A Reference Guide to Mining Machine Applications

Purpose of Mine Evaluation

• Confirm that mine is getting maximum value from its investment

in Cat equipment.

• Help mine set and achieve new benchmarks for safety, efficiency
and profitability.
Key Factors to Review

• Machine/system sizing and selection.

• Job set-up.
• Operating techniques.
• General site conditions.
• Haul road design and maintenance.
Trucks
Performance Benchmark
• Exchange time
− Target. . . . . . . . . . . . .42 seconds
− Acceptable. . . . . . . . .54 seconds
Trucks
Load Placement
• Center load above hoist cylinders and along body centerline.
• Minimize material on headboard.
• Minimize spillage from sides, corner, rear.
• Always target 66% - 33% load split on front/rear axles.

Correct Loading Correct Loading

Incorrect Loading

Incorrect
Loading
Trucks
Positioning
• Loader operator spots truck.
• Position for fastest cycle times.
− Wheel loaders - 45°
− Other loading tools - angle varies
• Keep rear tires off pile.
• Minimize wait time.
Trucks
Other Tips
• Safety
− Apply parking brake
• Body
− Check liner plate wear and
body pad alignment
• Tires
− Inspect tire condition
− Check TKPH/TMPH ratings
Loading Tool Selection
Rope Shovel Front Shovel Mass Excavator Wheel Loader

Cycle time 28-32 27-30 24-28 30-40

(seconds)
Fill factor (%) 100-105 90-100 90-110 90-110

Pass match 3-4 4-6 4-6 4-6

Favorable Single face Selective digging Truck below HEX Level, dry floor
conditions Stable level floor Tight area & Tight area & Well-fragmented
Wide benches material material material
Well-shot material Poor floor Short swing Lower face profile
Multi-face loading

