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Open Pit Shovel
Case History |
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by
MachineryWatch.Com, Inc.
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An Inefficient Operator
Open-Pit Mining Shovel Gearbox Vibration Monitoring with
Operator Feedback via Video
A Multi-Channel Acquisition Case History
Steve Harlan and Randy Milliron |
| Situation:
Operators of Shovels and Draglines can cause extensive
damage to the equipment, particularly the swing drive
gearbox, if the operator is not properly trained or develops
bad operation habits. |
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Reason for Investigation:
An informal study of the swing-drive gearbox vibration
caused by the shovel operators discovered that the most
efficient operators produced the most removal of over-burden
and coal out of the mine. Because this directly affects the
bottom line of the mining operation, further studies were
ordered. |
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As part of these studies, a MAARS Model 5000 unit was
deployed to monitor the swing drive gearbox vibration. In
addition, a video camera was set up to record the Model 5000
screen while the shovel was operating. Another camera was
deployed to view over the shoulder of the shovel operator,
to capture his hand movements on the joystick that controls
the crane’s operation. |
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The recorded videos are time-stamped, so a direct
correlation may be made between the recorded vibration and
the shovel movement controlled by the operator. After the
data and videos are recorded, a meeting with the shovel
operator and his trainer is scheduled. They are presented
with the video from the Model 5000 and the operator video
spliced together in PowerPoint. Shovel operator
Trainers have taken a keen interest in this technology to
provide feedback to their trainees. |
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Summary of Findings:
Note that in this video, Randy is pointing to the data
recorded on the Model 5000. You can just begin to see the
long-term time waveforms of the gear vibration. Note that
the position of the shovel is about to dig into the wall. |
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This screen shows the shovel and its vibration just after
the dig has begun. |
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About half-way up the face, this operator is applying torque
to the shovel, in effect, trying to move it sideways as it
is taking its “bite”. While very subtle, this is heating up
the swing motor. |
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Now the dig is finished, and the vibration levels drop as
the swing commences. The last two screens show the drop into
the haul truck and the return swing. |
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Test Equipment
– MAARS
Model 5000
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Accelerometers
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Video Cameras
Analysis Software
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MAARS Pathfinder
–
SmaarTransient Software
(Mine version)
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Open Pit Shovel
