Mega time saved with Megalifter
16/04/2014(Source: Internal Journal, Syncrude, 2012)
The Megalifter onsite at Base Mine is reaping mega benefits in productivity and safety.
It’s the first developed and patented lifting system dedicated to undecking and redecking shovels with boom on safely and efficiently. “This new lifter saves us an enormous amount of time, resources and workforce hours”, says Production Operations Officer Greg Fisher.
Story by Shannon Sutherland
“It allows us to lift the shovel without having to remove additional components […]. There is very significant savings to Syncrude in having this technology available to us when we need it”.
The twin-jack lifting point design provides complete support backup and reliability in case of any hydraulic malfunctioning and its self-standing design provides access to the underside of a revolving frame as well as from all three sides of the shovel for servicing and repair access.
[…]
He [Brad Humble, Technical Advisor/Coordinator in Base Mine Shovel Maintenance] says with the fully automatic laser levelling system controlled by a PLC (programmable logic controller) and with parallelism with the four legs 50 feet apart, it has precision accuracy within a fraction of an inch, or 3 mm.
“The are eight different speeds upward from half-an-inch per minute up to four inches per minute”, says Brad. “When lowering revolving frame onto car body, downward speed is critical and can be slowed down to one-eight of an inch per minute.”
He says this lift, with the additional 285,000 pounds with boom attached, was about 900 tons. “The new Megalifter is rated for 1,500 ton, resulting in 70 per cent with current lift”, he says.
[…] Megalifter units are in operation worldwide in North America, South America and Africa.