Published in the June 2014 International Coal News Magazine

Hastings Deering recently completed the upgrade of its facility at 14 Commercial Avenue in Paget, Queensland.

The works on the centre started six months ago and included an electrical test laboratory where it could conduct electrical testing and program the software and hardware on all underground electrical components.

Included in the electrical test lab is a test set that supports the technology in the latest generation shearer Caterpillar offers.

Its purpose is to identify component failures, diagnose faults and provide operational training for minesite personnel.

Hastings Deering, a dealer for original equipment manufacturer Caterpillar, also invested in a programmable mining control roof support control unit, PMC drive control unit/PMC visualisation control unit test bench that allows it to overhaul roof support control units, armoured face conveyors in-house.

The units were previously sent to the Caterpillar facility in Beresfield in New South Wales as the Mackay facility did not own a test bench. Beresfield also supported the NSW underground coal customers, which would lead to delays in getting the Queensland equipment back to work.

Being able to do it in-house lets Hastings Deering turn these jobs around faster, offer better quality assurance practices and reduce logistics costs.

In 2013 the Caterpillar dealership delivered three longwalls into the Bowen Basin.

Hastings Deering executive general manager of mining Adrian Carney said the company had needed to ensure its underground facility could support the equipment and the technology once it was put to work.

“We have OEM-trained, dedicated equipment experts, who customers can have onsite to oversee all aspects of performance during production,” he said.

“Our field technicians use the very latest Cat diagnostic tools such as V Shields, V Drives and V Shearer to provide detailed up-to-the-minute equipment operating status – all backed by Caterpillar’s global technical network.”

Carney said the dealer’s longwall underground service facility was ISO9001/AS3800 compliant.

“Our technicians provide the highest code C and code D overhauls for Cat shears, [armoured face conveyor controlled start transmission] gearboxes, conveyors and can service multiple roof supports at any one time,” he said.

“We have our electrohydraulic testing lab where we repair double solenoids, solenoid drivers, PM4, PMCRSCU and hydraulic components for underground mining.

“We are the only organisation that can diagnose, service and repair PMCDs, PMCRs and Evo Shearer components in-house.”

Hastings Deering is also offering a longwall priority service agreement.

Whether a customer wants a dedicated specialist available around the clock, large-scale equipment overhauls or something in-between, every aspect of the LPSA is flexible.

“We can audit the equipment, then propose a fixed price scope of works in advance,” Carney said.

“We can customise the service contract according to each client’s needs.

“Our overhauls use warranted OEM parts and come with Hastings Deering’s guarantee on workmanship.

“We are so confident in our offering that we’ll meet [key performance indicators] with penalties if we fail to deliver to the agreed timeline and costings.

“Not surprisingly, we’ve had some very positive customer feedback since we introduced the longwall service agreement concept.”

Even reporting for the LPSA is rigorous.

If a customer chooses, they can access real-time job tracking against each project’s critical path. Detailed weekly reports to the customer include photos of works in progress, achievements to milestones and work forecasts for coming weeks.

Managing costs and parts procurement is being assured by planning. Having access to a fully stocked warehouse along with fast-track turnarounds from national Caterpillar inventories helps. Even shipping and logistics is factored in, costed then tracked every step of the way.