A new, mobile, all-terrain hydraulic hose repair unit is proving to be the silver bullet for quarries facing downtime costs due to hydraulic hose failures.
Critical damage to hydraulic hoses can spell critical disaster for most quarrying operations. Production slows, downtime increases and the expenses can build up as the site waits for repairs.
And it’s not just the part that needs replacing that is the issue, but a range of other unseen costs can hurt quarry operations when machinery breaks down.
That’s why operations like Blue Ridge Quarry, located in Moruya in New South Wales, are turning to BOA Hydraulics for a proactive approach to repairing and maintaining hydraulic hoses.
Like many others across Australia, Blue Ridge Quarry is in a remote regional area, which presents its own set of challenges. Machines in need of repair would have to be taken on a 90-minute round trip into town to be serviced.
As Blue Ridge Quarry manager Aaron Millikin said to Quarry, the sales don’t wait, and trucks don’t stop just because one of its 21 hydraulic machines is in need of repair.
So having a machine on-site that can make needed repairs offers major advantages.
“Before we had the trailer (BOApod) on-site, we lost a lot of downtime,” Millikin said. “We would have to pull the hose off the machine, run it 45 minutes into town to get the hose made, and return to the quarry and put the hose back on.
“It is more the travel and downtime – 45 minutes into town and 45 minutes back to the quarry – but now we can take the hose off and have the hose fitted and the machine ready to run.
“It just increases the production time and consistency of running the machines.”
Since the BOApod arrived at Blue Ridge Quarry, workers have noticed how much the downtime has reduced and productivity has in turn been boosted.
The BOApod – the brainchild of company co-founders Simon and Greg Boakes – is a mobile, all-weather hose repair unit that features European precision crimping and cutting machinery, along with a large range of quality hoses and fittings. This unit is delivered with a full training and support program, to bring hydraulic hose repairs in-house.
With flexible finance options, companies can get a BOApod with minimal upfront cost, as well as ongoing training and support from the company.
The unit has created more solutions for Blue Ridge Quarry, with faster turnarounds on repairs and the chance to perform preventive maintenance. The latter has become increasingly important to the quarry, as operational costs have continued to increase and impact the business’ bottom line.
BOA Hydraulics’ downtime calculator, which shows how much companies could lose due to critical hose failures in lost production, shows some companies can stand to lose up to $50,000 an hour. The company believes those expenses can be avoided through preventive maintenance and a proactive approach using the BOApod and its quality tools, hoses and fittings.
For Blue Ridge Quarry – where it is estimated 60 per cent of its breakdowns are related to hydraulic hoses – the BOApod has become a time- and money-saver.
One of the quarry’s eight mechanical operators or two diesel mechanics can, with BOA’s training, help repair the hose.
“It is a big plus being able to do it on-site,” Millikin said.
“(Most) of the hose failures are from wear or falling debris breaking a hose or hoses rubbing. Instead of taking off the hose, which is 3m long and runs through a wear spot, we can put different joins and re-route it in a different direction to prevent it from wearing through in the same spot again.”
After launching the BOApod in New Zealand in 2019, BOA’s introduction of this state-of-the-art mobile hose repair unit to Australian shores has earned rave reviews across the country.
With BOApods being used across quarrying, mining, forestry and civil operations, BOA has developed a strong reputation across Australian work sites.
“I would highly recommend the trailer to anyone, especially companies with a lot of hydraulic hoses,” Millikin said.
“Some days you might blow three or four hydraulic hoses. Just being able to have it on site is a big thing.
“The trailer is very user-friendly. There is plenty of space for storage. The crimper and the saw work great.
“We have had no issues with the product.” •
For more information, visit boahydraulics.com