TED: Boosting productivity at HVO
Paul Bullock, Maintenance Supervisor at Hunter Valley Operations (HVO) in NSW was so impressed with their first Tracked Elevating Device (TED) purchased in 2014 that a second was delivered in 2016. A third is now awaiting procurement approval for delivery
HVO, 24km north-west of Singleton in the Hunter Valley region of NSW, began production in 1979. In 2000, Coal & Allied merged the Howick and Hunter Valley mines to create HVO, which now supplies international markets with more than 13 million tonnes per annum of thermal and semi-soft coking coal.
The company’s large fleet of 180 includes 34 dozers, over 100 Komatsu 830 dump trucks, and many other ancillary mine site vehicles. This means HVO’s mobile plant workshop usually has several dozers in at any one time; the truck workshop sometimes has twice this amount.
Two of the key issues constantly on the improvement ‘radar screen’ for HVO at its workshops, as well as worksites, are raising productivity and improving safety.
For example, a traditional procedure to remove and replace a belly plate on a dozer required the mechanic to crawl underneath the giant machine to line up the bolt holes by loosening the plates, which can weigh hundreds of kilos - even more with accumulated debris.
This makes it a tricky job and one fraught with physical danger.
But HVO Maintenance Supervisor Paul Bullock, believes he’s found part of the solution for both the safety and productivity problems with Nivek Industries’ Tracked Elevating Device (TED).
“On a simple belly guard removal in the shop it saves approximately 25 per cent of job time. But it’s out in the field that TED really comes into his own, possibly saving up to 4 shifts of down time,” he said.
“Just yesterday I witnessed TED undertaking a difficult task that previously the pushing force had to be physically generated by a maintainer.
“They have made a massive difference to our day to day operations. In addition, many machines in the pit that would normally have been down for multiple shifts have been dealt with in a timely, safe manner.
With TED saving up to 25 per cent of time on the ground, maintenance teams can focus on more projects at once, as well as having a faster turnaround time and thus increasing production.”
Mr Bullock said TED’s main safety contribution was removing employees from the “line of fire” while removing and replacing belly guards, but the air operated jacks are also physically demanding and using TED had dramatically improved this.
Paul was also looking forward to delivery of HVO’s third TED next year.
“The main motivation for getting the second TED was purely because when the first unit was away or out of service we had to revert to using the pneumatic units which highlighted the need to have more TED’s available,” he said.
“I’m just waiting on approval for TED 3 next year which would eliminate the pneumatic units completely.”
TED really shines during the removal and replacement of machine belly guards in the field, a task which is often undertaken using hooker rod, slings and cumalong; a manual handling exercise. Eliminating the human element from this critical lift stage underneath equipment, thanks to TED’s remote control, significantly decreases the risk of injury.
The machine can travel across any terrain and can safely lift up to 800kg. It features a 360 degree turntable on top which makes lining up belly plates and ball joints safer, quicker and easier than the conventional methods using slings and chain block.
TED can also be used for equaliser bars, cutting edges, steering cylinders, load rollers, sound suppression equipment, engine sumps and many other applications.
The machine is designed and manufactured in Australia and built to withstand the harsh environments that heavy equipment often works in.
Total compliance to Australian and New Zealand mining standards (ASNZ 4240) comes with each machine. A range of attachments is offered including a specialised trailer which can easily carry TED, along with multiple tools, spares and hoses to any break down site or remote workshop.
“on a simple belly guard removal in the shop it saves approximately 25 per cent of job time.”