CR Masterclass 1 - GET Improvement

Summary

In this masterclass, Quintin Ninaber, GM of Product Management at CR, discusses how Ground Engaging Tools (GET) can boost productivity by 5% and reduce total cost of ownership. He explains the evolution of GET from simple steel to a highly engineered system, crucial for excavators and loaders. The focus is on tooth design, lip shrouds, and retainers, which directly affect productivity, maintenance, and costs. The introduction of cast lip systems for 100-400 ton excavators and wheel loaders is highlighted as a significant innovation, offering durability, reduced maintenance, and potential for increased productivity. The session concludes with a real-world example demonstrating the impact of these advancements on operational efficiency and cost savings.

Takeaways

• 🔨 GT (Ground Engaging Tools) is a highly engineered system that goes beyond being just a piece of steel, directly impacting excavator productivity and total cost of ownership.
• 🦷 The design of GT teeth is crucial for productivity as they break ground and open the cleavage plane, affecting machine fill times, GT consumption, and dig energy.
• 💼 Lip shrouds play a significant role in productivity by directing material into the bucket efficiently, which is critical for maintaining cycle times and payload.
• 👄 The lip's profile is essential for dig energy, fill times, and overall durability of the bucket system, with different types of lips suited for different machine sizes.
• 🔩 Retainers are vital for ensuring GT stays attached to the lip and bucket, preventing productivity loss and maintenance costs due to lost or broken GT.
• 📈 Machine productivity is defined by the ability to fill trucks efficiently, with durability and dig efficiency being key factors for effective machine utilization.
• ⏱️ Small improvements in cycle time, such as a one-second reduction, can lead to significant productivity gains, especially on large excavators.
• 🚚 The right bucket size and GT configuration can greatly impact productivity by ensuring efficient filling and higher payloads.
• 🏭 The introduction of cast lip systems represents a significant innovation, offering optimized design, lighter weight, and increased strength, leading to improved productivity and reduced maintenance costs.
• 💡 Advanced monitoring and analysis technologies allow for real-time tracking of productivity improvements, demonstrating the impact of GT design changes on machine performance.
• 🔩 The conversion to cast lip systems can significantly reduce infield maintenance and overhaul costs, potentially saving thousands of dollars per machine per year.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the masterclass presented by Quintin Ninaber?

The main focus of the masterclass is to discuss how Ground Engaging Tools (GET) can deliver a five percent increase in productivity and improve total cost of ownership in mining operations.

What has the evolution of technology done for Ground Engaging Tools (GET) in the mining industry?

The evolution of technology has transformed Ground Engaging Tools (GET) from being just a piece of steel to highly engineered tools that can directly impact the productivity of excavators, wheel loaders, rope shovels, and drag lines.

What are the key components of GET that affect productivity?

The key components of GET that affect productivity include the teeth, lip shrouds, and retainers. These components are crucial for breaking the ground, directing material into the bucket, and ensuring all parts stay attached to the lip and bucket, respectively.

Why are teeth important for productivity in mining operations?

Teeth are important for productivity because they break the ground and open the cleavage plane, which loosens the material in front of the bucket. If the tooth design is not suitable for the application, it can slow down the machine, increase wear and tear, and cost more in maintenance.

What role do lip shrouds play in the productivity of mining operations?

Lip shrouds play a significant role in productivity by directing material into the bucket as it moves through the digging phase. Misalignment of planes and surfaces can dramatically impact fill energy, dig energy, and cycle times.

How does the design of the lip affect the overall performance of the bucket?

The lip serves to hold and point the GET, and its profile is critical to dig energy, fill times, and overall durability of the system. The design of the lip can impact the machine's ability to fill trucks efficiently and effectively.

What are the two main types of lips mentioned in the script, and what are their typical applications?

The two main types of lips are the traditional platelet style, which is used on excavators below the 400-tonne mark and wheel loaders, and the cast lip, which is used for machines with an operating weight of over 400 tonnes.

How can the design of Ground Engaging Tools (GET) impact maintenance practices and costs?

The design of GET can impact maintenance practices and costs by ensuring durability and ease of maintenance. For instance, the introduction of cast lip systems can reduce infield maintenance and overall overhaul costs by eliminating the need for weld-on components.

What is the significance of the five percent improvement in productivity mentioned in the script?

