The mining industry is a highly complex sector with intensive, risk-prone processes. As an industry built on the exploration of an exhaustible resource, operations are typically situated in climatically extreme environments.
Maintenance is often key. With many mining operations using original equipment manufacturers, the cost of spare parts is high.
To add to the list of challenges, the recent global contraction in coal prices has emphasised the need for greater cost monitoring. Mine maintenance managers have had to adapt and play an active role for the mines they oversee. Change processes featuring faster delivery of quality spare parts to reduce the downtime of machines, at lowered prices, have become necessary.
With more than a decade of providing turnkey mining solutions, SBS – Singa Bearings Solutions (SBS) has helped customers own the change process, run assets optimally while keeping costs down.
Here is a case study where SBS mining solution has provided greater cost savings, improved productivity and prolonged the asset life expectancy to over 10 years.
Location
Open Pit Mine amidst the harsh environment conditions, with humid climate and monsoon rainfalls in Kalimantan with average temperature at 28 degrees celsius.
Client requirement
Modify existing track frames of a Sandvik Drilling Rig that were causing excessive, loud noises.
For context, the use of a Sandvik Drilling Rig is used in conjunction with work in tough conditions. These drilling rigs serve construction applications such as aggregate and limestone production drilling, infrastructure and trenching projects.
The SBS Diagnosis
On close inspection, SBS specialists found that the fundamental issue that our customer was facing were worn out housings.
This wear-out was exacerbated by the housings’ oval shape which led to an unfavoured large running clearance between shaft and housing. Also with no existing bushing in place, the respective steel pins ran directly in the steel housing, causing loud noises due to lack of lubrication. The collective strain gave rise to a limited life span of one year.
Following discussions with the mine maintenance manager who have been grappling with many issues including continuous machine repair and increasing maintenance costs, the customer decided that there was no option but to modify the shaft.
The SBS Solution: SBS Efficiency + SBS Technical expertise + SBS Improved Product Features and Quality:
LUB-MET® Bushing
To address the high maintenance cost the customer was facing, SBS was able to provide the customer with a wide range of bearings within a fast delivery time.
SBS Technical Expertise
By oversizing the Housing inner diameter, SBS was able to install the self-lubricating, LUB-MET® Bushing with the following immediate benefits:
- Long term solutions with EXTENDED life span of equipment
- Simple modification on track frame
- No modification on shaft
- Self-lubricating LUB-MET® solution (no re-greasing is required but can be applied if intended)
This unit provides long-term, maintenance-free operation and improves overall machinery performance.
With the installation of the LUB-MET® Bushing, our customer was able to run the track frames for over two years without a change out.
If you’d like to receive more information on LUB-MET® Bushing, click here.
At SBS, we stand by our efforts to provide superior products and after-sales service backed by brand-recognized quality, reliability and performance.
Read more about SBS solutions for various industries.
To stay updated on SBS product news, subscribe to our newsletter here or follow us on LinkedIn.
Comments are closed.