“Passion for Mining Technology” Exhibited at Bauma 2010
At Bauma 2010 (April 19 – 23, Munich, Germany), Bucyrus is exhibiting the latest results of the company’s “passion for mining technology”, mainly focusing on the latest longwall mining products.
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February 17, 2010
At bauma 2010 , Bucyrus is focusing on longwall technology with a number of exhibits showing product innovation – and the debut of the latest evolution of its highly successful Electra range of shearers. Advances in surface mining technology will also be presented. Visitors can find Bucyrus at booth 111/216 in Hall C2.
Having invested heavily in development, Bucyrus – a world-leader in the design and manufacture of high-productivity mining equipment for the surface and underground mining industries – will announce a new generation of its successful shearer family at bauma 2010 in Munich in April. Evolved from its predecessor, the Electra 3000 Evo is a mature high-performance shearer with advanced automation and productivity features.
While keeping successful design features, Bucyrus reviewed all shearers in service around the world to refine the design. The result is a mature, flexible easy-maintenance shearer with further enhanced productivity. The ranging arm has been reengineered to make it more compact – increasing power density and minimizing disruption of material flow on the Armored Face Conveyor. The downdrive – which is also fully modular and easy to access for maintenance – has also been redesigned to reduce maintenance time.
The shearer will not be exhibited at the show, but videos and displays will illustrate the benefits.
On display at bauma 2010:
Narrabri roof support
Bucyrus has a seamless range of roof supports for 0.55 m to 7.5 m (21.7 in – 295.3 in) with support capacity up to 1,750 tonnes (1,929 tons). The support shown at bauma is a special type that can be retrofitted for Longwall Top Coal Caving (LTCC), a technology being pioneered by Bucyrus in Australia. With a support capacity of 1,362 tonnes (1,501 tons), the roof support is controlled by PMC®-R.
Exhibit features (Narrabri roof support):
+ Video camera system for visual control of the entire face
+ Powerful DN32 hydraulics for fastest advancing times
+ Height measurement with inclinometers
+ Conform to MDG 41 (Mining Design Guidelines) safety regulations
+ Capable of retrofit to LTCC
+ New “500 mm” props for a high shield capacity
Line Pans (PF 4, PF 6, PF 6H)
No matter how fast your shearer can cut, if you can’t move the coal away from the face, you cannot continue cutting. On display are the PF 4 designed to convey 1,800 tonnes/h (1,984 tons/h) and the PF 6 (6,000 tonnes/h (6,600 tons/h) – performance that explains why eight out of ten of the world’s most productive mines use Bucyrus face conveyor systems. Also on display – for the first time – is the PF 6H. This line pan was designed specifically for the wear and tear of high-seam operations. In addition to the proven concept of separating structural parts and replaceable wear elements, the PF 6H has been engineered to support heavier shearers (deadweight > 140 tonnes) and for future chain generations (52+) and Jumbotrack 3000 haulage system.
Exhibit features PF 4/932 line pan:
• High Profile thickness from end to top
• Four welds on each side of the pan, only one weld on each side in wear area; maximum deckplate width is possible
• Rounded profiles for minimum contact pressure and power requirements
• Quadruple-profile design, profile thickness 28 mm from end to end
• Dog bone pockets welded in from the outside without weakening the profiles
Exhibit features PF 6/1142 line pan:
• Unique patented trough concept
• Separation of components subject to wear from structural parts
• Extremely rugged pan design
• Robot-welding ensures standardized welds
• Automatic weld removal for trough replacement
• Substantially longer service life
Exhibit specifications PF 6 H/1542 line pan:
• Recommended for high-seam operations higher than 6.0 m with heavy weighted shearers
• Maintained benefits of the proven PF 6 line pan
• Exchangeable trough
• Wear resistant deckplate
• Exchangeable bottom race wear plates
• Bottom race designed to suit future chain generations 52+
• New Jumbotrack shearer haulage system
• Improved pocket strength
• Shear force staken by shear pins
• Additional base frame takes the loads from the shearer
Power Chain
As extraction rates continue to climb, chain wear has become a major maintenance issue. The Power Chain’s special flight bar design allows low-profile pan, drastically reducing surface pressure & chain joint wear. The design also nearly halves surface pressure at contact points – and reduced pressure means reduced wear. Counter-intuitively, greater contact surface results in less friction and wear. Offering significantly longer service life and availability than conventional systems, the Power Chain is currently available in three sizes namely 34x110 mm, 42x140 mm and 52x175 mm. The latter is designed to be used with up to 3x 1,200 kW (3x 1,608 hp). A Power Chain suitable for up to 3x 1,800 kW (3x 2,412 hp) is currently under development.
