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High-Performance Bucket Leader
February 8th, 2024 | by excitemediaFor 50 years, Austin Engineering has been building customised truck trays and mining buckets to improve payload and handling conditions for miners across the world. Austin pioneered the concept of lightweight haul truck trays that could carry more tonnes and less steel. It also recognised the return on investment to mining companies meant payback was often measured in weeks for equipment that could last years. Today, most mining companies in Australia use lightweight trays to maximise the ore moved annually per truck and this approach has been increasingly adopted in other regions of the
world by international mining companies, which has in turn been adopted locally. Austin’s high customer retention rate is testimony to the value that it delivers.Also key to the efficiency of operations is improving bucket performance by pass matching buckets to haul tray capacity and reducing the number of passes to load. Austin has developed a new range of HP (High Performance) buckets suitable for fitting to almost all OEM equipment from front end
loaders to excavators and face shovels all the way up to the largest rope shovels. The HP series together with the range of Mainetec-designed Hulk buckets are able to be operated without liners to reduce weight and increase ore movement per pass whilst reducing dig energy. Innovative wear liner
packages to suit local conditions and in high wear areas can be added as required.What sets Austin apart is this focus on providing the most capable and productive bucket for every application. Whether an operation requires high-production lightweight buckets or demands the rugged reliability of heavy-duty armoured counterparts, each bucket undergoes a comprehensive process of custom design and engineering. This approach tailors each bucket precisely to a mine site’s unique application requirements, guaranteeing an optimal fit for specific operational needs.
Austin has invested in building its manufacturing capacity and upgrading all of its facilities globally to better service its customers and meet their specific requirements and timeframes. Austin’s facilities are located in key global mining regions allowing the company to deliver to customers on time and at competitive rates. The recent upgrades have also allowed Austin to allocate more capacity to key customers, and to meet increased orders. Installation of advanced manufacturing systems mean all of Austin’s facilities can manufacture the highest quality products using the latest design and innovation. A current recurring revenue stream of 89% is a testament to Austin’s performance.
Acknowledging the complexities and challenges of the mining sector, Austin becomes an integral part of mining company teams, dedicated to enhancing operational performance and contributing to the overall success of mining endeavours. As a strategic partner, Austin provides a wealth of expertise,
innovation, and support.Austin has key locations on both the West and East coast of Australia, in Batam in Indonesia, Chile and Wyoming in the USA, which services all of North America. Headquartered in Perth, Australia, Austin also collaborates with mining companies, contractors, and equipment manufacturers to deliver engineering solutions such as underground truck trays, water tanks, and tire handlers for multi-commodity underground and open-cut operations.
Austin also provides customers with its state-of-the-art condition monitoring software, Mainetrack. Mainetrack is Austin’s condition monitoring software system that monitors wear and condition of a mining bucket or truck tray through its life, both individually and across an entire fleet. The system predicts when a bucket will hit its wear limits and needs to be scheduled for rebuild. This helps prevent unplanned breakdowns and assists in scheduling rebuild or repair programs.
In 2022, Austin acquired Australian bucket manufacturer, Mainetec, and is now offering Mainetec’s high-value dipper buckets into its global markets, particularly North and South America, where there is high demand and a large dipper bucket market. Austin sold its first Mainetec-designed dipper bucket into the USA market in 2023. The Armadillo electric rope shovel dipper bucket is due for delivery in 2024.
Austin’s CEO and Managing Director, David Singleton
“I am extremely proud of the work that the Austin team has achieved over the past 12 months. Our industry-leading buckets have continued to be at the forefront of innovation, and deliver the best results for our customers.”
What sets Austin apart from other mining service providers?
“Austin’s goal is to provide best in class products to the mining industry. We have invested in designing and manufacturing products for increased efficiency like our stronger and more lightweight High Performance (HP) Bucket and High Performance Tray (HPT) range, which are receiving significant market interest.
We currently have five major manufacturing sites across four continents, which has allowed us to maintain schedules and delivery times in a capacity constrained market through the extensions to our facilities in Batam, Indonesia, Australia and Chile. We are now preparing to expand our USA operations. Through our network of operations, we can deliver to any customer in any global location.
