"Design is not what it looks like or feels like. Design is how it works"
Please enjoy this video of the successful testing of our recent 13 man belt drift dolly car.
Video Commentary
This months blog I would like to follow up again on our Test Track.
We recently had another vehicle successfully tested. This time a 13 man belt drift dolly car. This meant that we had to change the rail size on the test track as well as calculate other perimeters like the weight of the vehicle to achieve the predicted results and this was achieved.
During the last blog I spoke about why we went back to the first original solid brake unit, solid centre frame and other design improvements. This time, I would like to spend some time talking about the test track itself and why we think the Reliance Franlane is a superior design.
I'd like to start with the test track, and although the test track was built through necessity to gather data, it has quickly become evident that the test track could be a useful tool for our customers as well.
AS 3785-8 2016 has many requirement as part of commissioning as well as regular maintenance test. Some of the maintenance and testing requirements is dynamic testing.
One of the biggest risks when dynamic testing in a drift is timing the winder to stop paying out rope so that slack rope is achieved, but not too much that you get a kink in the rope. A damaged rope, depending on location can be very costly.
So, doing the majority of the testing on our test tract certainly minimises how many times you would run the risk of kinking a rope with dynamic testing.
With third party verification required, a typical testing regime would request an empty, half full and full weight capacity test. AS 3785-8 2016 12.3.2 'brake performance test' states, "sufficient tests SHALL be conducted that demonstrate repeatability of performance". The only way to prove repeatability is to repeat, so numerous tests can be requested. Each time, the risk of rope or even winder damage is a very real possibility on site.
Another requirement to AS3785-8 2016 13.5.4 'test locations and loads' notes that examples of locations where rail conditions are likely to limit the brake performance are;
a) Different rail types
b) corroded rails
c) wet rails and
d) other variations.
For us, other variations most common with mine drifts are coal build up and oil or grease on the rails. We tested our Reliance Franlane in these conditions including coal buildup and contaminants such as oil and grease.
However, I certainly would not recommend deliberately contaminating a working rail drift with oil and grease and I would suggest this is another reason why it makes good business sense to utilise our test track facility.
To complete this blog I would like to suggest if anyone would like a presentation on our test track or our Reliance Franlane. Please feel free to contact me through our website. I would be more than happy to do a presentation on our Reliance Franlane.
Not just because it is a quality product, but because we have taken the whole conveyance braking to another level. I feel very comfortable in saying we are the leader in this field.
You may ask why did we go to the expense of building a test track and spending thousands of hours testing and gathering data? For me, the answer is if you knew something could be improved and changed for the better, not only would you change it, but you would test it.
In the dictionary the meaning of 'testing' is;
"the means by which the presence, quality, or genuineness of anything is determined; by means of trial"
To take a famous quote from Steve Jobs- "Design is not how it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works".
This is exactly why I feel our product is superior. Not only do we supply a quality product, but we walked the walk and have the data and results to say we know how it works.
Thanks for listening. Please feel free to call and discuss our test track or the Reliance Franlane.
For more information please head to our website or contact Darren Grant on darreng@reliancehexham.com.au
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