A five percent improvement in productivity means that for every hour of operation, an additional truck can be filled, which translates to significant tonnage moved annually and a substantial increase in operational efficiency.

How does the introduction of cast lip systems contribute to reducing maintenance costs and increasing productivity?

The introduction of cast lip systems contributes to reducing maintenance costs by eliminating the need for weld-on components, which reduces infield maintenance and overhaul costs. It also increases productivity by allowing for a lighter, stronger design that aligns better with the digging process.

What is the Titan Load Hole Optimization System, and how does it benefit the optimization of Ground Engaging Tools (GET)?

The Titan Load Hole Optimization System is a tool used to pinpoint key factors for efficient digging and track changes to productivity in real-time. It helps in optimizing the design of GET to ensure efficient digging, proper filling of buckets, and reduced cycle times.

Outlines

00:00

🔨 The Role of Ground Engaging Tools (GET) in Productivity and Cost Efficiency

Quintin Ninaber introduces a masterclass on how Ground Engaging Tools (GET) can enhance productivity by 5% and reduce total cost of ownership. GET, once considered just a piece of steel, has evolved into a sophisticated tool impacting excavators, wheel loaders, rope shovels, and drag lines. The session focuses on the critical components of GET, including the lip, lip shrouds, teeth, and retainers, and their impact on productivity. The importance of tooth design is emphasized, as poor design can increase machine resistance, leading to higher wear, higher energy consumption, and slower operation. Lip shrouds are highlighted for their role in directing material into the bucket, affecting digging efficiency. The video discusses how the design of GET components can either optimize or hinder productivity and cost.

05:01

🛠️ Enhancing Machine Productivity and Durability with GET

The second paragraph delves into the importance of machine productivity, defined as filling trucks efficiently for as many hours as possible. GET must be designed with durability and maintenance in mind to ensure minimal downtime. The dig efficiency is crucial, with the lip profile and tooth alignment playing significant roles in reducing resistance during the digging phase. The video mentions that even a one-second reduction in cycle time can lead to a 1% increase in productivity. The discussion also covers the importance of bucket size and fill capacity, with a focus on how an optimized GET package can improve fill and mass metrics, potentially increasing productivity by 5%. The introduction of cast lip systems for excavators and wheel loaders is presented as a significant innovation, offering benefits such as lighter weight, better alignment, and increased strength, leading to improved productivity and reduced maintenance costs.

10:04

📈 Real-World Impact of GET on Productivity and Cost Reduction

The final paragraph presents a real-world example of a customer who converted their 120-ton excavator from a plate system to a cast lip system, resulting in a 5% decrease in cycle time, a 3% decrease in truck fill time, and a 1% increase in payload. This translated to an additional truck per hour and a 92-ton per hour increase in productivity. The video concludes by emphasizing that GET is now a highly engineered system that directly impacts productivity and total cost of ownership, regardless of the loading tool used. It highlights the importance of durability, reliability, and minimal maintenance in GET design to maximize machine utilization and reduce costs. The session ends with an invitation for questions and a teaser for the next masterclass, which will focus on key design triggers and techniques used to ensure product performance.

Keywords

💡Ground Engaging Tools (GET)

Ground Engaging Tools, or GET, refers to the components of heavy machinery like excavators and loaders that come into direct contact with the ground or material being moved. In the context of the video, GET includes teeth, lip shrouds, and retainers, which are critical for productivity. The video emphasizes how the design and condition of GET can significantly impact the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of mining operations, as it directly affects the machine's ability to break ground and move material.

💡Productivity

Productivity in the video is discussed in the context of how efficient a machine is at moving material, specifically in terms of how many trucks can be filled per hour. The video suggests that a 5% increase in productivity can have substantial financial implications for mining operations. It is tied to the effectiveness of GET, as better-designed tools can lead to less resistance, faster cycle times, and ultimately, more material moved.

💡Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)

Total Cost of Ownership is a financial estimate of the total costs related to owning and operating a piece of equipment over its entire life cycle. The video discusses how the design and durability of GET can reduce maintenance costs and downtime, thereby reducing TCO. It highlights that by improving the design of GET, such as through the use of cast lips, maintenance requirements can be minimized, leading to cost savings.

💡Tooth Design

The design of teeth is a central theme in the video, as they are the primary components of GET that break the ground. The video explains that if the tooth design is not suitable for the application, it can lead to increased resistance, higher wear and tear, and reduced productivity. It gives an example of how a small design change in a tooth can lead to a 5% increase in productivity.