We have also built up our customer support business and bucket rebuild businesses to make sure that onsite operations are maintained at the most efficient level.
Our design and engineering capabilities also set us apart. Austin has designed and manufactured products for the mining industry for more than 50 years and we have consistently maintained our high standard of innovation and excellence to create world-leading customised products.”Austin has been in operation for over 50 years, how do you keep ahead of new competitors?
“We focus on delivering a high return on investment for our mining clients in the belief that what delivers benefit for the customer will deliver strong demand for Austin. It’s a formula that works well. Our way of doing this is through innovation and customisation of the product to the exact requirements of the mine, knowing that every operation is unique and that one size does not fit all.
Our teams of engineers are working constantly to create the highest quality products for our customers that exactly meet their mining requirements, and drive efficiency in operational performance. Since Austin was formed in 1969, Austin has set out to create the lightest and highest quality products to best suit our customers’ needs, and we continue to live up to this philosophy.
We identified Mainetec as an innovative and entrepreneurial business that fitted our strategy to become a leading designer and manufacturer of customised mining buckets. The acquisition of Mainetec has allowed us to significantly grow our bucket market offering domestically, and we have commenced marketing our buckets internationally with a particular focus on the Americas, where a large dipper bucket market exists.”For a comprehensive overview of Austin’s product range and to explore how its expertise can elevate your mining operations, visit austineng.com/products/.
Partner with Austin, where innovation meets excellence, and redefine the future of high-performance mining buckets.
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Austin leads industry in design and manufacturing
October 6th, 2023 | by excitemediaAustin Engineering is a leading designer and manufacturer of customised dump truck trays, buckets, and water tanks used in the global mining industry.
With manufacturing operations across four continents, Austin is also a complete service provider, offering on and off-site repair and maintenance and heavy equipment lifting services to customers including miners, mining contractors and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs).
Austin’s 2022 acquisition of Australian-based specialist bucket manufacturer, Mainetec, added an extensive range of high-quality, industry-leading mining buckets to Austin’s existing suite.
The acquisition gave Austin access to Mainetec’s Hulk range of high-performance mining buckets. The Hulk buckets complement Austin’s JEC bucket range and the dual-product offering will increase Austin’s bucket market share in Australia, especially on the East Coast where Mainetec has a well-established presence.
Austin is now offering Mainetec’s high-value dipper buckets into its global markets, particularly North and South America, where there is high demand and a large dipper bucket market. Austin sold its first Mainetec-designed dipper bucket into the US market in 2023. The Armadillo electric rope shovel dipper bucket is due for delivery by mid-2024.
Austin’s CEO and Managing Director, David Singleton said: “We identified Mainetec as an innovative and entrepreneurial business that fitted our strategy to become a leading designer and manufacturer of customised mining buckets. Mainetec has allowed us to grow our bucket market offering domestically and internationally, particularly in the Americas, where a large dipper bucket market exists.
“The Armadillo bucket ordered from the US will be designed in Australia, manufactured in our facility in Batam, Indonesia, and will be supported by our US business in Casper, Wyoming. This process demonstrates Austin’s global reach and capabilities.”
Austin has established specialist bucket ‘centre of excellence’ in Perth, Western Australia, where it is able to produce the entire Austin and Mainetec range of buckets.
Austin’s purchase of Mainetec also came with its state-of-the-art condition monitoring software which Austin is able to fit to all of its buckets.
The condition monitoring software provides a precise, fleetwide overview of buckets and trays to improve annual product replacement planning. This approach helps to maximise product life, and thereby reduce costs and greenhouse emissions by ensuring buckets and trays are not withdrawn before required.
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Maximising fleet productivity with Austin’s condition monitoring software
October 6th, 2023 | by excitemediaAustin customers are able to access the most precise information on the condition of their truck trays and buckets through the Company’s industry-leading software, Mainetrack.
Mainetrack accurately detects the condition of equipment to determine wear and timing around replacement.
The cutting-edge software was acquired by Austin through the Company’s purchase of Australian bucket specialist, Mainetec in 2022. Designed originally for Mainetec’s excavator and dipper buckets, the Austin team configured it for deployment on its truck tray range.
