1.4 Remanufacturing continuous mining components saves time, cost and helps our environment.

Problem

• Mining machinery works under heavy loading in hostile environments and surface interaction between machine components, contaminants and extracted rock causes wear and damage.
• Replacing equipment and critical working components while underground is inefficient, time consuming and can be very hazardous for the operators.
• Scrapping worn equipment comes at high cost to the environment and waste should be avoided wherever possible. Up to 30 times the energy is required to manufacture new equipment compared to repair, refurbishment and remanufacture.

Solution

• LaserBond machine workshop undertakes component repair and refurbishment of all mining machine components and works with OEM and other industry service providers to complete the remanufacturing package.
• These projects require machine units to be stripped down to enable each component to the inspected (for general wear and isolated damage or cracks). Inspection work may involve a numner of tehniques; material analysis in our metallogrpahic laboratory; dye penetrant or ultrasonic testing and/or using our FARO portable coordinate measuring machine for precise measurements.
• Once inspected any isolated repair work is done and reinspected before the premachining process in undertaken. Laserbond then rebuilds surfaces using thermal spray and / or laser cladding processes; depends on end use conditions and cost / benefit. Final machine returns the component to OEM dimensions, thereafter it undergoes complete quality assurance inspection.
• Restoring bearing housings in gear cutter cases, rebuilding inner and out cutter drums, repairing of gear teeth, rebuilding journal areas of shafts, resurfacing shearer pick holders are just some of the restoration activities which are involved in a complete overhaul of mining equipment.

Benefits

• In some cases, such as base frames, LaserBond has succeeded in extending the useful life from 20,000 to over 40,000 hours resulting in significant performance improvements for the end user.
• LaserBond are able to offer tried and tested alternatives to simply replacing expensive equipment such as laser cladding wear surfaces to significantly extend the usable life of capital equipment.
• Remanufactured equipment is to OEM specification or better which can make a significant difference to operating and running costs by offering lower maintenance costs and increased service life between overhaul.
• Higher machine availability is possible with less downtime due to less maintenance and associated exposure to safety risks
• Better outcome for our environment with less waste and lower carbon footprint.

Feedback

Working with LaserBond to remanufacture expensive continuous mining equipment has proved to be efficient, innovative and profitable.