💡Lip Shrouds

Lip shrouds are part of the GET system and are initially thought to protect the lip from wear. However, the video reveals that they play a more significant role in directing material into the bucket, which is crucial for productivity. The alignment of lip shrouds can affect the machine's dig energy, fill energy, and cycle times, making them an essential consideration in the overall efficiency of the machine.

💡Cast Lip

A cast lip is a type of lip for heavy machinery that is cast in a single piece, offering potential advantages over traditional platelet-style lips. The video suggests that cast lips can be designed to be lighter and stronger, which can lead to improved productivity and reduced maintenance costs. The introduction of cast lip systems is presented as a significant innovation in the industry.

💡Durability

Durability is discussed in relation to the longevity and reliability of GET components. The video emphasizes that durable components are essential for effective machine utilization, as downtime for maintenance or part replacement reduces productivity. Durability is a key factor in the TCO, as more robust components can lead to less frequent maintenance and repairs.

💡Dig Efficiency

Dig efficiency refers to how effectively a machine can move material during the digging phase. The video points out that the machine is only physically digging for around 40% of the swing cycle, indicating a significant opportunity for GET to improve productivity. The design of the lip profile and teeth must be optimized to ensure minimal resistance during digging.

💡Bucket Fill

Bucket fill is the process of a machine's bucket being filled with material during the digging cycle. The video highlights the importance of having a bucket that is the right size and filling correctly, as this can significantly impact productivity. An excellent GET package will facilitate both the fill and mass metrics, which can lead to an increase in the amount of material moved.

💡Maintenance Practices

Maintenance practices are discussed in terms of their impact on machine uptime and productivity. The video suggests that certain design improvements in GET, such as the use of cast lips, can reduce the need for maintenance, such as welding or replacing worn components. This reduction in maintenance not only increases machine uptime but also lowers the TCO.

Highlights

GT (Ground Engaging Tools) can deliver a 5% increase in productivity and improve total cost of ownership.

GT has evolved into a highly engineered tool impacting productivity on various mining machines.

The teeth of GT are crucial for breaking ground and directly impacting productivity.

Poorly designed teeth can increase machine resistance, leading to higher GT consumption and energy use.

Lip shrouds play a critical role in directing material into the bucket, affecting productivity.

Misalignment of GT components can significantly impact dig energy, fill energy, and cycle times.

The lip of the bucket is essential for holding and pointing GT, and contributes to the bucket's front structure stiffness.

There are two main types of lips: traditional platelet style and cast lip, each suitable for different machine sizes.

Retainers are vital for ensuring GT stays attached to the lip and bucket, preventing productivity loss.

Machine productivity is defined by the ability to fill trucks efficiently for as many hours as possible.

Durability is key for effective machine utilization and reducing downtime for maintenance.

Dig efficiency is where GT can significantly impact productivity by reducing resistance during the dig phase.

A machine is physically digging for only around 40% of the swing cycle, presenting an opportunity for GT to improve productivity.

The right bucket size and filling capacity can greatly impact productivity.

Advancements in monitoring and analysis allow for precise measurement of GT's impact on productivity.

A small design change in a tooth can significantly increase the tons moved by machines.

Cast lip systems offer innovations for excavators and wheel loaders, optimizing design for lighter weight and better alignment.

Product durability is essential for increasing effective machine utilization and reducing maintenance.

Cast lip systems can reduce infield maintenance and total overhaul costs, increasing productivity and reducing total cost of ownership.

A customer case study shows a 5% decrease in cycle time and a 3% decrease in truck fill time after converting to a cast lip system.

GT is a highly engineered system that impacts productivity and total cost of ownership across various loading tools.

CAR SLIP and GT are designed for durability, reliability, and minimal maintenance to maximize machine utilization.

