Wear and tear on earthmoving and construction equipment is all part of the job when it comes to operating in a hard rock quarry in Western Australia. In a recent project undertaken by Fortus, we were approached by a Quarry operator to review one of their excavator buckets which had seen better days and determine the best options available, whether it be a full rebuild or replacement bucket.
On inspection by our Fortus Account Manager who visited the customer on site to better understand their requirements first hand, it was proposed that the most cost effective and best option was to perform a full rebuild on the CAT 365 Bucket. This option would not only save our client tens of thousands in replacement costs, but the Fortus replacement wear parts and bucket teeth we intended to install would extend the life of the bucket significantly, providing long term benefits through reduced maintenance, savings on replacement parts, improved performance and less downtime.
Fortus supplied several important wear parts and GET as part of the refurb, which would help not only protect the integrity and durability of the bucket but also improve performance and extend its operating life. The replacement wear parts and GET supplied by Fortus included;
As part of the project, Fortus supplied a new wear part (which it had introduced into its extensive range of product offerings) the Laminated Wear Plate. The Laminated Wear Plate differs from the standard steel wear plate used by many suppliers through its design, which incorporates a combination of high chromium white iron metallurgically bonded to a mild steel backing plate. The white iron used in the manufacture has a minimum hardness of 700 Brinell (63Rc) which provides maximum abrasion resistance protection for equipment. In addition, the mild steel (which is easily weldable making it a quick and simple installation process), acts as a cushion for the white iron, enabling it to handle greater impact and abrasion in the most extreme applications. All these factors make it a far more superior wear plate option than standard methods.
On completion of the refurb, the bucket was refitted to the equipment and was quickly back on the job and working. After 1500 hours of ongoing operation in the quarry, under harsh and demanding conditions the bucket was brought back into the workshop for another refurb.
On inspection and thorough review by Fortus and the customer it was quite evident that the laminated wear plates used still had another 70% of operating life left in them (see image below).
This potential meant that the wear plates could remain fitted, providing continued protection to the base of the bucket for at least another 3000 hours of operation, a major cost and time benefit for our client. The other Fortus wear parts and GET fitted also performed well, extending the life of the bucket from the standard 1000hours (under normal working conditions) to 1500hours.
For more information on Fortus replacement wear parts and GET and how we can help you to maximise the performance of your equipment call 1300 363 969 or email [email protected].
