REBUILDS & REPAIRS
QME on the up
Navan , Ireland-based QME Ltd is one of the fastest growing providers of mining equipment rebuild and overhaul in mining as well as having a major mining contracting busiess . IM spoke to John Rooney , Mining and Tunnelling Equipment Manager , about its capabilities , experience and plans for the future including expansion into battery conversions
Q Can you give some idea of the range or refurb work QME carries out - does it include everything from midlife type overhauls through to complete rebuilds ? A QME have been rebuilding surface and underground trackless equipment for almost 40 years . In that time we have completed various levels of repairs & refurbishments based on the client specifications . Some customers require full frame up rebuilds . This is where we take a machine which is at the end of its first life and strip to the bare chassis and rebuild using all new or refurbished components . We deliver a ‘ like new ’ machine in half the time of a new machine and at a fraction of the cost . We offer full warranty with our rebuilds . Some clients prefer a simpler refurbishment of their machines where we will complete a full overhaul of the entire powertrain ( engine , transmission , convertor , axles ) and also repair or replace pins and bushings etc as a mid-term overhaul . This is a quicker turnaround than a full rebuild and gives the client an extended life of their existing fleet at a lower cost .
Q Can you give any examples of notable rebuilds or overhauls from the past year that nicely illustrate QME ' s capabilities ? A I can say that 2022 has been an extremely busy and very successful year for QME ’ s workshop facility . In that time we have completed seven full frame up rebuilds : two Sandvik LHD621s , one Sandvik DS421 cable bolter , one Sandvik DL421 production drill , one Normet transmixer , one Normet scissor Lift and one Sandvik DD421 two-boom jumbo as well as several smaller overhauls & refurbishments of Epiroc , Sandvik and Normet equipment . These machines have been shipped to our global clients in Europe , Africa and as far away as Kazakhstan .
Q How important is it to have access to the right replacement parts and how does QME ensure quality on this front ? A Spare parts and component availability are critical for both the day to day operation of our QME contracting fleet , as well as the rebuilds being completed in the workshops . In our many years in business we have grown our supplier network to ensure on time and best quality and price possible . We continue to evaluate new and existing suppliers to keep our costs competitive in the marketplace whilst at the same time ensuring the parts are OEM quality and specification .
Q Do you generally return machines to ‘ as new ’ or are you often asked to upgrade machines with the latest technology whether that be a more efficient engine , lighting , control system or similar ? A In general , we rebuild to the original OEM specification . However , we also offer the option to upgrade where feasible to newer technologies and our clients are very often keen to take the opportunity to avail of these options . In previous projects we have upgraded engines to newer cleaner options , made changes to operating specification , increased capacity , changed or widened the application capability eg resin / Swellex / cement rockbolting for example , upgraded safety lighting , added additional cameras etc . We work closely with the client to ensure the end product is in line with their expectations within the budget given .
Q What proportion of your rebuilds are QME buying used machines to
QME now offers EV Toyota Land Cruiser battery conversion kits
upgrade and resell or rent ( or use in your own contract mining fleet ) and what proportion is direct overhaul for customers ? Is there a different approach to each ? A In all our offerings we keep the end user at the forefront of our decision making process , whether that is our internal mining fleet or external rental / sale customers . We will rebuild to the specification required by the client , or , with contracting , dictated by the project we are operating on . The end user is key in our decision making process and budget , project demands and technical specification are all factors when we decide on the machine to be rebuilt .
Q Traditionally you have been known as a Sandvik specialist given your history ; would you say you capabilities now reach across all the major OEMs and machine types ? A While the majority of our rebuilds in the past have been on Sandvik equipment , we also have rebuilt a significant number of machines from various other OEMs both for underground and surface operations . We have rebuilt equipment from Caterpillar , Atlas Copco / Epiroc , Normet , Dux , Volvo , Toyota , MAN , Jama , Veekmas and Aveling Barford amongst others , so you can rest assured QME have the experience and knowhow , to tackle almost any brand of equipment that is on the market today . We can offer rebuilds of QME stock machines , or rebuild the machines owned by the mine to reduce their capex as part of their fleet management program .
Q You recently worked with Xerotech on an electric light vehicle - is it in your plans to offer battery conversion for underground LHDs and haul trucks ? A Yes , QME have just recently launched our new EV Toyota Land Cruiser battery conversion kits using the latest battery and integration technologies from Xerotech and Motics . Following extensive design and testing , we are now offering drop in ‘ plug and play ’ kits for the ever popular Toyota Land Cruiser . Our offering includes the full rebuild of the old 4x4 while removing the engine and transmission and replacing with our battery solution . This offer full recycling of the base unit therefore reducing carbon footprint and reusing and recycling of the majority of the old 4x4 which might otherwise have been scrapped and replaced with a new unit . It is also our intention later in 2023 to begin the introduction of this EV battery conversion technology for mid-sized underground equipment . One example of this is a used Normet scissor lift which is currently in our facility being converted to a battery powered EV machine during the rebuild process . Again we will offer a ‘ plug and play ’ option with the option of a full rebuild of the carrier with the battery conversion to ensure the equipment can reach its full potential for another lifetime in the mine .
56 International Mining | FEBRUARY 2023