more than A$120 million ($82 million) – to Indigenous and Traditional Owner businesses through WAIO’s Project Rise initiative.

Chris Cowan, Head of Global Indigenous Procurement, said the Gallawinya contract represented a major step forward in a non-traditional supply area and would create social value opportunities including additional regional employment.

“We’re trying to find ongoing, longer term operational contracts to collaborate with Traditional Owner businesses, and this is a great example of that,” he explained.

“What I particularly like about this one is, it’s demonstrating a new category of supply by a Traditional Owner business that we haven’t seen before, and it’s going to create social value back into the communities in which we operate.

“We hope to collaborate with our maritime team to bring tyres directly into Port Hedland to reduce the need to transport the tyres by road from Perth to the Pilbara. This will improve our carbon footprint as well as safety risk and performance.”

Under the contract, Gallawinya will initially supply tyres to BHP’s central Pilbara operations (Mining Area C, South Flank and Yandi) before potentially expanding to other WAIO’s mining sites including Jimblebar, Newman and Port Hedland.

Gallawinya is a subsidiary of Nyamal owned and operated East West Pilbara Group, which employs more than 10 people in the Pilbara, through its facilities at Port Hedland and Karratha. The BHP supply contract will create more training and employment opportunities for Indigenous people.

Compared to the same period in FY22, to date WAIO has increased its year-to-date annual spend by around 62.5% and, thanks to Project Rise, is on track to deliver on its FY23 target of A$225 million spend with Indigenous and Traditional Owner businesses, which will extend to A$300 million in FY2024.

Goodyear launches new OTR tyre for long haul mining fleets

Mining consumables, Mining equipment, Mining services, , , , , ,

The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company has announced its newest addition to its off-highway large haulage product line, the RH-4A+.

Engineered to deliver a lower operating cost per hour and higher productivity in hard-rock underfoot conditions, this tyre features an extra-deep E-4+ tread depth with a high net-to-gross tread pattern and optimised footprint pressure to help provide long hours to removal, according to the company.

The Goodyear RH-4A+ tyre is an important addition to Goodyear’s Total Solution of trusted products, reliable services and fleet management tools – all delivered by a global network, Goodyear said. It helps operators be more productive and operate at a lower cost by providing the following benefits and features:

  • Enhanced sidewall durability and lateral stability with Goodyear’s new Durawall Technology®, wider bead design, and wider moulded rim width;
  • Increased hours to removal and cut protection with its high net-to-gross tread pattern and deep, E-4+ tread depth; and
  • Cool operating temperatures from the tread’s centreline blading, shoulder lug pockets, and shoulder lug side notches.

Field results from trials conducted in April 2019 with global mining customers have shown that the RH-4A+ in 46/90R57 size delivers up to 12% better hours to removal than RM-4B+, Goodyear said.

Eric Matson, Global OTR Field Engineering Manager, said: “Low operating cost per hour is an important requirement for mine operators. Customers also require other performance benefits, such as a tread and casing that, together, deliver long hours to removal, resistance to cutting, and excellent traction in severe, hard-rock underfoot conditions. The new RH-4A+ provides these benefits to help mining fleets optimise productivity and lower their operating costs.”

The RH-4A+ is currently available in sizes 59/80R63, 46/90R57 and 27.00R49 through Goodyear’s global network of authorised OTR dealers. It is available in customised casing constructions and with Goodyear’s proprietary tread compounds to meet hauling conditions.

“Complementing the RH-4A+ is Goodyear’s EMTrack tyre performance tracking software, giving operators the ability to track the tyre’s properties to reduce operational costs,” Matson said. “With EMTrack, mining operators can track the performance of their tyres, including the new RH-4A+, in order to project timing of rotation, replacement and help to manage their inventory.”

Komatsu 930E-5 haul trucks to have Michelin MEMS factory installed option

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

Michelin and Komatsu America Corp have announced a joint program to offer the MICHELIN® MEMS® 4 (Michelin Earthmover Management System) as a factory-installed option on select electric-drive trucks manufactured at the Komatsu facility in Peoria, Illinois.

The most widely used tyre-monitoring system in the world, according to Michelin, the MEMS system can be found in thousands of rigid dump trucks around the world.

Komatsu’s 930E-5 mining truck will be the first available model with MEMS4 as an option, with other models to follow, Michelin said. Komatsu will factory-install the MEMS4 transceiver, antennas and related harnesses, with MEMS4 integrated with the current existing electronic display panel. Michelin will coordinate installation of the sensors in the tyres at the customer’s site.

