Bragging rights

Este artículo fue publicado por Ben Hailes en 6 April, 2018

In keeping with the theme of innovation, this month I take a look at the Finnish designed and manufactured Sleipner DB120 trailer.

Introduced four years ago, the first unit deployed completed 7,743km in 12 months, significantly improving fleet optimisation, flexibility and maintenance requirements of the tracked fleet, resulting in a 37% reduction in costs. If you haven't heard of Sleipner or seen their equipment in action, I encourage you to have a look, searching Sleipner DB120 on YouTube.

For mine operators, relocating their tracked fleet is generally problematic. Be it dozers, drills or excavators, owners have traditionally been forced to 'walk' their machines or use conventional mine site trailers, the former being a long, laborious and costly task (imagine walking a turtle down to your local shops), tying up labour and resulting in the accelerated wear and tear of a machine's undercarriage.

Such were the challenges of Ossi Kortesalmi, when in 1996 in the Finnish Lapland, he conceived and developed the first of many transportation solutions targeting the heavy earthmoving equipment sector.

A relative newcomer to the Sleipner stable, the DB120 trailer can operate with a maximum payload of 120t and is at ease carrying a Cat D11T of Komatsu D475A Dozer. Weighing 56t and hitched to a 40t Articulated Dump Truck (ADT), this trailer incorporates a double articulation turning point, that provides a turning radius of less than 11m (in practical terms, tighter than a 100t dump truck).

With the ability to load a D11T in less than two minutes and a maximum loaded towing speed of 15km/h (30km/h without load), one quickly appreciates the effectiveness of this trailer's design. Utilising a unique 'drag brake' on declines, the trailer lowers brake surfaces at the tail of the trailer, forcing the ADT to pull the unit downhill against the natural weight of the machine, thereby eradicating the risk of 'jack-knife' and significantly decreasing the demands on the brakes of the tow unit. Marvellous stuff!

If you'd like to know more, Nick Bolton of Equipment Placement can help and is contactable on mobile 0459 599 977.

This article was originally published by the ComponentsONLY team in the April - May 2018 issue of "@ The Coal Face" magazine.