With a proud history of being a leading specialist in undercarriage solutions for mining equipment, Bradken continues to innovate to meet customers’ needs.
The company has been at the forefront of undercarriage design and manufacture for more than 40 years, and has supported customers in some of the most demanding conditions across the globe.
Today, Bradken’s work on the R9600 hydraulic excavator undercarriage highlights its continued commitment to providing customers with longer service life, lower total cost of ownership and confidence in the field.
From its early days of manufacturing crawler shoes for hydraulic excavators through to its most recent advances, Bradken has demonstrated the power of sustained innovation.
Between 2007 and 2021, the company designed, manufactured and supplied the majority of sets of crawler shoes for R9800 and R996 excavators to the original equipment manufacturer (OEM).
That track record has established a foundation of trust with OEMs and end users, who have seen first-hand the gains delivered through Bradken’s metallurgical expertise, rigorous design processes and state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities.
“We partnered with Liebherr in the design of the crawler shoe and drive tumblers for their 996B and 9800 excavators,” the company said. “And, for over 15 years, Bradken was the supplier of choice for R996B and R9800 crawler shoes and drive tumblers to the OEM.”
Since 2021, Bradken has been free to sell direct to the market and has been supplying customers worldwide with leading undercarriages for R996B and R9800 machines.
Leveraging decades of manufacturing expertise, Bradken’s recent design and material enhancements deliver reduced costs, improved performance, and enhanced safety in the toughest environments on earth.
Proven capability
Mining operations are facing pressure to reduce downtime and extract maximum productivity from their machines.
Bradken’s approach is squarely aimed at meeting those challenges, and that commitment is perhaps most visible in the company’s undercarriage offerings.
Following case study research into R9800 and R996 track shoe comparison of Bradken and competitor track shoe wear rates, Bradken’s crawler shoes have been shown to deliver more than 50 per cent greater wear life compared with competitor products.
In practical terms, that means fewer change-outs, lower maintenance costs and more machine availability – these metrics can make a significant difference to a mine’s bottom line.
Scale is another factor that helps to set Bradken apart. As one of the largest manufacturers of undercarriages for mining machines over 200 tonnes, the company has supplied more than 250,000 crawler shoes to mining customers worldwide in the past quarter-century.
This scale is matched by a customer-focused approach that recognises the diverse conditions in which mining operations take place. By tailoring solutions to site-specific requirements, Bradken works to ensure its components deliver superior performance while minimising downtime.
Technology enhancements
Technology has also become an increasingly important element of the company’s offering.
Through the company’s dedicated Bradken Inspect app, inspections can be conducted more efficiently with detailed condition assessments of undercarriage components provided.
The resulting reports provide a clearer understanding of wear patterns and performance rates to enable maintenance planning. This wear monitoring and reporting service provides the basis for predictive analysis, refurbishment recommendations and design improvements that help extend the life of critical components.
For mine operators, the ability to accurately track wear and plan maintenance translates into greater predictability, reduced unplanned downtime, and ultimately a lower total cost of ownership.
The optimisation of the R9600 excavator undercarriage is the latest step in Bradken’s journey of continual improvement.
Years of investment in research and development have gone into refining the R9800, R996 and now the R9600 ranges, ensuring that Bradken’s customers benefit from components that are not just robust but also smarter in the way they are designed and manufactured.