If you want the grab bucket to have a long life and a low failure rate, routine maintenance is essential in addition to selecting a high-quality grapple. Even the best grapple will fail if it is not maintained.
To maintain the grapple properly, you need to know which parts of the grabs are prone to wear and tear.
Abrasion and Wear
A common failure of grab buckets in the process of use is abrasive and wear.
According to the analysis of relevant data can be found, in the form of grapple failure, the loss of work performance caused by pin wear accounts for about 40%, the loss of work performance caused by bucket edge wear accounts for about 30%, and the loss of work performance caused by pulley wear and other parts damage accounts for about 30%.
It can be seen that improving the wear resistance of grab pins and bushings and improving the wear resistance of the bucket edge is an important way to improve the service life of the grab.
Factors affecting material wear include external and internal factors.
External factors include load, sliding speed, hardness, and abrasive geometry. Internal factors include the chemical composition of the material, carbide type, and microstructure. The external factors are self-explanatory and will not be repeated here.
Maintenance of grab bucket
How to Maintenance the Grab? Division of responsibilities.
Due to the frequent use of grab buckets and the limited operating level of ship unloader drivers, the failure rate of grab buckets is very high. Therefore, during the daily inspection process, it is necessary to strengthen the inspection of these parts, and at the same time, do a good job of maintaining these parts to extend the service life of grab buckets as much as possible and improve productivity.
To better manage grab buckets, ensure production, and ensure safety, the following clauses are specially formulated according to the personnel composition, work scope, and work procedures involved in the use, maintenance, and repair of grab buckets:
Duties of the daily watchman - refuelling of grabs
The duty supervisor should arrange the refueling of grab buckets in time every day; arrange the refueling of the upper bearing beam of grab buckets on Mondays and Thursdays; if there are special circumstances, it is allowed to be postponed for one day at most, and the situation shall be recorded in the duty log.
Duties of grab operator - inspection and feedback before, during and after operation
The driver's refueling should meet the standards and ensure sufficient lubrication; if the refueling fails, it shall be recorded in time and reported to the inspection personnel or the supervisor technician. It is required to record the refueling situation of each time in the operation log.
The driver should actively accept the opinions of the grab bucket refueling inspector when refueling.
When operating, the driver should avoid accidents such as the grab bucket rubbing against the cabin, and prevent similar incidents caused by incorrect operating methods.
The driver should observe the use of the grab bucket in real-time during the operation. If the chain, quick connector, etc. are found to be worn, they should be refueled in time; if other faults or suspected faults of the grab bucket are found, the machine should be stopped for inspection and reported in time, and records should be made in the operation log.
Duties of inspectors - timely recording and feedback
Any grab faults or suspected faults found during the inspection should be reported to the grab supervisor and recorded on the overhaul form.
Once the grapple has been replaced, the overhauler should record and sign any problems and submit this to the grapple manager on time.
During holidays, in addition to explaining the status of the grapple on the machine to the duty personnel, the technician should also record the precautions and the specific circumstances of the faults that occurred during the duty period and the handling process in the duty log.
The grab maintenance team must keep a good record of each grab's maintenance statistics (including maintenance projects, maintenance time, difficulties encountered in maintenance, a summary of maintenance materials, etc.), set up a special statistician, and record them in the grab management book.
The grab management book is carried with the grab and recorded in real-time during the use and repair process; after the grab repair is completed, it should be checked and signed by the grab supervisor.
Responsibilities of the grab manager - statistics, records, and feedback on the status of the grab
The grab supervisor should keep statistics and records of the grabs and consumables, and keep abreast of updates. If the machine needs to be repaired and serviced, the technical staff member should be notified ahead.
When the grapple is being repaired, the grab manager should remain in contact with the maintenance personnel on time and be responsible for coordinating and communicating with the relevant personnel.
During the maintenance process, the grab supervisor and the person in charge of maintenance should urge the maintenance personnel to pay attention to safety and obey the orders of the person in charge of maintenance. Focus on the quality of maintenance and eliminate rework.