Unfavorable Poor underfoot Excessive High/unstable Poor/wet underfoot

conditions tramming benches Tight load areas
Low benches Excessive
tramming
Low angle of
repose material
Rope Shovels
Performance Benchmarks
• Cycle time
− 28-32 seconds (31-second average)
• Bucket fill factor - well shot rock
− 100-105%
• Pass match
− 3-4 passes
Rope Shovels
Site Conditions
• Optimum bench height
− Top of boom sheeves
• Best applications
− Single face, correct height
− Wide benches
− Well-shot material
• Unfavorable conditions
− Poor underfoot
Rope Shovels
Tips
• Maintain maximum swing - 70-90°.
• Keep floor clean.
• Monitor power cable maintenance.
• Never operate a bare edge.
Hydraulic Front Shovels
Performance Benchmarks
• Cycle time
− 27-30 seconds (28-second average)
• Bucket fill factor - well shot rock
• 90-100%
• Pass match
− 4-6 passes
Hydraulic Front Shovels
Site Conditions
• Optimum bench height
− Just above boom/stick pivot
• Best applications
− Selective digging, multiple targets
− Tight load area and materials
− Poor underfoot
• Unfavorable conditions
− Excessive tramming
− Low benches
Hydraulic Front Shovels
Tips
• Strip top, load from center.
• Keep tight digging zone.
• Avoid digging too far into face.
• Watch for high, unstable benches.
• Load from left.
• Avoid excessive prying.
• Maximize tip contact.
• Always have defined dig
pattern R to L or L to R and
maintain pattern.
Hydraulic Backhoes (Mass Excavation)
Performance Benchmarks
• Cycle time
− 24-28 seconds (26-second average)
• Bucket fill factor - well shot rock
− 90-110%
• Pass match
− 4-6 passes
Hydraulic Backhoes (Mass Excavation)
Site Conditions
• Optimum bench height
− Length of stick or distance between truck siderail and ducktail
• Best applications
− Truck below excavator
− Tight load area, tight material
− Short swing - 60°
• Unfavorable conditions
− High benches
− Excessive tramming
− Low angle of repose material
Hydraulic Backhoes (Mass Excavation)
Tips
• Watch for excess bench height.
• Keep tight digging zone and swing angle.
• Remove farthest pass during truck exchange and maintain
“Key Cut” (pass in front of inside track) to establish straight
wall for next cut.
• Avoid digging too far into face.
• Keep cut in line with inside
track, no more than 45° over
outside track.
• Watch for poorly blasted toe.
Wheel Loaders
Performance Benchmarks
• Cycle time
− 30-40 seconds (38-second average)
• Bucket fill factor - well shot rock
− 90-110%
• Pass match
− 4-6 passes
Wheel Loaders
Site Conditions
• Optimum bench height
− Bucket hinge pin height at maximum lift
• Best applications
− Level, dry, smooth, firm floors
− Good drainage
− Well-fragmented material
− Lower face profile
− Multi-face loading
• Unfavorable conditions
− Poor or wet underfoot
− Tight load areas
Wheel Loaders
Tips
• Enter pile straight on.
• Keep frame straight when digging.
• Lift bucket before crowding.
• Horizontal lift arms when bucket
is full.
• Keep time in face below 12 seconds.
• Position loader 1.5 wheel turns
from face to truck.
• Never operate a bare edge.
Motor Graders
Blade Position
• Keep top of moldboard 50 mm ahead of cutting edge.
• Keep edge at 90° angle to surface.
• Maintain constant tip angle.
Motor Graders
Blade Angle
• Use widest pass width.
• Increase blade angle if material flows around leading edge.
• Use 10° blade angle for Grader Bit System or serrated edge.
Motor Graders
Other Tips
• Grade in 2nd or 3rd gear.
• Rip in 1st gear with all machines.
• Always keep edges sharp
for better penetration.
• Change edges prior to
moldboard damage.
Track-type Tractors
Ripping Tips
• Rip downhill.
• Rip in same direction scrapers will load.
• Watch speed.
− 1.5-2.5 km per hour
• Position tip properly.
− Begin with tip rearward
− Pull forward after penetration
− Shank lies backward while ripping
Track-type Tractors
Dozing Tips
• Use slot dozing.
• Use slopes.
• Steer with blade.
• Minimize corner loading,
prying, impact.
• Maintain steady pressure.
• Position blade properly.
− Tilt forward
− Lay blade back when half full
− Continue racking blade back as it fills
Track-type Tractors
Other Tips
• Reinforcing ribs on penetration ripper tip must face up.
• Ensure proper installation of GET.
• Never operate bare shank.
• Avoid excessive tramming.
• Watch for missing or loose track hardware.
Scrapers
Performance Benchmarks
• Load time - open bowl/push-loaded WTS.
− Target . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24-30 seconds
− Average . . . . . . . . . . . . 36-43 seconds
• Shorter time for tandem.
• Longer time for single powered.
Drills
Performance Benchmarks
(25,000-40,000 lb/111.25-178 kN pulldown)

• Depths
− Multi-pass . . . . . . . . .up to 40 m/43 yd
− Single-pass . . . . . . . 10-12 m/11-13 yd
• Hole sizes
− 100-200 mm/3.9-7.8 in
• Rotation speeds
− Coal . . . . . . . . . . . . 120-150 rpm
− Hard rock . . . . . . . .100-120 rpm
• Penetration
− Coal . . . . . . . . . . . . 40-60 m/hr/43.7-65.6 yd/hr
− Hard rock . . . . . . . .10-30 m/hr/10.9-32.8 yd/hr
Drills
Performance Benchmarks
(40,000-60,000 lb/178-267 kN pulldown)

• Depths
− Multi-pass . . . . . . . . . up to 60 m/65.6 yd
− Single-pass . . . . . . . .12-16 m/13-17 yd
• Hole sizes
− 150-250 mm/5.9-9.8 in
• Rotation speeds
− Coal . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100-130 rpm
− Hard rock . . . . . . . . . 80-110 rpm
• Penetration
− Coal . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40-80 m/hr/43.7-87.4 yd/hr
− Hard rock . . . . . . . . .10-40 m/hr/10.9-43.7 yd/hr
Drills
Performance Benchmarks
(60,000-110,000 lb/267-489.5 kN pulldown)

