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TIRE MANAGEMENT IS MORE COMPLEX THAN YOU THINK Heavy equipment tire management once consisted of little more than attempting to keep tires properly inflated, telling heavy equipment operators to avoid large rocks and not surf haul road curbs/berms. However, in today's environment where there is a critical heavy equipment tire shortage, tire management may mean the difference between a piece of equipment operating or sitting idle in the maintenance yard as it awaits costly replacement tires. As mine operators become increasingly aware of their sizable tire investment and the important role these tires play in the equipment operating cost, they have become more sensitive to how minor factors can drive costs up. For instance, a tire that is under inflated by only 5% will lose about 7.5% of its tread life. Therefore, in a mine operation that is spending millions of dollars each year on tires is loosing a large sum directly without even considering the more important indirect costs. Since an average mine normally has tires 10% to 15% under inflated for the load, speed and distance they operate within; the average avoidable direct costs alone can be staggering. While most tire manufacturers offer some sort of tire tracking system, the tracking system is really the easy part and is nothing more than a very helpful tool. Having a dedicated team to ensure the data is captured accurately and then determining the appropriate course of action based on data is far beyond what comes with a tracking system. The simple "cost per hour" figure given by those programs can shows if your tire costs are starting to go up but don't tell you what to do to correct it. Like any tool, it only constitutes a piece in the puzzle. The next step has come with Elite Tire Management Systems (ETMS), which was developed by D&D Tire, Inc. This program is currently being used by major mines in the United States and internationally. It considers a multitude of factors that have historically been ignored and allows the management team to make decisions proactively based on data in an effort to reduce costs and avoid problems. Modern mining operations are so varied that a successful program must adapt to meet the specific challenges associated with each site. A major factor at one site may be simply a minor concern at another. Different climate, material, equipment, haul routes and other operational factors make a huge impact to the process. This is where ETMS comes in. ETMS is customized for each mining operation and supported by a team that covers many disciplines – not just tire professionals, but mining engineers, mine maintenance experts, and former mine supervisors and managers. The system looks at factors including the tire, equipment, working environment, maintenance factors, storage environment, future mine development plans and even what is happening in the purchasing department. Not only does ETMS look at the obvious details like the tire and the equipment it will be on, they factor in the wheel and hardware in addition to additives and fillers. How about difference in tread depth between two tires on the same axle? Yes, because a difference means that the smaller tires will wear faster while forcing the larger tire to carry more of the weight; this too is taken into consideration. ETMS also recognizes that today's tires are so carefully engineered and often so specifically designed to certain conditions that a given tire may provide marginal performance at a different mine. That's why the characteristics of the mine are so critical. The system considers haul roads, elevations, loading, haul distances, and cycling. In order to make mine operations more tire friendly, D&D Tire has seminars for operators that help extend tire life and lower costs. Some of these factors are making sure that loads are neither too light nor too heavy. It is critical that loads are centered in the haulers, the haul roads are kept in good conditions and operators know how they can help out and become a part of the team. WHAT HAPPENS OUT OF THE MINE ALSO IMPACTS TIRE COSTS Unlike Las Vegas, what happens in the mine doesn't stay in the mine. Tire costs are affected by maintenance practices, the purchasing department, and even where the tires are stored and how clean the maintenance area is. We know that maintenance is critical to keeping tire costs down but a procurement department that doesn't know about tires will often try to cut tire maintenance costs, or try to slow tire procurement. ETMS also knows that tire storage and cleanliness also have a major impact on tire costs. If tires are stored or installed in areas where there may be chemical spills or debris on the floor, tires may damaged even before they get to the mine. The bottom line is that there are so many factors impacting tire costs, it can be overwhelming for a mine manager to consider by themselves. With D&D Tire's ETMS, a mine manager can actually manage their costs by considering the big picture and having a team of professionals ready to adjust the tactics to keep mine operation costs down. | |||
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