Mining excavator returned to production without leaving the bench

The site's primary loading excavator lost boom function mid-shift on an active coal bench. Recovering a machine of that size off a working bench is a multi-day exercise in its own right, so the first question was whether the repair could be completed in situ.

The field service unit was dispatched within the hour with diagnostic equipment, welding plant, a hose crimper and fitting stock. Pressure and flow were measured before anything was removed, which isolated the fault to a failed line and a damaged mounting rather than the pump the site had assumed.

The machine was isolated and locked out, the implement supported mechanically, and the replacement hose was measured, crimped and fitted at the machine. The damaged mounting was prepared and welded to procedure on the bench, and the system was flushed and filtration renewed before pressures were reset and recorded.

The machine was back in production on the second day without ever leaving the bench. The written fault report identified the chafe point that caused the failure, and the guard added at the same visit has kept it from recurring.