Pit & Quarry, December 2014

MAINTENANCE Best Tire pressure monitoring has come a very long way in the past few years including monitoring systems that measure pressure and temperature These advanced systems allow the customer to know the internal temperature and pressure of the tire This information used with the correct analysis software can help the customer decide when to stop the machine for adjustments and to check tires for abnormal conditions Another advantage is that the system offers real time Advanced tread designs have helped tires perform better last longer and deliver more safety and better fuel economy than ever before information so pressure adjustments only need to be done to the tires that need it This alone may save a customer about 3 percent in uptime usage on average If a tire is getting hot the system can alert the driver or manager that the tire needs to be inspected This could save the loss of the tire or even prevent damage to the machine But safety is the real winner There are inherent dangers in running on over or underinflated tires and on tires that are overheating Incorporating a monitoring system into your operations may make them safer PQ Lets discuss the role of tire selection Why is selecting the right tire so important and what are aggregate producers losing or risking by not selecting the proper tire for the right machine Best Total cost is critical in the selection of tires Without the proper tire for the application it is possible that the cost per hour of that tire will be higher You may pay more in the long run by selecting the wrong tire for a specific application The proper tire may also have effects on machine efficiency and productivity A great starting point for any customer is to implement a program to track the performance of their tires A reputable servicing dealer is also a key part to this selection process The dealer should partner with a manufacturer in order to provide the customer with critical knowledge of the products A site visit from the manufacturer representative can also help in determining the correct type of tire and proper air pressure for the application The dealer can also help by offering services such as tracking repair and retread Morales Selecting tires for your operation whether they are replacement or original equipment can be challenging with all of the available choices Purchasing tires should be me made with emphasis put on the operation equipment productivity maintenance practices and total cost of ownership Making an educated selection for a specific situation is the key The most important criteria in selecting a tire when ordering new equipment or choosing a replacement tire is to determine what the specific equipment does or is required to do on a regular basis A tire designed for low speed offroad applications may experience internal damage from heat if it runs at high speeds If replacing the tires what is the current size and inflation pressure Has there been satisfaction with the existing tires traction wear and performance In many instances customers who compare their current set of tires with their current needs find that a change may be in order The proper selection can prevent expensive downtime Selecting a tire with the steel protective plies can provide a significant improvement in shielding the tire against aggressions and separations Selecting a tire with a premium sidewall can provide twice the protection to resist cuts and abrasions PQ According to MSHA nine miners were killed in tire accidents between 1998 and 2011 In 2012 MSHA reported three employees were seriously injured when a front end loader tire ruptured while being inflated What are the biggest safety hazards related to tires that exist today in pits and quarries and how would you advise aggregate producers to minimize these risks Morales Safety risks still exist today With the sometimes rates of turnover with tire service providers and tire related employees at the sites the biggest risk still remains lack of substantive training Continuous improvement with respect to basic tire awareness and training need to be on the forefront of service providers and sites practices Those best practices range from tire science to air pressure maintenance fundamentals which is the foundation for a functional and safe tire program Best The biggest focus is on training At Bridgestone we start every day with a safety share message It is ideal that our customers follow these same practices used in the industry to keep people safe PQ Without the aid of a modern tire pressure monitoring system how else would you advise aggregate producers to successfully keep an eye on tire pressure How often should they do checks on haul trucks loading equipment and other regularly used equipment thats wheeled Best In our opinion every operator should conduct a pretrip inspection of their machine including tire and wheel checks The check might include checking tire pressure and recording the figures Ideally the equipment should be 22 PIT QUARRY December 2014 www pitandquarry com