Modern Quarrying Q1 2022

Since its launch some two years ago, the L3180 has seen an increased uptake in the local quarrying industry, with several big quarrying groups among the early adopters.

times generally point to a more effi- cient and therefore more profitable operation,” says Webster. The system actively helps reduce fuel usage. By using an accurate on-board weighing system, oper- ators can ensure trucks are filled correctly the first time, with no pro- ductivity lost due to under loading or overloading.

this may no longer be acceptable. The answer is paperless, contactless Trimble eTickets,” says Webster. Increased uptake Since its launch some two years ago, the L3180 has seen an increased uptake in the local quarrying industry, with several big quarrying groups among the early adopters, says Webster. “We sold about 90 units in the first year and about 200 the second year. There is an apparent mindset shift in the industry. Quarry owners are now aware that they can actively reduce their total cost of ownership across their earthmoving equipment and trucks by using load weighing systems’ monitoring and alert features to set benchmarks and measure productivity,” he says. Webster says the industry has seen the importance of understanding how productive their machines are, including how much fuel they use and how much material they move. They can also use that information to make changes where necessary to improve efficiency and reduce costs. By tracking the amount of material moved per hour to measure productiv- ity and set benchmarks using load weighing systems, operators can identify underperforming machines and make appropriate adjustments to ensure all equipment is working at its optimum efficiency. An on-board weighing system such as the Loadrite L3180 SmartScale can be used to calculate the weight of material in an excavator’s or loader’s bucket, relay this information to the operator and record the weight for later use. Being able to track the amount of material moved per hour can then be used internally as part of an overall business analysis to measure productiv- ity and set benchmarks. “Once you know your benchmark productivity rates, it’s also easy to identify equipment that is underperforming, which sets off a trigger for an investigation into the underlying causes. These causes can vary widely, from operator error to equipment failure.” Once productivity benchmarks are set, fleet managers can customise their systems to capture a wide range of other data such as cycle times, which can then be used to identify process bottlenecks and inefficiencies. By resolving these issues, managers can improve productivity and reduce operating costs. “The Loadrite system can also measure the cycle times between each loading event, which can show how efficiently material is being moved. Shorter cycle

“We sold about 90 units in the first year and about 200 the second year. There is an apparent mindset shift in the industry. Quarry owners are now aware that they can actively reduce their total cost of ownership across their earthmoving equipment and trucks by using load weighing systems’ monitoring and alert features to set benchmarks and measure productivity.”

“By loading trucks correctly from the outset, unnecessary truck move- ment is reduced as there is no need to turn around for either a refill or a removal of material once the trucks get to the weighbridge,” concludes Webster. l

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QUARTER 1 - 2022 MODERN QUARRYING