HEAVY ENGINEERING & WEAR PARTS
ShovelMetrics uses artificial intelligence and computer vision to provide missing tooth detection , tooth wear monitoring , payload monitoring , particle size analysis and blind spot reduction .
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“ We ’ re also able to define benchmarks from which we are already building our next generation of core products .”
Ultrahauls destined for Carmichael
Back in the land of truck bodies , Bravus Mining & Resources recently awarded contracts worth more than A $ 3 million to Queensland-based SMW Group for a series of new Ultrahaul mine truck trays and a bore field maintenance program at its Carmichael coal mine in the state .
With the recent opening of Berco ’ s new R & D facility in Copparo , Italy , the manufacturer and supplier of undercarriage systems and components has cemented a growth plan that could see it gain further market share in both its OEM and aftermarket segments and expand its product range for mining applications .
Covering 2,000 sq . m , the new department is located beside the entrance of the company ’ s main plant , a building that captures 101 years of company history and is being updated with a new vision backed by parent company thyssenkrupp .
The new R & D hub is home to the T & I ( technology and innovation ) team , which will be divided into two subgroups : the metallurgical laboratory and product engineering .
Officially opened on November 17 , the facility houses state-of-the-art machinery , specifically developed to advance the company ’ s strategic plans .
These strategic plans date back to early 2018 when , as part of the Forged Technologies business unit , Berco developed a strategy that encompassed “ lean manufacturing ” and the company ’ s unique know-how , according to Berco CEO , Piero Bruno .
“ We have a unique know-how of metallurgy within Berco ,” he said . “ We , as part of Forged Technologies , represent a strategic pillar for thyssenkrupp . We are a core business within the group ( thyssenkrupp Industrial Components ).”
Berco is a rarity in the mining sector ; a company able to deliver the full undercarriage ( chains , rollers , drive sprockets , track adjusters , track chains or idlers ) for large dozers and excavators , for both aftermarket applications and equipment manufacturers . Mining and construction represent more than 30 % of its sales currently , with on-highway trucks and passenger vehicles taking up around 60 % of the remaining share .
There are other undercarriage suppliers on the market , but few of them have 32,000 t and 16,000 t screw presses capable of forging the scale of products needed in heavy-duty mining applications . Even fewer have the expertise to take an industry-standard product and tailor it for longer life and increased uptime in such applications .
This puts Berco in an interesting position where , in some instances , it is producing components or complete systems that compete directly with the equipment manufacturers .
In the instance of the Cat 6020B hydraulic mining shovel , Berco has built a complete undercarriage system as an alternative to the OEM equivalent on the market .
This solution comes under the company ’ s Platinum line of products , which are focused solely on performance in the field and operating costs . It also represents the first “ non-captive ” range available to purchase , according to the company .
Launched in 2014 , the Cat 6020B is a 230 ton ( 224 t ) excavator at the high end of the mining range . Depending on the abrasiveness of the soil , undercarriage components need to be replaced every four-to-five years , according to Berco , meaning there are significant numbers of this model currently due undercarriage maintenance .
For the Cat 6020B hydraulic mining shovel range , Berco used a “ reverse engineering ” process to deconstruct the original equipment components .
Berco is a rarity in the mining sector ; a company able to deliver the full undercarriage ( chains , rollers , drive sprockets , track adjusters , track chains or idlers ) for large dozers and excavators , for both aftermarket applications and equipment manufacturers
Three-dimensional material scanning was carried out to gain a complete understanding of the initial design criteria , while laboratory analysis determined the materials used as well as the heat treatments and microstructures .
Berco-originated innovations that feature on this non-captive undercarriage system include the BPR2™ ( Berco Positive Pin Retention2™ system ) to improves the working lifetime of the components through mechanical locking of the link to the pin ; a newly designed track link for the track chain with a 350 mm pitch produced using the “ drop forged ” process made from mild carbon steel with boron and chromium additives ; and track bushings with 60 HRC hardness steel that have a high resistance to wear .
Additionally , the track roller can , because of its lubrication and seal features , adopt an “ all-weather ” configuration ranging from -40 ° C to 50 ° C .
The first of these new undercarriages was dispatched from Copparo at the end of 2021 , destined for a customer in Africa .
This type of aftermarket strategy – where the company identifies a product area and develops an improved industry solution in line with expected maintenance intervals – could end up being used for future products if proven successful , Francesco Grenzi , Executive Director of R & D Department , told IM . He was able to point to success stories in the dozer and excavator categories .
For example , one of the company ’ s Platinum line undercarriage systems for dozers is outperforming the OEM equivalent by up to 25-35 %. It performs in an extremely consistent manner for applications used in different conditions such as hard rock , coal or copper mines , Berco says . Platinum line products are available along the complete mining dozer range , from 350 hp ( 261 kW ) to 1,000 hp crawler dozers .
Other Platinum line products already on the market include high strength track link , ground engaging tools and its Robustus ( ROtating BUShing Track Undercarriage System ) solution .
JUNE 2022 | International Mining