ABB Report Identifies Mine Hoist Maintenance Strategy to Help Industry Boost Annual Production

The value of predictive maintenance was reinforced through this project. Those faced with the highest levels of availability loss had, on average, dedicated less of their maintenance strategy to proactive approach versus reactive (75 percent and 25 percent retrospectively). While periodic maintenance has been implemented across hoist systems, continuous monitoring and assessment were much further behind. Of those surveyed, only 16 percent had applied continuous predictive monitoring to their mechanical systems.     

Utilizing these insights, ABB devised its ‘World Class Maintenance Standard’ for hoists. While every mine hoist maintenance system should be designed for the specific requirements of individual hoists, the Standard aims to provide mining companies with a baseline for devising the optimal solution for hoist longevity. The Standard recommends that 90 percent of maintenance strategy be focused on predictive maintenance to achieve the highest availability levels.  

“Hoists are one of the most expensive and vital assets within a mining operation, so keeping them running optimally is crucial for an effective mining operation,” said John Manuell, Global Service Manager for Hoisting, ABB Process Industries. “Without a thorough maintenance program, replacing these systems can be costly, risky and time-consuming. We designed the World Class Maintenance Standard to give users a benchmark to design the right program for their assets and reinforce the value, which, when fully utilized, can keep hoists running for several decades. From here, we are devising a framework to simplify maintenance services, which will be available to customers later this year.”