S.M.
Tagiev
Kuzbass State Technical University, Kemerovo Russian Federation
S.N. Danilov
Kuzbass State Technical University, Kemerovo Russian Federation
R.I. Shishkov
Kuzbass State Technical University, Kemerovo Russian Federation
prospects
for the use of the system SIDEFLEX
The demand for tires has grown 30 to 40
% in the last year. Cost raises reach 15%. An evident fact in the mining
industry today is that companies are accelerating their development and expansion
plans to take advantage of growing commodities prices. Along with that, another
fact is clear: the boom of projects could become a threat to industry. The high
demand for key equipment, spare parts and supplies is creating a worldwide
shortage of these inputs.
The
companies are already noticing an increase in costs from this effect and warn
that the scenario can impact business growth.
“We’re seeing a fairly significant increase in
demand for services and mining equipment that are relevant to the activity.
Manufacturing time of various products is increasing and there will be problems
in the supply chain”, said Miguel Angel Duran, President of the Chilean Mining
Council. The shortage could be similar to the one experienced in 2007 and 2008,
when heavy machinery manufacturers were surprised
to face double demand, which raised costs for certain types of products and
delayed production. “We are returning to the peaks of high demand, when there
were shortages and rising costs. Therefore, we are carefully observing looking
the evolution of this scenario”, says the executive.
The issue has been addressed
repeatedly in the Supplies Committee of the Mining Council. “There are U.S. $
55 billion in the pipeline to develop in the coming years and hopefully this
will not put the investment in check,” he adds. Two key pieces in mining
operations are: trucks and tires. Both products now have an overdemand.
The number of projects that have been
activated since the last quarter, warned
us. Until October 2010 there were no problems to
meet the requirements, because with the financial international crisis, demand
fell in 2009 inventories were stocked for eight to 12 months. With the higher
price of copper and other commodities, mining companies began to plan new
purchases and factories cannot increase production in equal measure. Mining companies
that have supply contracts may have their consumption secured, but the others
will have difficulties to find suppliers.
The SIDEFLEX® is a retrofit device
for construction and mining equipment, especially for earthmoving machines. The
device is mounted to the wheel hub of utility vehicles as dumptrucks or
wheel-loaders.
While RUD and Erlau chains have been
protecting loader tires for 65 years, until now, truck tires have remained
vulnerable to sidewall damage from haul road rock debris and accidental impact.
Since comprehensive tire protection would slow the trucks and raise fuel
consumption to un-acceptable levels, damage limitation. Even so, every day,
blowouts continue to destroy expensive tires and delay production. To overcome
these problems and to give truck tires the same protection as loader tires, RUD
and Erlau designers got together with the operators and, drawing on their many
years of experience developing chain-based products, created the SIDEFLEX®.
The SIDEFLEX® is an ingenious device.
Easy to fit, SIDEFLEX® provides a robust but light-weight shield which deflects
rock debris from the tire wall. Field-trialed, tested and, now, patented, the
SIDEFLEX® appearance is novel. Protective arms radiate from a central retaining
ring and form a shield covering the sidewall. The entire assembly fits firmly
within the wheel hub and almost brushes the ground preventing sharp rocks from
penetrating the tire-wall.
Definitely distinctive, the
lightweight SIDEFLEX® is simple, effective and, most importantly, saves tires
and improves productivity. The SIDEFLEX®
is yet another RUD and Erlau innovation set to contribute significantly
to the bottom line. SIDEFLEX® components are quick and easy to install onto the
wheel assembly.
An ear on the market
As
world market leader, we give top priority to long-term partnerships with our
customers. Our customer has a tire problem. As his core competence does not
involve solving such problems, we see ourselves the strategic partner, who
helps by solving this problem to our customer’s satisfaction. We always give
top priority to cost efficiency (cost per hour). On account of our market position
and our expertise as the inventor of the tire protection chain, time and again
we are able to provide customized solutions specifically developed for an
individual task.
Quality
Our
products are regarded as synomonous with the highest quality throughout the
world. As one of the few worldwide manufacturers, we check all manufacturing
steps ourselves, which gives unbroken quality control of every single product.
Our daily challenge is to continually improve this top quality, which is what
our customers in oiver 130 of the world’s countries judge us by.
Innovation
Innovation
has and always will play an important role for us. It has enabled us in
maintaining our position as world market leader in all new trendsetting
developments. This has earned us the reputation throughout the world of being a
reliable manufacturing partner. Our worldwide team enthusiastically takes up this
everpresent challenge daily. We do our best to make continual improvements for
your benefit.
Bibliography
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Mechanics and Mining Sciences. 2014. Vol. 71. P. 194–203.
3. Thompson R. J. Maine Road Design and Management In Autonomous Hauling
Operations: A Research Roadmap, in Saydam, S. (ed) // Proceedings Second
International Future Mining Conference. Nov. 22–23, 2011. P. 95–102.