Hydraulic Shovel vs.

vs Wheel Loader
Grant Martin
 Agenda

• Shovel vs. Wheel Loader

• Application
• Breakout Force
• Productivity
• O&O Costs
• Production Studies
• Hydraulic Excavator vs
vs. Wheel Loader
• Hydraulic Front Shovel vs. Wheel Loader
 General Operation

Wheel Loader Category Front Shovel

Loose,, Blasted,, Free Range
g of Material Compacted,
p , Unblasted
Flowing
Large Loading Area (25m) Loading Area Small Loading Area
Level,, Stable,, Dry
y Condition of Pit Floor Unlevel,, Loose,, Wet
60 to 80 psi Ground Pressure 15 to 30 psi
Lower Bank (1/3 less) Height of Bank Higher Bank
Always Bottom to Top Selectivity Any Point on Pile
 General Operation

Lower Breakout Force Higher

Approximately 45.0 Cycle Time Approximately 30.0
Seconds Seconds
High: Approx. 20 mph Travel Speed Low: Approx. 2 mph
Wait to Spot Truck Change Already Spotted
Limited Visibility Visibility into Bed Great Visibility
Not Required Support Equipment Occasionally
 Application

Shovel Wheel Loader

Tightly Blasted Material Free Flowing Material

& Material at the Toe Unconsolidated Material
of the Blast S
Stock Piles Materials

Consolidated Material Very Well Blasted &

Unblasted Material Fragmented Materials
 Wheel Loader Operation
Pile
Total: 177.5
177 5 ft

60 Ton
Turning Radius:
24’10”
 Wheel Loader Operation

• Wheel Loader Applications

• Requires lots of room at the loading area
• Lot of movement at the face to load the trucks
• Greater skill on the part of the truck driver to position haul truck
 Front Shovel Operation
Pile

Total: 177.5
177 5 ft

Front Shovel
 Productivity

• Shovel Applications
pp
• Less Room
• Smaller Benches
• Tighter Shots
• Toe of Shot
 Productivity Comparison

Front Shovel Wheel Loader

Bucket Capacity 9.2 yd3 Bucket Capacity 8.0 yd3

Cycle Time 23 to 25 Seconds Cycle Time 36 to 39 Seconds

Cycles Per Hour 138 to 156 Cycles Per Hour 92 to 100

Fill Factor 95.0% Fill Factor 95.0%

Maximum 1,468 to 1,660 t/hr Maximum 957 to 1,040 t/hr

Production Production
 Floor Conditions
•Wheel Loader

•Needs a Level
Level, Stable Floor

•Must Protect Tires (Huge Investment)

•Floor Must be Dry

•Traction Force Key to Wheel Loader Operation

Higher Ground Pressure

•Higher

•Typically 60 to 80 psi
Floor Conditions
 Floor Conditions
•Front Shovel

•Can Work on Unlevel Floor

•Often
Often Works on Blasted Material

•Floor Can be Wet

•Breakout/Penetration Force Dependent on Hydraulics

•Lower Ground Pressure

•Typically
yp y 15 to 30 p
psi
Floor Conditions
 Selectivity

•Excavator can dig at many levels of the face.

 Breakout Force

• Hydraulic Excavator (Shovel)

• Breakout Force
• Created by Hydraulic forces from
front attachment and weight of
machine.
• Crowding Force
• Created by Hydraulic forces from
front attachment and weight of
machine.

• Wheel Loader
W
• Breakout Force
• Created
C t dbby lift and
d tilt cylinder
li d
• Crowding Force
• Dependent on Traction Force
 Breakout Force

7 5 ydd3
7.5

760 HP
589 kN

583 kN

122 t
 Breakout Force

8.5 yd3 760 HP

550 kN

412 kN

119 t
 Breakout Force Comparison

z Model Shovel Loader % Difference

z Bucket Capacity (yd3) 15.7 15.7 --
z Operating Weight (lbs) 421,000 209,278 101.2
z Crowding Force (lbf) 158,760 N/A --
z Breakout Force (lbf) 136,270 138,360 -1.51
z Bucket
B k t Width (in)
(i ) 128 190
z Unit Breakout Force (lbf/in) 1,064.6 728.2 46.2
 Travel Speed/Mobility

• Wheel Loader
• Average travel speed of approximately 20 mph
• Very good when blending materials
• Travels from face to face at a high rate of speed
• Can even perform Load and Carry Operations

• Front Shovel
• Average travel speed of approximately 2.0 mph
• Mobility is a major deterrent
• Can blend materials, but another loading tool must assist
• Primarily works one face during a single shift
• Very time consuming and expensive to move from face to face during a shift
• Solutions do exist to assist in the moving of mining excavators/shovels
Travel Speed/Mobility
•Independent Structures separated by two
wheels
•Minimize wear to undercarriage
•Travels at 20 km/hr, Slopes of 15o
•Requires 3 minutes of preparation
 Visibility

