From limestone extraction, coal mining, iron ore winning to recycling smouldering slag, ERLAU TPC tyre protection chains play a significant role in TATA’s steel production process in India.
In India, Tata’s iron and coal mining, limestone quarrying and slag reprocessing all rely on ERLAU TPC tyre protection chains for cost-effective productivity.
Tata the family-owned steel-maker is acknowledged world-wide for enterprise and innovation.
Just as Tata has secured ownership of its supply of raw materials, the company also places great emphasis on optimising production through investment in reliable plant, equipment and services.
Since Tata acquired Noamundi in the state of Jharkhand, this rich, open-pit, Haemetite deposit has been exploited by the most modern truck and shovel methods.
Annually, 6.5 mt of ore and ‘blue dust’ is loaded by Komatsu WA900 and CAT 992 wheeled loaders and hauled to the mill by a 14-strong fleet of 100 t Komatsu 785 -7 and 65t capacity BEML/ CAT dump trucks.
Tata saves 1000’s of dollars in replacement tyres and repairs by fitting the loaders’ 45/65-45 front tyres with ERLAU TPC Fels Imperial X19 tyre protection chains.
The close-meshed, forged links prevent premature wear from the abrasive Haemetite and more than doubles tyre life. As well as improving machine availability, tyre protection chains give Tata the options of using half-worm tyres or cheap, new, look-alikes.
Dolomite, a flux in steel-making, can be sourced from Tata’s quarries in the East and South of India.
Supplied, fitted and installed by Davesmen India, ERLAU TPC’s are a common sight in quarries where excessive abrasion is a problem.
One of Davesmen’s latest TPC installations is protecting a four-footed, 7t capacity (CAT) HM 2071 on load-out at Ultratech Cement’s (Tadipatri, Andhra Pradesh) 30,000 tpd quarry.
Among Tata-owned coal mines is the 4mtpa open-pit West Bokaro Collieries comprising 8m soft coal seams separated by rock and flint- embedded abrasive sandstone deposits.
As well as several CATs, West Bokaro employs two LeTourneau 1100 payloaders to charge the mine’s 44, 100t, CAT 777D haulers.
ERLAU TPC’ FELS CROWN X22 tyre protection chains provide the L-1100’s front pairs of 50/65-51 tyres with all-round protection from abrasion and sudden-death, sidewall damage.
Where there is steel-making there is slag.
At Tata’s 7mtpa Jamshedpur steel plant a (CAT) HM 2071 payloader with a 10t bucket is shifting slag to the Recovery Plant where residual steel is saved for re-smelting and the limestone ash can be used for block-making.
Here, where the loader is standing and running over extremely hot, highly abrasive surfaces and the tyres suffer heavy abrasion, risk side-wall piercing and endure intense heat, only the best protection is good enough.
Tata relies on the all-round protection of a full set of close-meshed, self-cleaning, ERLAU TPC FELS JUMBO X16s to protect the CAT’s 29.5×29 tires by absorbing the heat, preventing damage, eliminating abrasion and, most importantly, keeping the loader on the job.
This is a tale of three families co-operating to win the earth’s riches.
Established in 1907, as Asia’s first private sector steel maker, Tata is now the world’s sixth largest steelmaker with a capacity of 28 mt.
Davesmen India PVT Ltd, is a supplier of industrial equipment and materials to India and South-East Asia and, for the past 30 years, ERLAU TPC’s man-on-the-spot supplying TPCs to India and adjacent countries.
Davesmen also supplies TPCs to Essar Steel – another Indian giant with flat steel output of some 9 mtpa.
At the company’s Hazira Surat, Gujarat plant, three, Kress pot carriers transport 70t ladles of molten slag from the furnace to the dump where a team of three, (CAT) HM 2071s move the cooling slag to the recycling facility.
The four Kress Carriers run on 30.00×51 tyres. For the past six years, all eight front tyres have been fully-protected by ERLAU TPC FELS JUMBO Plus X16 chains.
The three CAT HM 2071s also rely on ERLAU TPC FELS JUMBO x16 TPCs to protect all twelve tires from burning, abrasion and side-wall damage.