Comprehensive trial using Cummins Filtration products results in service-interval extension for automotive equipment operating at various mine sites
Cummins Filtration has supported one of South Africa’s largest mining companies in undergoing a comprehensive trial study to extend the service intervals for automotive equipment operating at mine sites. By extending the cycle replacement hours, the ultimate goal was to increase savings associated with maintenance costs and increased uptime, thereby improving overall productivity.
“Cummins Filtration aims to be proactive in maintenance practices and use of technology. Our filters and coolant provide the best engine protection and lowest total cost of ownership by minimising the number of repairs and maximising the life of engine and the longest service intervals. Our approach is to get involved at a site level and train and work hand-in-hand with the respective site in order to understand and resolve any challenges experienced,” explains Chernise Naicker, South Africa Independent Channel Account Manager.
The mine sites targeted for the trials were opencast platinum, coal and iron ore mines prone to high levels of dust, which generally results in higher maintenance costs. The target was to double the current cycle replacement hours.
“Cummins Filtration has established relationships with many mining houses. Our business synergies are often aligned, thus resulting in complementary business offerings. We are at the forefront of innovation and provides premium, value-adding products to our end users. It is challenging to get your foot into bigger mining houses. However, we are able to leverage our relationships from a global to a local level,” comments Naicker.
“Furthermore, we know what it takes to maximise your investment in your equipment and minimise the number of repairs. The quality of our products is matched only by the quality of our sales, service and support, which is furthermore what attracts bigger mining houses.”
In terms of major challenges facing mining clients at present, Naicker highlights poor maintenance practices as a common issue. As a result the mine does not get to utilise the full life of a product and ends up spending more. Cummins Filtration offers on-site support and training to address any maintenance shortfalls, as well as implementing technology improvements. It has an experienced technical team to support customer requests.
In terms of an extensive trial such as this, the team establishes with the respective end user what their expectations are, provides recommendations and then commences with the trial. Weekly reporting is shared with the site to ensure visibility. Once base expectations are achieved, these are discussed with the site. If the product has outperformed and the team is able to extend the life even further, it will discuss the results with the site and decide to safely extend the trial even further. Once the trial has been concluded, the resultant recommendations are implemented through a local distributor.
The following products from Cummins Filtration were specified for this particular mining client as part of a tailor-made solution:
Fleetguard NanoForce® Air filters
These combine an innovative filter pleat design with a nanofibre media that results in up to five times longer service intervals, 30% lower annual expenditure and 99.99% filtration efficiency.
Fleetguard lube filters and centrifuges
These all-in-one components are low-cost, disposable and therefore environment-friendly, and feature a safer design with no sharp edges, removing soot and contaminants to help maintain oil quality.
Fleetguard NanoNet® fuel filters
Featuring NanoNet® media, these are specifically designed for the higher pressures and tighter tolerances of an MCRS engine. They provide up to 13x cleaner fuel for Cummins Tier 4 engines, up to 14x longer service life and unmatched fuel injection protection over the service life of the filter.
The Fleetguard filtration solutions supplied not only achieved, but surpassed the mine’s minimum requirements. The trial results yielded a 150% improvement in replacement hours, with an average of 1 500 replacement hours achieved across all filtration products (air, lubricants and oil) on the various mine sites. In addition, the machine fleet achieved a lower downtime due to the extended service intervals, thereby reducing the total cost of ownership by a significant margin and improving productivity of the mine sites.
In support of sustainable improvements, the customer was also provided with recommended actions around fuel and oil quality standards, as well as proposed oil-monitoring procedures to ensure a minimum of 1 000 hours is achieved going forward.
Cummins Filtration has introduced a mobile app that is available to download on Play store/App Store. The app has a barcode scanner feature to distinguish whether a filter is genuine. Furthermore, the app helps pinpoint the exact products needed through a variety of search methods.