Intelligent CST Drive Systems
An armored face conveyor requires a highly sophisticated drive system to ensure safe and reliable operation. The Intelligent CST (Controlled Start Transmission) system meets the criteria by providing an intelligent, integrated drive system with advanced control features such as sequential no-load motor startup, heavy-load startup with full utilization of the installed power, and accurate load sharing between up to four drive motors. The drives also have overload protection for smooth and hard blockages and a motor braking feature. Over 400 CST drives are in service worldwide.
PMC-Family with special focus on Bucyrus VibraGuard
The PMC® family is a new generation of controllers designed to meet the control needs of a whole range of applications in underground mining and explosion-hazard areas. State-of-the-art microcontroller technology and increased computing power allow a completely new dimension of automation offering all the functionality you need for enhanced control of drives, roof supports, cutting systems and ancillary equipment. It also offers features for advanced networking, visualization and automation. The modular family integrates fully with Bucyrus longwall equipment for one-stop shopping, quick commissioning, and no interfacing problems.
The tried and tested PMC®-D/V AFC and Plow Drive Control System has been upgraded to provide Vibration Monitoring (VM) to protect underground mining equipment. Called VibraGuard, this system allows trained personnel to predict machine component wear, avoid unplanned downtime, and set alarms to warn the operator if monitored machine components run the risk of damage. The complete VibraGuard package – including PMC-
D/20, vibration sensors and the software – is only available for Bucyrus underground mining systems and is currently available for AFC, BSL and Crusher. The existing VibraGuard package is also applicable for plow systems. VibraGuard will be made available for other equipment – such as shearers, belt systems, fans and continuous miners – in the near future.
Belt Systems Components
Bucyrus will also display EXALON® and Steel Rolls and idler structures for belt conveyor systems in metric size. Bucyrus has developed EXALON®, a proprietary high-molecular-weight polyethylene which provides three times the abrasion resistance of a steel roll.
A new shaft-end configuration for the Bucyrus Steel Roll allows retrofitting to virtually any competitor’s frame with a unique retrofit adaptor. The end cap (bearing housing) has been redesigned for increased strength and a close fit to the deflector cap. Our new automated assembly process includes three separate, metered grease inputs to insure every roll has plenty of grease for a lifetime of trouble-free operation.
For all rolls the Bucyrus Idler PAL (Positive Automatic Lubrication) technology ensures life-long grease management system during both operational and non-operational periods.
Surface mining product models on display (1:50 scale)
Draglines
Bucyrus walking draglines are the largest single-bucket excavators built today and Bucyrus has designed and built the world’s largest. With over forty-five specifications, Bucyrus offers the industry’s broadest dragline portfolio, boasting the latest in dragline technology. Bucket sizes range from 24 to 116 m3 (31 to 152 yds3), boom lengths from 75 to 132 m (246 to 435 ft), and rated suspended loads from 71,000 to 344,736 kg (156,500 to 760,000 lbs).
On display is a 1:50 scale model of the Bucyrus 8750 D3 Dragline featuring AC gearless technology. The revolutionary design incorporates the use of 13,000HP synchronous motors for the hoist and drag motions, setting this machine apart from its dragline predecessors. The AC technology used – supported by Siemens – provides for reduced downtime, maintenance costs and energy consumption, as well as increased productivity.
Electric Rope Shovels
(featuring HydraCrowdTM and LatchFreeTM Dipper System Technology)
Optimally designed to provide superior digging forces and rapid cycle times, Bucyrus rope shovels are some of the most productive mining excavators in the world. With a maximum payload of 108.86 tonnes (120 tons), coupled with innovative Bucyrus technology, Bucyrus rope shovels have earned a reputation for superior safety, reliability, and productivity.
