Engineering & Design: Mechanical | Data Collection & Analysis
Dragline mastheads are traditionally designed to be welded together from smaller components, but this design also has known issues with fatigue cracking through the welds. BMA approached FIELD Engineers to upgrade the masthead for Dragline 25 to improve fatigue life and reduce maintenance burden.
FIELD Engineers carried out a 3D laser scan to gather critical dimensions and geometry needed to fit the new masthead into place. Engineers then used geometry and operational load history to build a model, using finite element analysis to determine loads for fatigue life calculations. Based on this information, engineers re-designed the masthead to be machined from a 180 mm steel plate, rather than being welded, which also significantly sped up manufacturing time.
The new masthead was delivered on time for installation. The design virtually eliminates known fatigue cracking issues for a long service life, and modelling data gathered during the project can be used for other maintenance and planning for this dragline. FIELD Engineers’ expertise in data analysis, engineering and design resulted in an on-time concept-to-product solution that will continue to deliver maintenance savings into the future.
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