A life beyond expectations
The partnership has paid off in more ways than one. Over the years, MTW also has closely monitored another major factor in operating costs-engine life. The target engine life for the Series 4000 engine was 25,000 hours when first fitted. The team followed a strict preventive maintenance program every 500 hours. When it was time for an overhaul, the reports indicated there was plenty of life left in the mtu engine. In 2013, engine life targets were extended to 28,000 hours and service intervals moved to 750 hours. Saunders says, “The Series 4000 C01 is a well-designed engine, specifically made for large earth-moving vehicles. Every time we looked at our reports, we found that the engine was ready for more. So we kept on extending our targets to see how far we could go. It was a good way for us to cut costs—especially at times when fuel prices rose and coal prices dropped.”
MTW and Penske Power Systems conducted more inspections of the disassembled engines. A few engines were left in the trucks to run. These engines were closely monitored through oil analysis to find their true life span. After they had run 40,000 hours, they were removed for inspection. Analysis showed this was very close to their limits. To be safe, the target life for all of the mtu-powered Komatsu 830E trucks was set to 36,000 hours. The life extension has eliminated one engine change from the life cycle, significantly changing the cost profile of the mtu fitted assets.
All the extra engine longevity across MTW’s fleet of Komatsu trucks has done wonders in protecting their bottom line. “The engine life is more than 10,000 hours beyond our expectations,” says Saunders. “Our trucks operate 6,000 hours a year. When you consider total time between overhaul, these engines are out in the field nearly two more years than we expected. Between engine life, reliability and fuel efficiency, they’re making our operations more competitive. The coal at our site is not easy to get, so we need every little margin that makes us more profitable.”
The Mount Thorley Warkworth mine has been in operation since 1981. Owned by Yancoal Australia Ltd., the country’s largest pure-coal producer, MTW is an open-cut mine that uses a dragline truck and shovel method to extract coal. A fleet of more than 100 trucks, loaders and dozers are in constant motion, along with more than 1,200 employees working in shifts to keep the mine operational 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The only days off are Christmas and Boxing Day. After being washed and prepared for sale, the coal is loaded onto trains for transportation to Newcastle, the world’s largest coal export port. While some coal is used in Australia, most of MTW’s reserves are shipped to international customers for steel production and electricity generation.
