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4T2233-C
YASSIAN
7d1577
Choosing the right cutting edge and grader blade – six factors
The right cutting edge is one that wears well and evenly, is reliable, doesn’t break and for which there is an abundant supply. Cutting Edges Insights takes a detailed look.
If your mobile earthmoving machines are out of service due to broken or prematurely worn cutting edge, it is likely you are not using the right type of cutting edges or blades.
As well as causing machine downtime, not using the right cutting edge and blades will also undermine productivity through fuel burn.
To help you ensure you have the right cutting edge and blades, we have put together the following six-point check list.
1. Match your cutting edge to the machine and digging conditions
The size, shape and profile of your cutting edge must match the machine they are fitted to, as well as the digging conditions they will be operating in.
The right cutting edge profile will touch the ground more easily and allow material to flow into the bucket.
Undersized or oversized cutting edge will failed to install the machine, putting undue stresses on your machine.
Furthermore, some cutting edge are designed specifically abrasion, while others are general purpose all-rounders. Others are made for loaders, and others for excavators. A cutting edge that works well on an motor grader will have a completely different profile than one used for loaders.
By ensuring you have the right cutting edge system for your machine and associated digging conditions, you will find the sweet spot to boost productivity and reduce costs.
2. Balance hardness and impact strength
Cutting edge and grader blade should not break. If they do you might be using the wrong parts or there could be a quality control issue.
Every time you change a cutting edge it will lead to downtime and production loss. And if the broken component ends up going through the plant then it can cause hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of damage.
If you are certain you are using the right cutting edge for your machine and the work and are still seeing breakages, then your cutting edge may be too hard.
Generally, the harder the cutting edge the better it will use, however this must be balanced against impact resistance as harder cutting edge are also more brittle and susceptible to breaking.
It is a balancing act in matching wear properties with impact strength and if you are seeing cutting edge breakages you may want to talk to your supplier about what mechanical properties they are placing into cutting edge in the casting process.
3. Match cutting edge with bolts and nuts:
Cutting edge and bolt&nut must be designed to work in unison and if they are not matched correctly you can expect premature wear or breakages.
One set of bolt&nut can work with up to around eight different cutting edge styles, however it’s important to ensure these will meet your intended use.
Furthermore, if a bolt&nut is worn out, you will see tooth breakages, even if you are using the right cutting edge for the machine.
Another consideration is matching bolt&nut to cutting edge that are in supply.
4. Ensure there is enough supply:
When you choose a kind of product ensure that the supplier has the necessary cutting edge and bolt&nut and manufacturing capabilities to meet your projected medium to long term demand.
There have been many cases where large and small mining companies have installed Cutting edge that they cannot source matching bolt&nut for, resulting in idle machines waiting for parts.
This is largely due to smaller market with remote sites and low demand, compared with huge and more accessible global sites such as those in China, however COVID-19 has exacerbated this issue.
If you face this issue, the option is to either wait for your wear parts to arrive or remove the cutting edge and replace them with new ones. Both solutions will damage productivity and profit, highlighting the importance of choosing the right cutting edge or grader blade.
5. Consider the level of supplier support:
Part of ensuring you have appropriate Cutting edge supply is inventory planning and forward ordering to meet projected demand – without ending up with an oversupply of stock and nowhere to store it.
Mobile earthmoving site audits are a critical part of this process, designed to formalise maintenance cycles and identify problem areas.
Some suppliers, such as Cutting Edges factory, work with you to complete this process and help ensure you have the right Cutting edge and other earthmoving spare parts when you need them.
6. Factor Workplace Health and Safety (WHS):
Changing Cutting edge is inherently dangerous, especially when they require a sledgehammer.
There has been a major push in recent years to make Cutting edge systems safer and simpler to install and replace. Cutting Edges’ hammerless is one such innovative solution.
Another way to drive safety is with high quality, longer-lasting Cutting edge that have longer change out periods, because “the safest job is the one you don’t have to do”.
