Caterpillar reported the Cat 7495 and 7495 HF Electric Rope Shovels now feature design enhancements to the lower structures that increase machine reliability and lower overall total cost of ownership. The upgrades cover the track frames, swing rack and rollers, propel gearboxes, and rotating undercarriage.
A reengineered bolt-on design for track link sliders eliminates the need for casting welds. The shovels now have a single-piece swing rack casting that eliminates previous vertical welds to improve ERS durability.
An updated single-piece roller path increases roller life and eliminates seams to improve ride and prevent rollers from coming loose. The redesigned propel system eliminates the need to remove the propel transmission when servicing the drive tumbler and propel shaft.
A new track pad design improves structural support and steel chemistry. The design features improved alloy composition and higher toughness.
Combined, the design advancements can improve total cost of ownership up to 6% per operating hour and improve physical availability of the ERS up to 0.63%, Caterpillar said. All updates are found on current-year models and can be retrofitted independently in the field.
