UNIQUE LIFE CYCLE RENTAL CONTRACTETF is the only mining truck OEM to offer customers a life cycle rental contract that includes tyre replacement, providing a cost per ton/ km at a guaranteed 95% truck availability and vastly improved utilization compared with any other mining truck in its weight class.
INNOVATIVE REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE SYSTEMMAJOR SUB-COMPONENT REPLACEMENT AND OTHER UNIQUE REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE RELATED FEATURES Traditionally, mining organizations have focused on two key measures of machine performance ‘Availability’ and ‘Utilization’ in order to measure true operational machine costs. During the truck’s ground-up redesign there were several fundamental concerns affecting current truck operation, that needed to change in order to secure one of many key foundations of ETF design philosophy, ‘Overall Cost Reduction’. What starts out as a relatively straightforward repair can end up consuming hours, or even days of lost production time; that’s why ETF developed a new and highly innovative approach to repair and maintenance. There’s no need for ETF trucks to hang around waiting for effective repairs, example; what if a mechanical running issue is reported and the truck needs to return to the workshop for attention. Well, if after initial inspection and short diagnosis it’s determined that effective repairs cannot be completed in a reasonable time frame; the complete engine power pack, or complete wheel group can be removed and a new one installed using the mobile ETF service tools designed especially for that task. As can be seen from the illustrations, incorporating the RMV (Repair and Maintenance Vehicle) an ETF technician can exchange a complete engine power pack in 15 minutes, or a complete wheel group in 45, ensuring the truck gets back into production, fast. Then, while the truck returns to full production the problem sub-component can receive full diagnosis, repairs identified and completed, even a full performance test conducted. Only when this quality repair process is completed can the now fully operational component be stored ready for the next exchange.
Tyre managementWhen operating a fleet of ETF trucks, effective tyre management places a greater demand on the number of tyres required and the de-mounting and handling equipment necessary to effectively conduct repairs and replacement. In order to achieve a refined solution, ETF designed the ‘Tyre Storage and Delivery System’ TSDS. This device enables a consignment of tyres to be conveniently stored in the ETF workshop ready for immediate use, enabling the safe loading of tyres onto the ETF electric powered wheel handler ready to be installed onto the truck, offering little fatigue to the technician. Tyres are all pre-mounted on rims and ready to go.
Diagnosis and performance testingWhile machine diagnosis through data capture and fault code recognition has reached a high level of sophistication, the only real way of testing the performance of major drive-line and power components like engines, is using a rolling road or dynamometer. So ETF designed a diagnosis and performance test bench to achieve just that. The bench supports one full ‘wheel group’ comprising the steering turntable, swinging arm suspension, wheel motors and reduction gearbox. The wheel group is connected directly to the swing engine power module, always available as an exchange unit. The rollers measure the full performance range of each wheel group, isolating individual drive components, ensuring stored operational parameters are complied with, maximizing machine performance. An engine module can also be power tested in the same way by connecting to a performance benchmarked wheel group, again using the rollers to diagnose possible faults together with power testing the engine to maximum output. What makes this feature all the more incredible is that all these testing procedures are completed off the vehicle, offering no loss of production.
Every workshop is equipped with an axle test unit. In this device every axle is tested under load after repairs before it is used back on a truck.
Wheel replacement for tyre repairsOne of the more obvious differences between the ETF and conventional mining trucks is the number of tyres supporting the vehicle, 20 to be precise deviding the GVW equally across the main frame. But, in order to achieve a real cost advantage over conventional rigid trucks, there needed to be some fundamental changes to the overall design in order to achieve this. The twenty 24.00R35 tyres are less expensive than the six large 40.00R57 tyres needed for conventional trucks in the same weight class. ETF trucks are designed so that each wheel, even the inside wheel can be replaced in 15 minutes using self powered tools.
As illustrated, two electric powered ETF designed wheel handlers are required to remove and replace both inner and outer wheels safely and efficiently. During operation the trucks tyre inflation sensors constantly measure air pressure in all tyres. If a loss is detected and the integrated inflation system fails to compensate, indicating that the damaged tyre requires replacement; the affected wheel group is automatically lifted off the ground, the operator is alerted and on his display a message appears instructing him to return to the workshop. The workshop receives the same message and can prepare for fast action. The truck can still drive in any situation, even laden on grade and is not blocking the road for other trucks. As soon as the truck visits the workshop, two technicians with wheel handlers perform the exchange. How, well the affected wheel group is lowered to the correct height for the handler to secure the affected wheel, the wheel nuts are removed and the wheel with the damaged tyre is demounted from the hub, the second wheel handler already stands by with the new wheel to be fitted. Total time from when the truck arrives to returning to production is 15 minutes!
Replacing the inner dual wheel on a conventional haul truck can be particularly challenging and also very time consuming especially if the first problem of the day is recovering the truck from the pit which always manages to be situated in the worst possible location.
But, once again ETF engineers have thought about this. Using the fully variable suspension system, the truck is brought up to full height and locked into position, enabling a technician to maneuver the powered wheel handler right under the machine ensuring the simple and speedy replacement of the inner wheel in the same 15 minutes time as an outer wheel. All of the special ETF mobile power tools described are part of the fully contained ETF Service Workshop comprising all the equipment necessary to repair and maintain ETF mining trucks.
Removal of a power pack unit by the Repair & Maintenance Vehicle
Total time needed to swap a complete power pack unit is only 15 minutes
Removal of a complete axle unit by the repair and maintenance vehicle
Total time needed to swap a complete axle group, 45 minutes
All ETF truck models are using the same tyre size: 24.00R35. A special wheel handler was designed to be used with an electric pallet truck in order to assure a complete wheel change in 15 minutes!
An ETF MT-240 Mining truck arrives in the workshop with a flat tyre.
Two wheel handlers are used; one to remove the damaged tyre and one with the new tyre. All to ensure the most efficient way to carry out the task.
The wheel handler is positioned to the wheel with the damaged tyre.
The mechanic removes the wheel
With the wheel handler postioning of the wheel is easy and fast
Inner wheels are changed as easy as outer wheels
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 "The first significant change
in rigid haul truck design for 50 years"   |
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