The reliability of bucket wheel excavator - review of random mechanical failures

Abstract

Statistical regularity of random mechanical failures of the bucket wheel excavator will be considered based on dispatcher’s reports about excavator-conveyors-spreader (ECS-III) on the Tamnava - West Field Open Cast Mine in Lazarevac (Serbia) system failures in the period from 2003 to 2011. This kind of failures happens suddenly due to undetectable defects, unexplainable causes, and unavoidable failures. Reliability functions R(t), failure rate λ(t) and failure density f(t) of the bucket wheel excavator will be empirically determined. It was concluded that the random failures could be well approximated by the Exponential distribution. Below, serial reliability configuration of the BWE subsystem was analysed and the failure frequency as well as the values of the failure rate by subsystems were determined. Finally, proactive maintenance approach, which represents the latest innovation in the field of maintenance, will be presented. This approach to maintenance utilizes various technologies in order to achieve extension of operational life and elimination of reactive maintenance.