HIGH PROFILE
Rigorous road maintenance
The Paus PG10HA grader is made for precise , powerful and economic grading in undergound hard-rock mines
Germany ’ s Paus has a trio of specialised machines to help underground mines maintain the highest levels of road maintenance , reports Paul Moore
It is no secret that proper road maintenance significantly reduces service costs for all kinds of mobile equipment underground . For this reason , Hermann Paus Maschinenfabrik GmbH , based in Emsbüren , Germany , offers a range of solutions to at the same time avoid downtime and increase safety .
There are three road maintenance solutions in its line-up – firstly the PSF200 dinting machine with a strong cutterhead to level the surface , the PRW13 roller compactor to compact the roadway and last but not least the prominent and well known PG10HA grader .
Taking the grader first , unlike most other graders in the market , Paus says the PG10HA has been designed and built as a dedicated underground machine , including in narrow environments in both height and width . So it has a low height but still with extremely good 360 ° visibility , a low width and an extendable and side shifting dozer blade . This translates to very good manoeuvrability – with front axle and centre articulation steering , the PG10HA can easily move in small drifts , and Paus says its turning radius ( outer ) of 3,050 mm is unmatched . The new generation now also features full joystick controls .
For good traction , the Paus grader has a heavy counterweight on the front , plus an additional front dozer blade is available . It has a divided chassis with articulated joint and steering axle . So it has both a rigid mounted rear and front axle plus an oscillating front axle . It comes with towing eyes front and rear as well as lifting eyes for assembly and shaft transport .
The machine comes with either a Deutz or Cummins high torque engine , both with Tier III or Stage V emissions rating options . It uses a hydrostatic drive with front and rear differential axles from Dana . In addition to its excellent visibility it has a high traction force for exact grading results , a low operating cost thanks to a its deliberate and tailored design plus offers high precision as a result of its easy operation . The hydraulically-operated mouldboard has wear resistant and replaceable main and side cutting edges . The fuel tank has a 170 L capacity and the unit has a total operating weight of 10.5 t .
A state of the art steering system has both hydraulic-articulated steering with two doubleacting hydraulic cylinders controlled by valve lever ; plus hydraulically assisted steering of the front axle controlled by the steering-wheel . The hydraulic service brake is a two-circuit pump storage brake system ; plus the machine also has oil-immersed multiple-disc brakes . The parking brake is spring-applied , and hydraulically released ( SAHR ) with a hand pump to release the brake in case of system failure . It has low maintenance costs with easy automatic shifting and creep mode .
Paus told IM : “ Customers worldwide love the flexibility of the PG10HA , and of course its performance . The unit was designed for underground use from the beginning and is not a standard grader that was modified for underground use .” Like all other Paus offerings , it can be equipped with Paus Connect Cloud ( PCC ) on board diagnostics . All Paus machines also come with a dedicated ‘ as built ’ machine based parts catalogue , including all customised options and modifications .
To date the grader has mainly been used in Eurasia and America , mainly in ore , potash and coal mines .
Dedicated dinting
Moving on to the PSF200 , it is also specially manufactured for the tough conditions in mining and tunnelling . The machine is equipped with a swivelling boom and plain-milling cutter for cutting and levelling floor elevations in one work step . The articulated chassis and wide swivel range provides excellent coverage for most efficient operations . Moreover the powerful diesel engine in alignment with the hydrostatic drive ensures a fast and reliable change of position underground .
Again , it has a ‘ mine-made ’ design that is compact , durable and easy to maintain , and as with other Paus machines has a standard mining safety package ( ROPS / FOPS and many more elements ). A height adjustable operator ´ s cab gives optimum all-round visibility and there is easy and quick access to all maintenance points and service parts .
It has compact dimensions of just 2,400 mm in width and height and the high performance cutter can handle rock hardnesses of up to 80 Mpa . The swivel boom offers side coverage of 4,500 mm and a heavy-duty articulated chassis has an
The PSF200 dinting machine is equipped with a swivelling boom and plainmilling cutter for cutting and levelling floor elevations in one work step
28 International Mining | NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2023