Reliability starts long before failure, with components designed to perform under real mining conditions.
Reliability in mining is not defined by how quickly a breakdown is repaired; it is defined by how consistently equipment performs before anything goes wrong.
For mobile fleets working underground and on the surface, that consistency underpins development schedules, production targets and ultimately cost per tonne.
For MASPRO, reliability is not simply about making a component last longer. It is about ensuring the entire equipment system performs predictably across its lifecycle. In demanding underground environments, even small design changes can influence maintenance intervals, safety exposure and production continuity.
When a critical component fails earlier than expected, the impact is immediate. But the opportunity lies in understanding why it happened and ensuring it does not happen again.
At MASPRO, many reliability investigations begin with a familiar challenge.
“Common issues affecting machine performance are generally related to failures or underperforming parts,” MASPRO sales director Martin Kennard told Australian Mining.
“You might have something scheduled for a 3000-hour change-out and it fails well before that.
“It’s not planned and suddenly you’ve got a machine down.”
In underground drilling, where crews may be expected to achieve significant metres per shift to maintain development, unplanned downtime due to machine failure can quickly disrupt momentum.
“That machine either has to be repaired at the coalface or taken back to surface to be brought back to operational condition,” Kennard said.
Rather than treating those events as isolated incidents, MASPRO approaches them as engineering problems to be solved. The first step is engaging directly with operators, planners, maintenance personnel and engineers to understand what is really happening in the field.
“We’re talking to the end users and asking what pain points they’re seeing and what recurring issues keep coming up,” Kennard said. “Then we take that feedback on board and dig into the problem.”
That investigation centres on root-cause analysis, combining field feedback with engineering modelling. MASPRO engineers assess load paths, fatigue points and operational stresses using tools such as finite element modelling and metallurgical analysis. This allows the team to understand not just how a component failed, but why it behaved that way under real mining conditions.
The apparent failure point, MASPRO head of engineering Tony Waterman said, is not always the origin of the issue.
“Sometimes a problem is caused by a different condition somewhere else in the machine,” he said. “A part might be failing because another element can’t be maintained properly or is wearing out too fast. If that can’t be easily changed, then we need to improve the part that’s failing so it’s more robust.”
Engineering tools such as finite element analysis and stress modelling are used to better understand how forces are distributed and where fatigue is likely to occur. From there, components can be re-engineered to better handle real-world operating conditions.
In many cases, this leads to components being redesigned beyond their original specifications. Material selection, geometry and wear surfaces can all be modified to improve durability and performance under the specific conditions in which a mine operates.
Throughout this process, safety considerations guide every design decision.
“In that design, safety is always at the forefront,” Kennard said. “We need to make sure these things perform to the same expectations or better. Obviously, we’re aiming to be better.”
Hydraulic cylinders and other assemblies used on underground drills and mobile equipment are among the key focus areas. These components operate under demanding and often variable loads, making durability and design precision critical.
The development process is iterative rather than one-off. Upgraded components are trialled in the field, monitored closely and refined where necessary.
The goal is not just to replace a failed part but to create a more reliable solution over time. By refining components based on field data and operational feedback, MASPRO aims to extend service intervals, reduce unplanned stoppages and give maintenance teams greater confidence in planning their shutdown schedules.
“You might get it out into the field and uncover something you hadn’t picked up initially,” Kennard said. “It’s a refinement process until it’s a proven product. Once we’ve got that proven product released, we then offer that to the market.”
That collaborative model effectively turns reliability into a partnership between supplier and site. By aligning design with how equipment is used, the likelihood of repeat failures can be reduced, and service life extended.
For operators, the benefits extend beyond the individual component. When parts consistently meet or exceed their intended service intervals, maintenance becomes more predictable. Shutdowns can be planned with greater confidence, and production schedules become more stable.
At the front end of mining operations, where drills, loaders and other mobile equipment are responsible for bringing ore to surface, that reliability supports the entire downstream process.
Reliability by design is ultimately about moving from reaction to anticipation. It is about listening to what the equipment is saying, understanding the stresses it is under, and engineering solutions that match the realities of the field.
In an industry where uptime determines production performance, reliability has to be engineered long before a machine reaches the field.
Through collaboration with operators and rigorous engineering, MASPRO turns field insight into solutions that keep mining fleets moving – and downtime at a minimum.