Reliability improvement project for blasthole drill undercarriage

SKF Life Cycle Management Conference – Mining Presented by Darren Witt L&H Industrial 2014-10-09

1 The challenge

Mining Industry

Undercarriage Failures

Operating a common fleet of blasthole drills by a leading manufacturer, BHP Escondida Mine in Chile experienced frequent unplanned outages from undercarriage component failures: •  Attachment hardware •  Chain links

Mining Industry

Undercarriage Failures

Guarding Track Chain Pins

Mining Industry

Consequences

Downstream impacts: •  Unit reliability was below Mine Plan estimates •  Frequent inspections and re-tensioning of components was required •  Repairs were difficult and time consuming •  Low unit availability created an overall fleet capacity shortage •  Negative impact to production schedules

2 The solution

Mining Industry

Cross-functional Team

L&H worked with mine personnel to identify the failure modes. •  Mine team included:

–  Drilling Superintendent –  Engineering Superintendent –  Maintenance Technical Lead –  Engineering Technical Lead –  Maintenance Engineer

•  L&H Industrial team included: –  Outside Salesman –  L&H Chile Field Engineer –  Product Line Manager –  Chief Engineer –  Design Engineer

Mining Industry

Adaptive Technology

•  Adapted from excavators, the “bulldozer” undercarriage system was intentionally designed for a very aggressive, ground engaging, propel effort.

Mining Industry

New Challenges

•  This ground engaging feature, exacerbated while propelling with the mast raised, results in extreme side loads when steering the drill.

Mining Industry

Solution

•  To counter these effects, a low bearing pressure trackpad with less severe ground engagement was developed.

Mining Industry

Help it Turn

•  To accommodate steering and side movement, the trackpad ends are “clipped”.

3 How did we implement it?

Mining Industry

Implementation

The Omega trackpad was designed to reduce the stress being transferred to the undercarriage system. •  Design intent and conceptual models were shared with all

team members. •  Omega trackpads are compatible with the OEM drive chain. •  Standard mounting hardware was retained while

incorporating protection from the engagement surface.

4 Teamwork across life cycle stages

Mining Industry

Understand the Problems

The original specification from the mine was to provide a complete replacement undercarriage system; a significant impact to the design scope, manufacturing effort, costs, installation and commissioning requirements.

•  Began by analyzing the effects •  Developed “prototype” concepts

Mining Industry

Design Benefits

Design features reduced steering forces, minimizing inspection requirements and significantly reducing maintenance activities. Developing an efficient trackpad geometry resulted in manufacturing cost benefits. •  Foundry operations are largely $$$/lb driven •  Optimized for strength and material efficiency

5 The results

Mining Industry

Trials

After 1,000 hours of operation, the undercarriage system has performed exceptionally well. •  No loose or broken trackpad mounting bolts •  No failed drive chain links or trackpads •  Preventative Maintenance frequency has been significantly reduced •  Increased operational uptime •  Drill positioning has improved, resulting in more efficient drilling

Mining Industry

Testing

A 6-month Test Procedure was developed to qualify the results •  Improved reliability and availability •  Increased drive chain life •  Component failures •  Wear rates •  Associated component impacts

No adverse effects have been recorded to date.

6 The conclusion

Mining Industry

Successful Installation

Preliminary results of the Omega trackpad design and installation indicate operational reliability has been restored. •  Involvement with the customer during the initial failure investigation accelerated our

learning curve. •  Root cause discussion and information sharing identified the key failure modes. •  Conceptual design reviews accelerated development of the prototype design. •  Partial off-site assembly by L&H verified proper fit and alignment, thereby optimizing

installation and commissioning.

Mining Industry

Satisfied Customer

Teamwork and collaboration throughout the project led to a turnkey solution with in-service results in less than 12 months.