APH Contracting is a renowned civil contractor that operates in the southwest region of Western Australia. Under the guiding hand of its managing director Frank Kenny, the business has operated in Picton for more than 20 years and specialises in roadworks, earthworks, sewer and water reticulation, reclamation work, marine works, limestone walls, concrete works and landscaping.
Operating on a recent quarry project in Bunbury, APH was presented with a challenge ? there was limited space on the floor of the limestone quarry and it required a large stockpiling machine. APH also wanted to reduce the fuel/operator costs involved in having to work extra loaders on the site and to provide a more cost-effective and safer working environment.
To that end, APH approached Perth-based Crushing & Mining Equipment (CME) for a large stacker. CME recommended the Trackstack 8042T, one of the largest machines of its kind on the market.
Several features contributed to APH?s decision to purchase the Trackstack 8042T over other stackers on the market. Chief among them was its capacity for a greater stockpile. With an 11.3m discharge height, the 8042T gave APH a stockpile capacity of 3500 tonnes (the nearest competitor has a maximum 10.73m discharge). With space being the major concern in the quarry, this was a huge benefit.
Another attraction was the engine. APH could run a 53kW engine as opposed to a 38kW engine typical in other models. Coupled with running a 5:1 reduction gear box, as opposed to hydraulic motors, the 8042T also offered more power and torque to give increased tonnage per hour (up to 600 tonnes per hour) and enough torque to pull a fully loaded belt in the event of a stoppage (no manual shovelling required).
APH also favoured the 8042T?s heavy duty design and was impressed with how robust it was, weighing in at 15.5 tonnes, which was ideal for the harsh conditions regularly experienced in WA. The 8042T is also a heavier unit, by about five tonnes compared with other machines on the market.
APH has informed CME of the benefits it has enjoyed since purchasing the 8042T. It has appreciated the large stockpile capacity because it is utilising all the available space on the quarry floor. With the Trackstack on the floor, the company has more room for trucks to come in and out.
APH has also reported reduced fuel and operator costs. Before it purchased the 8042T, APH was running three Caterpillar 980 front end loaders. With the introduction of the 8042T, the number of loaders on-site has been reduced to just two. With the Caterpillar 980 using up on average 30 litres of fuel per hour, the Trackstack is also proving more economical; on average, it is burning only between eight and 10 litres per hour. This is a saving of 20 to 22 litres per hour on fuel. Also, one fewer operator is required to run the loader.
APH believes the 8042T has contributed to a safer working environment. With fewer loaders on-site and better utilisation of space, this has provided APH with a safe working area that is more accessible for trucks coming in and out.
Source: Crushing & Mining Equipment