Customer Context
Operating Environment
Underground hard-rock development drilling using jumbos in confined headings. Feed rail ropes operate under high load and vibration, controlling drill positioning and transmitting hydraulic feed force.
- High utilisation drilling cycles
- Dynamic loading and abrasive conditions
- Confined environments increasing maintenance complexity exposure.
Core Issue
Feed rail ropes weren’t failing catastrophically — but too frequently.
- High replacement rates (98 → 188 annually across rope types)
- Increased manual handling exposure in confined environments
- Performance inefficiency accepted as “standard
Frequent replacements added maintenance load, cost, and operator risk, including musculoskeletal and crush injuries.
Solution
MASPRO Intervention
MASPRO introduced engineered feed rail rope solutions:
- M55038496 — 12mm Wire Rope (Feed)
- M55159153 — 12mm Wire Rope (2470)
Key improvements:
- Redesigned rope end configuration
- Upgraded rope construction and materials
- Engineering informed by site interaction and real operating conditions
Implementation Snapshot
- Trial conducted across 3 development jumbos
- Deployment following on-site engagement and engineering discussion
- No operational disruption, integrated into existing maintenance cycles
MASPRO Solution Caption: Engineered feed rail rope upgrade with improved end design and material performance
Results
Increased Reliability and Measurable Performance Gains
12-month outcomes:
- Feed Rope (12mm)
- 48% reduction in usage (188 → 98)
- 73% reduction in spend
Rope 2470
- ~53% reduction in usage (76 → 36)
- ~74% reduction in spend
Impact: REDUCED MAINTENANCE, LOWER MANUAL HANDLING RISK, IMPROVED EFFICIENCY, FEWER INTERRUPTIONS.
The MASPRO Advantage
This outcome was not driven by rope strength alone, but by application-specific engineering:
- Optimised end design and construction for fatigue and wear
- Aligned to operating conditions and duty cycle
- Validated through site collaboration
This case study is for general informational purposes. Performance outcomes may vary depending on operating conditions. Organisations should assess applicability to their specific environment.
