Bradken’s excavator undercarriage solution for the Liebherr R996B has been going head to head with “a low-cost competitor” at a Queensland coal mine, with the benchmarking revealing a “significant performance gap”, the company says.
The two machines are operated under different ownership, with one undercarriage using Bradken’s undercarriage solution, chosen based on Bradken’s reputation for performance, cost-effectiveness and proven reliability, and the other undercarriage from a low-cost competitor chosen based on cost.
These undercarriages were installed within a few months of each other, allowing the mine and contractor to track performance side-by-side under identical conditions and determine the best path forward for future undercarriage investments.
Bradken, leveraging over 40 years of undercarriage design and manufacturing expertise, supplied its advanced crawler shoes and components for one of the R996B machines.
The company added: “These components were built on a legacy of innovation and OEM collaboration, including more than a decade as the preferred supplier of crawler shoes and drive tumblers for Liebherr’s R996B and R9800 excavators. Bradken’s solution incorporated metallurgical enhancements, rigorous design processes and the highest standards of manufacturing quality.”
The mine’s ongoing comparison has revealed a significant performance gap: Bradken’s undercarriage is projected to last over 50% longer than the low-cost competitor’s, the company claims. This extended wear life translates into fewer change-outs, reduced maintenance costs and increased machine availability, directly impacting operational efficiency and total cost of ownership. This data highlights Bradken’s demonstrated reliability and proven value to support customers around the world.
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