HydraCrowd
The 1:50 scale model shows the revolutionary Bucyrus HydraCrowd – the newest innovation in crowd technology developed for electric rope shovels. A hydraulic cylinder inside the tubular dipper handle replaces rack-and-pinion and rope crowd mechanisms, allowing the dipper handle to rotate, thereby eliminating harmful torsional stresses incurred during the digging motion. HydraCrowd provides instantaneous, highly responsive control with smooth vibration-free operation, and it negates the heavy inertial loading of rack and pinion style crowd systems by locating the hydraulic power pack on the machinery house deck. Shovel downtime associated with unplanned interferences is greatly minimized, translating to greater reliability and productivity.
HydraCrowd is available on new Bucyrus 495HR/HF rope shovels, or as a retrofit option for existing Bucyrus rope shovels.
LatchFree Dipper System
The new Bucyrus LatchFree Dipper System is designed to render unplanned latch mechanism downtime a thing of the past for Bucyrus shovel owners. It does so by replacing the latch assembly with a strong steel link, removing the critical latch components from the harsh conditions of the lower dipper door. The rope shovel’s overall reliability is therefore augmented by the removal of maintenance-intensive latch components, lowering maintenance cost and time. Safety is enhanced, because mine personnel are not subjected to safety hazards posed by standard latch maintenance and regular adjustment. The Bucyrus LatchFree Dipper System offers a significant competitive advantage by way of more predictable maintenance schedules, fewer incidents of unplanned maintenance, increased shovel “uptime”, and enhanced shovel productivity.
Rotary Blasthole Drills
Bucyrus has been at the forefront of rotary drill technology advancement for over 50 years, having produced some of the largest and most productive rotary drills in the mining industry. Drawing on the company’s extensive experience and substantial installation base, Bucyrus continues to push the envelope of rotary drill technology advancement. Some recent developments at Bucyrus include a Rotary Bit Change Carousel, a Forked Pipe Wrench, a reinforced 49 series drill mast, a 24 volt control system conversion, and an enhanced operator’s cab.
Drill Bit Carousel
The Bucyrus Auto Bit Change Carousel allows up to 4 drill bit changes to be conducted remotely from the operator’s cab, reducing the typical bit change-out time of 60 minutes to a mere 10 minutes. In addition, the Auto Bit Change Carousel eliminates seven safety lifting hazards, and avoids the need for drill operators to work under a suspended load.
49 Series Drill Mast Segment
Understanding that masts typically spend 50,000 hours on the drill structure, the entire length of mast is designed for constant rigidity and even distribution of stress. Forged machine racking ensures long service life and resists extreme impacts during tough drilling. Shock coupling and a foam-filled centralizer reduce transmission of drill vibration to the machine.
Forked Pipe Wrench
The Forked Pipe Wrench simplifies pipe unthreading during the drill bit change-out process. Positioned at the base of the mast, the forked wrench uses dual hydraulic cylinders to engage the drill pipe flats. The wrench then rotates, impacting the stop block, causing a break in the pipe thread joint. This new feature reduces the change-out time and the safety risks associated with drill pipe assembly and disassembly.
24 Volt Control System Conversion
By converting the control system to 24 volt DC control, electricians are able to work safely on drill control systems without risk of electrical shock. This enables quicker access to components, facilitating easier troubleshooting and repair. Likewise, the 24 volt DC version of control permits the use of newer technologies and components that are better suited for mobile equipment, as well as greater resistance to vibration and dust.
Enhanced Operator’s Cab
The redesigned Bucyrus drill cab includes a number of ergonomic and comfort-infusing improvements to facilitate greater operator safety and productivity. Including an eight-way-adjustable swivel seat with all controls and display screens within arms’ reach, and a climate controlled cabin, drill operators are able to work comfortably and alertly throughout their shift. Intake air filters and cabin overpressure prevent dust ingress. The cab is SAE-J 231 certified, making it Falling Object Protection Systems (F.O.P.S.) compliant. In addition, the new cab design allows for a better line of sight for drill operators, improving safety during propulsion and drilling operations.