Rugged Measurement Systems – Electric Rope Shovel

Drive train condition monitoring on an electric rope mining shovel. 

Integrated Test & Measurement (ITM) has a wealth of experience in the field of drive train condition monitoring and structural health analysis. One of our recent projects involved working with a major mining equipment manufacturer to develop a condition monitoring program for an electric rope mining shovel.  

Contact an ITM expert to put our electric rope mining shovel expertise to work for you.

The electric rope mining shovel is a vital piece of equipment used in surface mining operations, and its drivetrain and structural components are subject to significant stresses and strains during operation. To ensure the longevity and reliability of the equipment, it was important to monitor the health of these components and detect any potential issues before they resulted in costly downtime.  

ITM engineers used a combination of vibration analysis, strain gauging, and oil analysis to develop a comprehensive monitoring program for the shovel’s drive train and structural components. Vibration analysis was used to detect any issues with the gearbox, bearings, and other rotating components, while strain gauging was used to measure the stresses and strains on the structural components of the shovel. Oil analysis was also used to detect any signs of wear or contamination in the lubrication system.  

The data collected from these various measurements was then analyzed using advanced data analysis software, such as ITM’s iTestSystem, to detect any trends or anomalies that could indicate an impending failure. This data was also used to develop a predictive maintenance program, allowing the mining company to schedule maintenance and repairs before a failure occurred.  

The implementation of this condition monitoring program has greatly increased the reliability and lifespan of the electric rope mining shovel, reducing downtime and maintenance costs, while increasing production and profitability. ITM’s experience in this type of monitoring and analysis has proven to be a valuable asset to heavy equipment manufacturers looking to improve the reliability and performance of their machinery. 

What is iTestSystem? 

iTestSystem is an engineering measurement software platform that enables test engineers to organize, acquire, view, and analyze data from machinery, processes, vehicles and other complex systems. 

Once up and running, users will find brand new test-management features, simplified data organization and impressive enhancements to the TestView Plus and MultiDAQ applications. Veteran iTestSystem customers will immediately notice the cleaner user interface and relish the time savings allowed by TestView Plus “Sessions,” a new data analysis management function that allows users to switch between analysis projects more easily. 

Vibration analysis was used to detect any issues with the gearbox, bearings, and other rotating components. Strain gauging was used to measure the stresses and strains on the structural components of the shovel. Vibration analysis was used to detect any issues with the gearbox, bearings, and other rotating components. 

Strain gauging was used to measure the stresses and strains on the structural components of the shovel. 

The electric rope mining shovel is a vital piece of equipment used in surface mining operations. Its drivetrain and structural components are subject to significant stresses and strains during operation. 

ITM engineers used a combination of three techniques to develop a monitoring program for the shovel’s drive train and structural components. These techniques were Vibration Analysis, Strain Gauging, and Oil Analysis. 

This data was used to develop a predictive maintenance program. This program would allow the mining company to schedule maintenance and repairs before a failure occurred. 

Vibration analysis 

Vibration analysis is a process of measuring and analyzing mechanical vibrations in machines and structures in order to identify problems, predict potential failures, and improve performance. It involves collecting data on vibration frequency, amplitude, and duration, and then analyzing that data to diagnose the underlying cause of the vibration. The goal of vibration analysis is to detect and prevent problems before they become serious and cause equipment failure or production downtime. 

More about strain gauges 

A strain gauge is a device that is used to measure strain, or the change in length of a material under load. It typically consists of a thin, metallic foil that is affixed to the surface of the material being tested. As the material is loaded, the foil stretches or compresses, causing a change in its electrical resistance. This change in resistance is proportional to the amount of strain on the material. 

A strain gauge can be connected in a circuit known as a Wheatstone Bridge circuit, that helps to amplify the small changes in resistance to a measurable output signal. Strain gauges are commonly used in industrial, research and scientific applications to measure strain on structures, such as bridges and buildings, as well as in machinery and equipment for measuring mechanical stress and deformation. They are also used in the medical field for monitoring of human body movements and in the aerospace industry for measuring structural loads on aircrafts. 

Our team of experts specialize in rope shovels, coal seams, damage detection, rooting out unplanned downtime and human error, reducing server downtime, reducing minutes of downtime no matter the type of surface, protecting the bottom line despite lost productivity, calculating the cost, and calculating outages cost and lost revenue for big and small businesses. 

Contact us for more information about our electric rope mining shovel, strain gauge, testing and data acquisition services.