Transcripts

[Music]

thank you for joining our masterclass on

how gt can deliver a five percent

increase in productivity and improve

total cost of ownership

i'm quintin ninaber and i'm the gm

product management here at cr

over the next 15 minutes we will cover

the critical role that gt plays in the

improvement of productivity and the

overall reduction in total cost of

ownership

we will cover the gt itself

and how it can in fact productivity as

well as cover how it can affect your

maintenance practices so you save money

as we work through this session ask

yourself what a five percent improvement

in productivity could mean for your site

or operation

gt is no longer just a piece of steel

that sits on the front of your bucket

with the evolution of technology and the

desire of the mining industry to find

step change wherever we can it has

actually become a highly engineered tool

that can directly impact the

productivity on excavators wheel loaders

rope shovels and even drag lines so what

is get

it's a first bit of steel that breaks

the ground and cuts the path for your

bucket to follow

it's a modular system that allows you to

change the setup to better suit your

specific needs

and the most important of these are the

lip

the lip shrouds the teeth and the

retainers

when you are talking about gt and

productivity there is nothing more

important than the teeth

teeth are the components that break the

ground and open the cleavage plane which

directly impacts productivity because it

loosens the material in front of the

bucket essentially cutting a path for it

to follow

if the design of the tooth is not done

well it will dramatically impact your

fill times because the machine has to

work harder to get through the

resistance

your gt consumption will skyrocket

because the higher resistance means more

friction and wear and finally your dig

energy will increase which impacts the

rest of the machine from fatigue through

to fuel burn

if your tooth design is not right for

your application

it will slow you down and cost you money

on every single pass

following the teeth are the lip shrouds

and you may think that they are just

there to protect the lip from wearing

out as material flows into the bucket

but over the last 12 years we have found

that they play a much more important

role in productivity than first thought

because directing material into the

bucket as it moves through the digging

phase is absolutely critical

using our scale testing facilities and

titan load hole optimization system we

have been able to pinpoint the key

factors that need to be just right to

ensure efficient digging if the planes

and surfaces don't align with each other

and the engagement in digging planes

fill energy dig energy and cycle times

are impacted dramatically it's the key

point of the design that determines if

the material is pushed away

or underneath the bucket instead of

filling it smoothly again getting just a

single element of the design wrong has

the ability to slow you down reduce your

payloads and cost you in maintenance

dollars

the lip shrouds are attached to the lip

which is attached to the front of the

bucket

the lip serves to hold and point the gt

but it also plays a key role in

stiffening the front structure of the

bucket the lip profile is critical to

dig energy fill times and over overall

durability of the system

there are two main types of lips the

traditional platelet style

which is fabricated steel plate with

adapters welded on

these are the typical arrangements you

will see on excavators below the 400

tonne mark and also wheel loaders then

there is the cast lip this is the lip

that is completely cast in a single

piece with integral noses these are your

standard type of lips for machines with

an operating weight of over 400 ton

the retainers or locks are actually as

important as the other three

because they ensure that all the gt

stays attached to the lip and the bucket

when gt is lost or broken it can have

devastating effects on productivity

maintenance and downstream costs on

average a crusher event that is due to

gt has a downtime period of 12 to 24

hours

so you might be wondering just how gt

can impact productivity or maintenance

or even total cost of ownership

to answer that question we need to know

what machine productivity actually is

and at its core machine productivity is

all about filling as many trucks per

hour for as many hours as possible

so durability is absolutely important

it's the metric we use to define how

strong

well-designed and reliable a component

is

and it is the key driver for effective

utilization on any machine

if the machine is down because you're

changing teeth welding adapters or

checking for wear parts then your

machine is not filling trucks and if

it's not filling trucks it's not

productive

gt must be designed with durability and

maintenance requirements in mind

ensuring that it fits how it's supposed

to

lasts as long as it's designed to and

only comes off when you wanted to

it's absolutely critical because keeping

that machine digging is key

another important part to consider is

the dig efficiency

because it's an area where gt can make

the most significant impact the profile

of the lip the shape of the teeth and

the alignment of all the surfaces must

be just right to ensure that the machine

experiences as little resistance as

possible when it is in its dig phase

do you know that the machine is only

physically digging for around 40 percent

of the swing cycle

this means there is a massive

opportunity for gt to improve or impact

productivity

and it is crucial that the digging

portion of any swing cycle is as fast

and smooth as possible

decreasing cycle time by as little as

one second can improve productivity by

over one percent that doesn't sound like

much but on a 700 ton excavator that can

be as much as

000 tons annually

there is no point having the smoothest

digging if your bucket can't fill