“In an effort to better serve our common customers, Michelin and Komatsu have signed the first OEM fitment agreement for MEMS4,” said Bruce Brackett, Senior Vice President, Michelin Global Mining business line. “The benefit for the mining customer is the integration of the tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS) and the truck at the factory. With MEMS4, the customer receives a complete monitoring platform for tyres, site conditions and productivity gains as soon as the new equipment arrives at the site.”

Originally launched in 2006, the current MEMS4 version provides:

  • Increased safety and tyre life;
  • Reduced unscheduled downtime, tyre budgets and maintenance costs;
  • Reduced fuel consumption and improve truck availability; and
  • Savings on on-site pressure check labour.

Dan Funcannon, Vice President and General Manager, Komatsu Large Mining Truck Division, said: “As a leader in innovative technology, Komatsu and our partners develop the best technological solutions that enable our customers to improve safety, performance and reduce the cost per tonne.

“Integrating MEMS4 at the factory level ensures that the product is subjected to our rigorous quality process and provides a seamless experience for the customer.”

This factory-installed system captures real-time tyre temperatures, pressures and mapping for proactive fleet management, according to Michelin. Using GPS and accelerometers, a sensor installed in the tyre sends critical tyre-related data to alert operators online, via email or by SMS to laptops, tablets or smartphones. Each truck is geo-localised on a map in real time.

A data-capture tool and mobile-device connection transfers information via Ethernet or 3G to cloud storage, with data reported to dispatchers to provide tyre performance and anomalies.

Michelin said: “With MEMS4, downtime can be anticipated and avoided through detection of critical events. An inflation monitor compensates tyre-pressure limits for ambient temperature; therefore, when tyre temperatures change, operators can know immediately if there is an alert and change routes. Maintenance operations can be anticipated, and useless stops can be avoided.

Michelin will continue to offer MEMS4 as an aftermarket offering for trucks already in operation, it said.

MAXAM Tire extends Large Mining series product line

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

MAXAM Tire has made three new additions to its Large Mining series of tyres.

The company says it has engineered its haulage tyres (MS401, MS402, MS403) to provide the industry with the “best solution for mining applications”.

It continued: “The Large Mining product line is the result of extensive research and testing in multiple mine locations across several continents.”

In order to meet the toughest application requirements, the new haulage tyres use recently developed compounding and carcass construction, according to the company. “These enhancements allow MAXAM’s Large Mining products to provide the best delivered value, greatest productivity and lowest cost per tonne value of operation,” it said.

Available for haul trucks up to 290 t (320 tons) MAXAM offers three specific tread patterns available in multiple compounds based on site TKPH/TMPH to meet different surface mine application requirements.

The MS401 (pictured) features an aggressive tread design with heat-resistant under tread, ideal for applications that require maximum traction and high site TKPH/TMPH, MAXAM said.

The MS402 has enhanced shoulder lugs and a solid centerline providing increased protection, traction and tread life in haulage applications.

The MS403, meanwhile, integrates an advanced tread design for flexibility in all applications, from smooth haul roads to rough and rocky terrain. “Designed to deliver lowest cost per hour/tonne, the MS403 is the proven solution for the mining industry,” the company said.

Continental expands OTR tyre production capacity at Lousado

Equipment maintenance, Mining consumables, Mining maintenance, , , , ,

Continental is expanding its production facilities in Lousado, Portugal, increasing capacity for the production of radial earthmoving and port tyres with a diameter larger than 24 in (610 mm).

In the course of the ramp-up, more than 100 new jobs will be created, the company said.

Christian Kötz, Member of the Executive Board at Continental and Head of the Tire division, said: “Both the port and earthmoving segments are among the key growth areas in the commercial specialty tyre market. The new production lines clearly reflect our commitment to these segments and the overall OTR (off-the-road) business.”

The new production hall will be created adjacent to the radial agricultural tyre production facility, opened in 2017.

“Equipped with state-of-the-art tyre building machinery and automated devices, it is designed to deliver cutting-edge radial tyres while following the highest of ergonomic standards,” Continental said. “Once at full speed, the production lines will deliver three earthmoving tyre lines and another three port tyre lines.”

Besides the new production facilities, the research and development centre in Lousado is being expanded and will be used for continuous performance and quality tests of all agricultural, port and earthmoving tyres, the company said.

Kötz concluded: “This investment strengthens our footprint in Lousado and transforms the top-efficiency plant into a competence centre for big radial tyres for off-road use.”