REBUILDS
HEPI’ s Cat 793F charge air cooler redesign
Looking at a specific example of a technology improvement made by one of the leading players in component solutions, HEPI’ s Cooling Division Engineering team successfully redesigned a problematic OEM charge air cooler on a Cat 793F in Queensland, Australia to significantly improve crack resistance and extend product life in demanding applications. It says this engineering revision is not only a technical breakthrough but a strategic step in expanding HEPI’ s presence in the market with a high-performance alternative for mining fleets. The original charge air cooler installed on early Cat 793F haul trucks HEPI says was prone to premature failure due to cracking in the cast tanks, particularly in severe operating conditions. Although later models featured improved components, high failure rates persisted- often before the end of a single engine life cycle. This continued performance issue presented a clear opportunity HEPI says for it to deliver a
more reliable solution. Using advanced design tools, the HEPI Engineering team conducted detailed CAD modelling, finite element analysis( FEA), and fluid flow simulations to understand and address the root causes of failure. The result is a fully redesigned cooler with several key structural and performance improvements, including a proprietary manifold design. It has fully fabricated manifolds in high tensile alloy with heat treatment also applied to the manifolds. It results in modified air flow through the manifold. A new‘ back bone’ was also added between mounting points plus the core corner and centre reinforced plus additional core expansion control applied. Results include an up to 60 % reduction in stress concentration zones, based on FEA analysis; plus an extended cooler lifespan exceeding one full engine life in high-demand applications. HEPI says it is a cost effective design delivering reduced lifecycle costs and therefore TCO. and rebuild integrity come from disciplined coordination across the entire ecosystem:“ Reliable rebuild lead times come from coordinated expertise across the full rebuild ecosystem. Our technicians bring deep model knowledge from years of experience and training to inspection, strip-down, rebuild, testing and commissioning, whilst our Parts Planning team ensures materials are identified early, ordered correctly and available when each stage needs them. In parallel, quality assurance and control applies defined milestones, measurements and acceptance criteria that prevent rework and late surprises, and our SHEQ( Safety, Health, Environment and Quality) team ensures every task is executed safely and consistently, without shortcuts that create risk or delays.”
He added:“ Pre-engineered kits and modules help us to standardise the rebuild, but it is the people and the discipline, as well as planning, technical execution, quality assurance and safety leadership, that protect the schedules and the outcome. The result is predictable turnaround, high rebuild integrity, and machines returned to service with confidence in both performance and delivery date.”
A rebuild is only as strong as the ecosystem that supports it. Sandvik Parts and Service’ s extensive network for aftermarket parts are supported by flexible stocking models such as Vendor Managed Inventory( VMI) and consignment stock. This allows for fewer stockouts and more predictable maintenance execution, which is vital, especially in remote operations.
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