properly or if its capacity is too low

having a bucket that is the right size

and filling correctly can have a much

more significant impact on productivity

the less steel you have in the bucket

and the gt the more actual material you

can pick up

an excellent gt package will facilitate

both the fill

and mass metrics

increasing the fill factor by only one

cubic meter can equate to an increase of

five percent overall tons move

this can be as much as six hundred

thousand tons annually on that same

machine we mentioned before

the beauty of having access to the

latest technological advancements in

monitoring and analysis means we can

really see the impact small changes can

have on a machine's productivity and

total cost of ownership when we

developed a new sp style tooth we were

able to put it up against the standard

ra style tooth in the real world and

using our industry-leading titan load

hole optimization system we were able to

track the changes to productivity in

real time

we found that this relatively small

design change had a significant impact

on the tons moved by the machines

payload increased by three percent build

time decreased by four percent and

ultimately resulted in an increase in

five percent productivity

five percent improvement in punish just

by changing the tooth imagine what a

tooth change can do for your site

without a doubt the biggest innovation

in this space is the introduction of

cast lip systems for excavators in the

100 to 400 ton class wheel loaders and

even for rope shovels

the primary premise being that by

removing the weld on or mechanical

adapters and casting a complete lip it

really allows you to optimize the design

if you do it right you can eat your cake

and have it

you can put material strategically to

ensure a much lighter overall weight you

can align the gt better in both the

shroud sections and the noses

and you can make it significantly

stronger

lighter by up to 10 percent stronger by

30 percent with this combination not

only are you closer to your 5

improvement in productivity but you are

so much closer to that significant

reduction in your maintenance costs

this brings us to ask the question how

can you increase the as many hours as

possible part of the equation and the

answer is product durability

every application is generally different

to some extent and i know you're

wondering how can a lib system possibly

increase effective utilization

regardless of application there are some

universal truths like welding components

requires preventative maintenance teeth

need to be changed

buckets need to be inspected and cracks

must be repaired and by eliminating just

one of these completely we can reduce

the amount of time money and safety risk

car slips gives us the opportunity to do

exactly that by removing the need for

weld on components altogether from wear

package right through to adapters it

means that an entire portion of the

maintenance element is removed

this not only increases the opportunity

to operate more effectively it also

dramatically reduces the total cost of

ownership

for instance when a site converts their

100 to 400 ton excavator over to a cast

lip they remove as much as 90 percent of

the infield maintenance and up to 65 of

total overall

overhaul costs

depending on the application this can be

up to 130 000 per machine per year so if

you're only running five of these

machines on your site that's over half a

million dollars you're leaving on the

table

if you combine the smarts

and the geometry

and the optimization of a cast lip you

can increase productivity by more than

five percent and you can reduce your

overall cost of ownership

do you think your sites could benefit

from an increase in productivity and a

decrease in maintenance

let's look at an example of when a

customer converted their platelet system

over to a car slip system on their 120

ton excavator

again we used our titan load hole

optimization system to track the

performance of the conversion in real

time we found that cycle time decreases

on average by five percent

truck fill time decreases by three

percent and payload increased by one

percent

this equates to an additional truck per

hour and in this case 92 tons per hour

but that's not the biggest story for

this customer combining the durability

of the car's lip system and the

reliability of the gt the customer

reduced their total cost of ownership by

65

and they were able to increase their

productivity by 92 tons per hour

gt is no longer just a piece of steel

whose value can be measured on a dollar

per kilogram basis it's a highly

engineered system that directly impacts

productivity and total cost of ownership

it doesn't matter which loading tool you

are using whether it's a 100 ton

excavator an ultracraft face shovel the

world's largest drag lines rope shovels

or even wheel loaders gt will impact

your operation

car slips and gt are a fully integrated

modular technology that must be designed

and manufactured to ensure that the

machine is able to be effectively

utilized for as many hours as possible

it has to be durable and reliable to

withstand the harshest of mining

conditions

it must be streamlined and lightweight

to ensure that machines can fill their

buckets as fast and effectively as

possible

it has to remove as many elements of

maintenance and handling as possible

when you get it right you can capture

that five percent or more increase in

untapped productivity while at the same

time reducing the maintenance

requirements to cut your total cost of

ownership thank you and i hope you

enjoyed today's session we will be

taking questions shortly and we look

forward to seeing you at our next master

class on the 11th of june when our

engineering design team will show you

the key car slip and gt design triggers

engineering techniques and tools we use

here at cr to ensure our products help

to maximize performance to increase

productivity while cutting total cost of

ownership

bye