• Depths
− Multi-pass . . . . . . . up to 100 m/109 yd
− Single-pass . . . . . .14-18 m/15-19 yd
• Hole sizes
− 200-350 mm/7.8-13.7 in
• Rotation speeds
− Coal . . . . . . . . . . . .80-110 rpm
− Hard rock . . . . . . . 70-90 rpm
• Penetration
− Coal . . . . . . . . . . . 40-100 m/hr/43.7-109.4 yd/hr
− Hard rock . . . . . . . 10-50 m/hr/10.9-54.6 yd/hr
Drills
Performance Benchmarks
(Track drills)

• Depths
− Multi-pass . . . . . . . . . up to 50 m/54 yd
− Single pass . . . . . . . . 8-10 m/8.75-10.9 yd
• Hole sizes
− up to 150 mm/5.9 in
• Rotation speeds
− Coal . . . . . . . . . . . . . 80-120 rotary
− Hard rock . . . . . . . . . up to 40 rpm hammer
• Penetration
− Coal . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30-50 m/hr/32.8-54.6 yd/hr
− Hard rock . . . . . . . . . 10-30 m/hr/10.9-32.8 yd/hr
Drills
Favorable Site Conditions
• Level floor.
• Unbroken ground.
• Minimal water ingress.
• Regular pattern spacing.
• Limited tramming.
• Adequate maneuvering space.
Drills
Operating Tips
• Watch for excessive vibration.
• Avoid drill plunging.
• Avoid excessive pulldown pressures.
• Avoid excessive rotation speeds.
• Set bailing velocity correctly.
• Monitor chip size.
• Level drill correctly.
• Maintain flat floor.
Haul Road Design
Horizontal and Vertical Alignment
• Design corners and crests that allow excellent visibility at normal
travel speeds.
• Use worst-case scenarios.

10
Haul Road Design
Cross-slope
• Flats
− Apply minimum slope to maintain drainage
− Use constant crossfall when possible
• Grades
− Minimal cross-slope required

2° constant crossfall
Haul Road Design
Grade
• Maintain smooth grade.
• Maintain consistent percentage.

Correct Incorrect
Haul Road Design
Corners
• Use maximum practical radii.
• Employ super elevation for
higher speed operations.
• Use super elevation >10%
with caution.
Haul Road Design
Road Width
• One way - 3 truck widths.
• Two-way straights - 3.5 truck widths.
• Two way corners - 4 truck widths.

One-way (Straights/corners)

Two-way (In Straights)

Two-way (In Corners)

Haul Road Design
Bench Width
• Truck must clear loader under full acceleration.
• Minimum width = machine turning radius + width of safety berm.

Bench Width
Haul Road Design
Drainage & Safety Berms
• Drainage system - sized to accommodate maximum rainfall.
• Berm size - at least one-half wheel height.

1/2 wheel height

Drainage
Haul Road Design
Rolling Resistance
• Hard, well-maintained road . . . . . . . 1.5%
• Well-maintained road with flex . . . . . . 3%
• 25 mm/1 in tire penetration . . . . . . . . .4%
• 50 mm/2 in tire penetration . . . . . . . . .5%
• 100 mm/4 in tire penetration . . . . . . . .8%
• 200 mm/8 in tire penetration . . . . . . .14%

Tire penetration
Haul Road Maintenance
Rules of Thumb
• Begin at face; end at dump.
• Pick-up truck travels
comfortably at
60 km/hr (37 mph).
• OHT travels at reasonable speed.
• Remove and repair wet/soft spots.
• Consider checkerboard
or spot watering on slopes.
Haul Road Maintenance
Analysis Tools
• Application Severity Analysis (ASA).
• Vital Information Management System (VIMS).
• Fleet Production and Cost (FPC).
Haul Road Visual Inspection
Load Zone
• Floor is smooth.
• Water removal is adequate.
• Debris is cleared away.
• Trucks don’t drive over rocks.
• Trucks leave under full,
continuous acceleration.
• Trucks return without making Loading Zone

tight, high-speed turns.

