Graco Electric Dyna-Star Pump installed on an Excavator

This mine is one of the world’s largest producers and exporters of seaborne traded thermal and coking coal. In 1974, the mine launched its operations in South Africa, and currently operates four coal complexes geared towards the production of thermal coal for export and domestic power generation. One such complex, is a large coal mining operation located in South Africa’s Mpumalanga province.

During operation, heavy-duty construction and mining equipment rely on fresh lubricant to flush contaminants from critical pivot points. Accurate, dependable lubrication is the most critical preventative step in preserving the life and productivity of any fleet.

The mine acquired a Hitachi excavator from one of their sister mines. The excavator was equipped with an electric grease pump which was no longer in working condition. Inadequate lubrication provided by the electric grease pump, resulted in equipment running harder and hotter, compromising its lifespan.

Ideally, the mine required a new system that would not necessitate significant alterations to their current system setup. Since Graco’s systems are interchangeable with almost any other competitor system, the versatile Graco 180kg Electric Dyna-Star (EDS) Pump was selected and successfully installed onto the excavator by FloSolve’s trained team.

Equipment such as excavators, wheel loaders and articulated dump trucks are capital-intensive products. Machine downtime has an immediate impact on its Return on Investment and subsequently, sacrifices the mine’s bottom-line. To increase the Return on Investment of such valuable assets, its running time needs to be optimised. Graco’s Electic Dyna-Star pump ensures continuous lube replenishment, reducing expensive component failures to keep equipment working efficiently.

The automatic lubrication pump provides the excavator with the right amount of lubricant, at the right time and in the right place – while the machine is in operation, resulting in an increase in machine up-time.

With the Graco Electric Dyna-Star pump installed, the mine can expect reduced unplanned downtime and maintenance costs, as well as improved operational safety with optimal lubrication.