1 min read / December 14, 2022 / Staff writer
P&H 9020XPC dragline
The customer had aging dragline equipment that was failing, causing downtime and lost productivity. The operation needed machines running consistently so the site could continue operating and remain profitable.
The customer had two options with their draglines: They could purchase new equipment, which would be expensive and time-consuming to manufacture, or they could repair the current equipment and extend its life cycle.
After Komatsu visited the worksite and performed a full inspection, they determined that new equipment would have cost this operation roughly $120 million and would not account for the lost production while using the current machines. To extend the life of the aging dragline, Komatsu recommended replacing the tub, rollers, rack segments, rails and an upper girder. They would also need to add reinforced steel to the front of the machine and perform heavy crack repairs.
After replacement and repairs, the equipment at this operation improved availability and performance significantly. There was also a reduction in unscheduled maintenance. The customer added 30 to 40 more years to the machine’s life cycle. Instead of purchasing new equipment, the customer saved roughly $100 million with a custom repair plan from Komatsu.
The customer purchased their dragline equipment in 1979. After 38 years of service, the machinery began failing, causing downtime and lost productivity. The customer needed to get these aging machines running consistently so that the site could continue operating and remain profitable.
The customer had two options with their draglines: They could purchase new equipment, which would be expensive and time-consuming to manufacture, or they could repair the current equipment and extend its life cycle.
Purchasing new equipment appealed to the customer, but draglines are expensive and require a major capital investment. There would also be significant downtime to manufacture the new machine, negatively impacting production, revenue and any additional costs to recover from the stoppage.
Komatsu needed to visit the worksite and perform a full inspection to make sure that upgrading the machines would be a worthwhile endeavor for the customer.
After Komatsu visited the worksite and performed a full inspection, they determined that new equipment would have cost this operation roughly $120 million and would not account for the lost production while using the current machines. To extend the life of the aging dragline, Komatsu recommended replacing the tub, rollers, rack segments, rails and an upper girder. They would also need to add reinforced steel to the front of the machine and perform heavy crack repairs.
After replacement and repairs, the equipment at this operation improved availability and performance significantly. There was also a reduction in unscheduled maintenance. The customer added 30 to 40 more years to the machine’s life cycle. Instead of purchasing new equipment, the customer saved roughly $100 million with a custom repair plan from Komatsu.