Haul Road Visual Inspection
Main Haul Road
• Road is free of puddles, potholes, ruts, gullies.
• Passing room is adequate.
• Corner radius allows safe operation at high speed.
• Spillage is removed quickly.
• No rubber deposits on tight, rocky turns.
• High braking forces not necessary on corners.
• Expected road speeds are achieved.
Haul Road Visual Inspection
Dump Zone
• Floor is smooth.
• Trucks enter at high speed, parallel to edge.
• Trucks brake in straight line, then turn and stop to
reverse to dump.
• Safety berms are regulation height.
• Is dump stable enough to
dump over safely or
should you dump short
and push off.
Discussion Topics for Mine Managers
Bucket Fill Factors
• Higher fill factors improve productivity and reduce cost per ton.
• Achieve higher fill factors through:
− Better fragmentation
− Correct bucket selection
− Correct GET selection and maintenance
− Correct bench heights
− Correct loader orientation to face
Discussion Topics for Mine Managers
Loader Cycle Times
• Faster cycle times improve productivity and reduce cost per ton.
• Achieve faster cycle times through:
− Correct orientation to face
− Improved floor conditions
− Correct truck placement
− Improved material condition
Discussion Topics for Mine Managers
OHT Road Speeds
• Higher OHT road speeds improve productivity and reduce cost
per ton.
• Achieve faster speeds through:
− Smooth roads - load to dump
− Reduced rolling resistance
− Better road design
− Better payload control
Discussion Topics for Mine Managers
Cat Software Tools
• Compare actual and theoretical:
− Grade speeds
− Cycle times
− Total productivity
• Analyze impact of changes:
− Haul road speeds
− Bucket fill factors
− Truck exchange time
− Fuel consumption
− Component life
− Tire life
Discussion Topics for Mine Managers
Hauling System Application Zones

Dozers: 0 to 100 m (0 to 350 ft)

*Load and Carry: 50 to 120 m (150 to 400 ft)

*Scrapers: 120 to 1200 m (400 to 4000 ft)

*Articulated Trucks: 120 to 1200 m (400 to 4000 ft)

*Rear Dump Truck: 120 to 1500 m (400 to 5000 ft)

*Wagon/Hauler: 1200 to 10 000 m (4000 to 35,000 ft)

*Underfoot, material type, production rate & operator skill also affect system selection
Discussion Topics for Mine Managers
Support Equipment
• Correct use of support machines can:
− Enhance safety
− Improve productivity & extend life of production equipment
− Extend tire life
− Maximize haul road life
Reference Material
Print
• Cat Performance Handbook
• A Reference Guide for Mining Machine Applications (AEDK0391)
• Handbook of Ripping (AEDK0752)
• 5130/5230 Applications Guide (AEDK0128)
• H-Series Motor Grader Application Guide (AEGQ0945)
• 994 Bucket Selection Guide (AEDK0268)
• Making the Most of Scraper Potential (AEGQ2380)
• Optimum Scraper Load Time (AEGC0195)
• GET Inspection & Maintenance Guide (PEXT8033)
• GET Service Guide (PEGP7030)
Reference Material
Video
• 24H Motor Grader Introduction (TEVN3797))
• 24H Operating Techniques (AEVN4741/AEVP4741)
• 5130B/5230 Front Shovel Application Techniques
(AEVN4380/AEVP4380)
• 5130B/5230 ME Application Techniques (AEVN4381/AEVP4381)
• 994 Operating Tips (AEVN2947)
• GET Operating Tips (PEVN4009/PEVP4009)