Choosing the right cutting edge and grader blade – six factors
The right cutting edge is one that wears well and evenly, is reliable, doesn’t break and for which there is an abundant supply. Cutting Edges Insights takes a detailed look.
If your mobile earthmoving machines are out of service due to broken or prematurely worn cutting edge, it is likely you are not using the right type of cutting edges or blades.
As well as causing machine downtime, not using the right cutting edge and blades will also undermine productivity through fuel burn.
To help you ensure you have the right cutting edge and blades, we have put together the following six-point check list.
1. Match your cutting edge to the machine and digging conditions
The size, shape and profile of your cutting edge must match the machine they are fitted to, as well as the digging conditions they will be operating in.
The right cutting edge profile will touch the ground more easily and allow material to flow into the bucket.
Undersized or oversized cutting edge will failed to install the machine, putting undue stresses on your machine.
Furthermore, some cutting edge are designed specifically abrasion, while others are general purpose all-rounders. Others are made for loaders, and others for excavators. A cutting edge that works well on an motor grader will have a completely different profile than one used for loaders.
By ensuring you have the right cutting edge system for your machine and associated digging conditions, you will find the sweet spot to boost productivity and reduce costs.
2. Balance hardness and impact strength
Cutting edge and grader blade should not break. If they do you might be using the wrong parts or there could be a quality control issue.
Every time you change a cutting edge it will lead to downtime and production loss. And if the broken component ends up going through the plant then it can cause hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of damage.
If you are certain you are using the right cutting edge for your machine and the work and are still seeing breakages, then your cutting edge may be too hard.
Generally, the harder the cutting edge the better it will use, however this must be balanced against impact resistance as harder cutting edge are also more brittle and susceptible to breaking.
It is a balancing act in matching wear properties with impact strength and if you are seeing cutting edge breakages you may want to talk to your supplier about what mechanical properties they are placing into cutting edge in the casting process.
3. Match cutting edge with bolts and nuts:
Cutting edge and bolt&nut must be designed to work in unison and if they are not matched correctly you can expect premature wear or breakages.
One set of bolt&nut can work with up to around eight different cutting edge styles, however it’s important to ensure these will meet your intended use.
Furthermore, if a bolt&nut is worn out, you will see tooth breakages, even if you are using the right cutting edge for the machine.
Another consideration is matching bolt&nut to cutting edge that are in supply.
4. Ensure there is enough supply:
When you choose a kind of product ensure that the supplier has the necessary cutting edge and bolt&nut and manufacturing capabilities to meet your projected medium to long term demand.
There have been many cases where large and small mining companies have installed Cutting edge that they cannot source matching bolt&nut for, resulting in idle machines waiting for parts.
This is largely due to smaller market with remote sites and low demand, compared with huge and more accessible global sites such as those in China, however COVID-19 has exacerbated this issue.
If you face this issue, the option is to either wait for your wear parts to arrive or remove the cutting edge and replace them with new ones. Both solutions will damage productivity and profit, highlighting the importance of choosing the right cutting edge or grader blade.
5. Consider the level of supplier support:
Part of ensuring you have appropriate Cutting edge supply is inventory planning and forward ordering to meet projected demand – without ending up with an oversupply of stock and nowhere to store it.
Mobile earthmoving site audits are a critical part of this process, designed to formalise maintenance cycles and identify problem areas.
Some suppliers, such as Cutting Edges factory, work with you to complete this process and help ensure you have the right Cutting edge and other earthmoving spare parts when you need them.
6. Factor Workplace Health and Safety (WHS):
Changing Cutting edge is inherently dangerous, especially when they require a sledgehammer.
There has been a major push in recent years to make Cutting edge systems safer and simpler to install and replace. Cutting Edges’ hammerless is one such innovative solution.
Another way to drive safety is with high quality, longer-lasting Cutting edge that have longer change out periods, because “the safest job is the one you don’t have to do”.