• Operator Eye Level

• Shovel has higher eye level for operator

Max Dumping Height : 4.63

Max. 4 63 m M
Max. Dumping
D i Height
H i ht : 10.44
10 44 m

6.1m
h
4.9m
 Visibility

• Sh
Shovel/Excavator
l/E t
• Easier to see in bed of truck
• Uniform loading (centered)
• Equally distributes weight front
to rear
• Equally distributes weight side
to side
• Provides better tire life
• Wear on truck bed is
minimized
 Visibility

• Wheel Loader
• Less visibility into bed of
truck
• Typically loads on driver side
• Weight distribution is heavy on
loading side and to the rear
• Occasionally overloads tires on
loading side
• Reduces tire life
• Increases wear on truck bed
Operator Comfort
 Operator Comfort
• Shovel/Excavator
 Operator Comfort
• Wheel Loader
 Operator Comfort

• Shovel – level and foot operation

• Short Swing of Machine vs. Complete Travel of Wheel Loader
• Loader Travels at face and at truck, and reversing all day
 Estimated Owning and Operating Cost

• Front Shovel
• Typically a higher up front capital cost
• Off set by machine useful life
• Provides high productivity and a low cost of ownership
• Undercarriage is a large replacement item
• Versatility is minimized

• Wheel Loader
• Typically a lower up front capital cost
• High cost of operation and lower production
• Tire life plays a huge role in operating costs
• Provides excellent versatility
 Owning Cost
• Expected Production Life as Primary Loading Tool
• 15.7 yd3 Front Shovel = 60,000 hours
• 15.7 d3 Wheel Loader = 30,000
15 7 yd 30 000 hours
ho rs
• Expected Mechanical Availability

100

95
Percenttage

90

85

80

75
Hours 0 5,000 10,000 20,000 30,000 40,000 50,000 60,000
Hours

15.7 yd3 Front Shovel 15.7 yd3 Wheel Loader

 Operating Costs
• Tires vs. Undercarriage
• Cost per Hour for tires = $72,000/7,500 = 9.60 US$ per hour
• Cost per Hour for undercarriage = $190,000/30,000 = 6.33 US$ per hour
• Tire Availability and Inflation

High Tire Costs

Estimated Owning and Operating Cost

Lower O&O Cost Per Hour

Lower O&O Cost Per Ton

Estimated Owning and Operating Cost
Cost Per Hydraulic Excavator Wheel Loader
Ton Advantage Advantage

Cost Per Ton

Hydraulic Excavator

Cost Per Ton

Wheel Loader

Production (t/hr)
Wheel Loader

Production (t/hr)
Hydraulic Excavator
Travel Distance
 Production Studies

• Eastern US Coal Mine

• Loading Blasted Sandstone

150 Ton Truck Loaded by a 100 Ton Truck Loaded by a

15 7 yd3 Hydraulic Excavator
15.7 15 7 yd3 Wheel Loader
15.7
 Production Studies
15.7 yd3 Hydraulic Excavator
15.7 yd3 Wheel Loader 15.7 yd3 Hydraulic Excavator
Advantage

Loading Times

Avg. # of Passes 4.3 7.8 --

Avg. Payload Per Pass 21.8 tons 18.8 tons --

Cycle Time (min) 0.68 0.43 36.8 %

Avg. Load Time (min) 2.27 2.90 --

Avg. Idle Time (min) 1.07 1.77 --

Production Results

Total Time of Study (min) 73.13 82.78 --

Trucks Per Hour 16.0 13.0 --

Total Tonnage Loaded 1,768 tons 2,628 tons 48.6 %

Hourly Production 1,450.5 tons/hr 1,904.7 tons/hr 34.4 %

Hourly Production 677.0 bcy/hr 889.0 bcy/hr 31.3 %

Tons Per Operated Minute 24.18 tons/min 31.75 tons/min 31.3 %

 Production Studies
• Eastern US Quarry
• Loading
g Blasted Granite

100 Ton Truck Loaded by a 1

15.7 Typical 100 Ton Truck Load
yd3 Hydraulic Shovel
Production Studies

Front Shovel Wheel Loader Percent Difference

 Summary

Hydraulic Shovel Wheel Loader

Digging Large Digging Force Small Digging Force

Loading Higher Dumping Height Small Dumping Clearance

Ground Can work on varying Can not work on soft ground

Condition ground conditions

Operating Better fuel consumption and lower maintenance cost Higher Operating Cost; especially tire cost
Cost

Operator Lower vibration due to digging, swing, and loading Digging and dumping operation requires traveling; causing vibration
Comfort operation is not combined with travel

Safety Longer digging reach Necessary to be close to the digging face

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