Mining- Machinery
Sweeper Product Development
Deon Van Rensburg from Palomino Plant SA
Following this approach, we were able to
test as we fly'”. – David Giger, a SpaceX
(Pty) Ltd, approached ETT in 2014 to develop
quickly release a working, yet imperfect
engineer.
a high performance mine haul road sweeper
version of the prototype sweeper.
The Ultra Sweeper became the world's
intended to deliver a significant step up in
Following 12 months of tes ng and itera ve
highest performance off-road sweeper ,
performance and safety to the process of
upgrades, a second prototype was built. The
however a series of components failures
mine haul road sweeping.
second prototype had a range of upgrades
affected reliability of the brush head drive
The process was ini ated with the placement
developed by repeatedly go through
and trimming system .
of an order for a prototype unit based on a
planning, design, manufacture, tes ng and
The lessons learned from early failures were
Bell 25mT Ar culated Dump Truck.
evalua on phases to rework the product and
used to develop the final itera on of a 6.0m
It was decided to proceed with the
new func onality.
brush head and trimming system, which in
development process of this prototype by
Frequent releases of these upgrades allowed
turn became a part of the 620 Sweeper.
means of the Itera ve product development
us to collect feedback and improve the
The 620 sweepers were developed as a high
model where a prototype is designed,
product to meet all requirements.
power accelerated test bed for the 6.0 m
constructed and out into service, and
“We weren't just going to sit there and
Brush Head System.
development takes the form of frequents and
analyse something for years and years and
This need arose from the situa on that the
incremental improvement that would be
years and years to the nth degree. SpaceX
mine sites that the Ultra Sweeper was being
implemented during the tes ng cycle.
was built on 'test, test, test, test, test.' We
tested on were extremely difficult to access in
www.africamininginsight.co.za
18