The Mainetrack device fits to Austin’s buckets and trays, allowing clients to instantly gain precise data and statistics around the equipment’s usage and wear. This data provides an accurate and vital understanding of when a bucket needs to be rebuilt, replaced or if it is running at its optimal ability.
The software gives the most accurate picture of the health of Austin’s equipment, enabling customers to avoid a premature equipment replacement cycle. For example, the software may show that replacement is not required at a scheduled point and, instead of adhering to a scheduled replacement program, customers can defer the need for new equipment and capital spend.
The Mainetrack software provides Austin customers with a comprehensive overview of key asset information through an easy-to-use management app.
Through the app, Mainetrack shows its users asset maintenance history and trends, captures wear rates, tracking and recording of asset information, tracking of the condition of assets and recorded damage, and provides downloadable reports for analysis and presentations.
The software also provides monthly wear measurement reports to predict when buckets will require a rebuild or replacement, and the app rapidly identifies buckets that need mid-life onsite repairs.
Austin’s CEO and Managing Director, David Singleton said: “This full-service reporting allows Austin’s customers to have a comprehensive understanding of their buckets and trays usage and history with the ability to set wear limits and maintenance forecasts.
“We are pleased to provide this extra service for our customers to assist with improved fleet and operational management, and to better utilise their equipment.”
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Austin’s High-Performance Truck Tray (HPT) at cutting-edge of design and engineering
September 15th, 2023 | by excitemediaAustin Engineering’s High-Performance Truck Tray (HPT) represents the next generation in truck tray design and engineering and positions Austin as a leader in the manufacture of customised lightweight truck trays for enhanced operational efficiency.
Austin’s HPT is its lightest tray ever manufactured and offers a broad range of improved efficiencies and features to the mining industry.
Austin is the world leader in customised design, build and sustainment of mine site haul truck trays, delivering trays to mining clients from its bases across Asia-Pacific, North and South America. Austin currently delivers around 600 truck bodies annually with capabilities and functions to suit multiple commodities and terrains.
The HPT’s payload advantage is one of its key features. Compared to Austin’s ULTIMA product, HPT delivers on average an extra 45,000 tonnes of ore carried per tray annually, with 7.3 tonnes more payload. The HPT also utilises less steel in its manufacture and sees a decline in overall fuel and tyre usage and reduces carbon emissions per tonne of ore delivered.
The HPT features a state-of-the-art “V” floor configuration that provides multiple benefits over traditional tray options. The HPT enhances the flow by funnelling loads towards its centre during dumping. This unique feature reduces wear, improves stability, and ultimately reduces dump cycle times through three-quarter tipping.
The HPT’s unique design also increases the structural integrity of the tray and provides superior impact and wear resistance which results in a lower maintenance cost for users. The simplified structure of the HPT designs means that manufacturing and in-field serviceability is also significantly improved relative to conventional truck trays.
Austin’s HPT is designed to improve function in every aspect for customers, with the tray providing a 10-15 percent mass saving over comparable designs with real-world modelling techniques having been utilised to ensure the highest level of productivity and savings for users.
The tray has not only been designed against real-world payload modelling techniques but has also been tested against advanced 3D modelling software to ensure that the HPT performs at its required level. Austin has tested every aspect of the HPT, from load simulations to optimal fatigue life testing with the latest software.
Austin utilises a process of continuous improvement to ensure all its tray designs are structurally fit for purpose.
“Austin is known and recognised for its lightweight truck trays, but this is our lightest tray yet, and we’re extremely proud of our engineering and manufacturing teams on this design to meet the requirements of our customers. One of the biggest advantages is the HPT’s extra payload capabilities. A major customer calculated that it could carry $2.8 million dollars of ore per truck tray, per year, which is a significant impact efficiency and dollars-wise for mining companies.”
Fully Customisable
Austin’s HPT provides a fully customisable option for customers, with Austin’s TX-1 body design allowing adaptable solutions for mine-specific applications.
The HPT is designed to comply with all OEM machine limitations and is interchangeable with OEM componentry and machine attachments, this provides a flexible and convenient solution for users.
Proven Performance
Austin’s HPT has already been tried and tested by customers with the first trays having been fitted to Komatsu trucks before being delivered to customer mine sites.
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