Documenti di Didattica
Documenti di Professioni
Documenti di Cultura
2010: issue 7
a publication of Caterpillar Global Mining
EVALUATE OPERATIONS
The only real way to find areas to improve is to look at what youre already doing, says Widdifield. You need
to see where you are before you can make any changes. Pay attention. Look at whats happening around you.
Document issues you see and develop an action plan to make improvements.
The goal is to confirm youre getting the maximum out of your equipment; set and achieve new benchmarks
for safety, efficiency and profitability; and set new goals for more performancewhether thats one more
bucket or one more truck load per shift.
Go into the mine and conduct a one- to two-hour production study,
Widdifield suggests. It doesnt matter if you sit on a rock with a stop watch,
ride in the truck with an operator, or use technology to evaluate performance.
A production study in your operation will give you tons per hour in the actual
environment.
Performance is influenced by both the operator and the machine. The operator-influenced time can be a
result of the operators training, a different approach to the muck pile, or a different digging characteristic of
his loader. Dumping is affected by his approach to the truck, load placement, or the loader and truck match.
Machine-influenced time is a result of how the loader accelerates and how its hydraulics and powertrain are
matched.
Now we can focus on where to approach improvements, says Widdifield. We either work
on training or machine selection.
Caterpillar has developed practical benchmarking data to enable underground mines to get the most out of
their Cat equipment and to provide guidance on assessing haul road design and maintenance that supports
sound industry practice.
A high-level overview is included below; to receive a copy of A Reference Guide to Mining Machine
Applications, please contact your dealer and reference media number AEXQ0030-02.
Truck exchange time is a key to improving underground truck performance. Truck exchange time is the elapsed
time from when a loaded truck receives its last loading pass until the next truck receives its first loading pass.
Obviously, the shorter that cycle is, the greater the opportunity for more cycles per shift. The best practices
target is 42 seconds per cycle. Its important to match the truck fleet to the size of the loader to ensure the
maximum output for that area is achieved.
Dont forget that your fleet is as fast as your slowest truck, says Widdifield. It doesnt matter if youve got
a new, faster truck or a more skilled operator. The slowest truck in the fleet is the one the rest of those trucks
will be waiting behind. You also want to make sure the loader has an adequate fleet of trucks so hes not sitting
there with no one to load.
The optimum cycle time for LHD loaders is 28 to 42 seconds, with an average of 35 seconds. The most efficient
pass match is three to four passes.
Haul roads have a profound impact on underground machine performanceand theyre an area where
small improvements can have a big impact on cycle time. The three key factors in the design of underground
haul roads are material quality, design and maintenance. Grade should be smooth and constant with rolling
resistance kept to a minimum.
Rolling resistance affects productivity because it doesnt allow equipment to travel at the optimum speed
for maximum productivity. The chart below shows how an increase in tire penetration can increase rolling
resistance:
Rolling Resistance
Hard, well-maintained road 1.5%
Well-maintained road with flex 3%
25 mm/1 in tire penetration 4%
50 mm/2 in tire penetration 5%
100 mm/4 in tire penetration 8%
200 mm/8 in tire penetration 14%
Each increase in rolling resistance has a direct impact on the speed of travel, Widdifield says. Sometimes
rolling resistance causes a varying load on the engine. So not only wont we obtain our desired speedwere
also wearing out the transmission.
Improving loading and haulage efficiency is the easiest way to lower cost per ton. By following best practices
for operator performance, cycle times and payloadand ensuring good haul road design and maintenance
underground mines can experience greater profitability.
The challenges we face are great, Widdifield says. But dont use that as an excuse not to get out and look for
improvements. The conditions of your operation drive your costs and affect your productivity. Find the right
issues and work on them. There are some huge gains to be had for very little investment.