A recurring problem was the maintenance and replacement of the aggregate door pins. The four pins operate the aggregate door via a hydraulic ram in a sweeping motion. Due to the harsh working environment and poor lubrication, failure was a regular occurrence, resulting in spillage and the complete shutdown of the site for up to eight hours. Upon this failure, there was much work that needed to be done, including welding at height.
It was decided that work could be reduced if the mounting brackets remained in situ and a face plate fabricated to allow a simple bolting exercise when wear became apparent. By changing the cheek plates bolted to the mounting plate, it has reduced time input from approximately eight hours to just one. Other benefits include:
- Reduced need to work at heights
- Reduced need to weld in tight space
- Ability to foresee problem by replacing parts before failure.
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