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Rebuilt Components Keep CSN Mining Moving
A single lifetime for a machine, a powertrain, a component or a part just isn’t enough when you’re moving 30 million tons of iron ore a year. That’s why Brazil’s second-largest mining company relies on Cat® repairs and rebuilds to keep their machines on the job in some of the toughest conditions imaginable.
Estimated read time: 3 minutes
CSN Mining is the second-largest mining company in Brazil. And its production numbers are impressive: CSN machines move around 30 million tons of ore a year in harsh working conditions. And the company depends on Cat® dealer Sotreq to keep machines healthy and production up.
NEW-MACHINE PERFORMANCE AT A FRACTION OF THE COST
“In a business of this size, we cannot have components that only last a lifetime,” says Osvaldo Gomes, maintenance and engineering manager at CSN Mining. “We need components that can be refurbished so that we can minimize costs and even reduce costs while maintaining the expected performance.”
And Caterpillar delivers on that front with repair options for everything from single components to total machine rebuilds, says Diego Vincentin, who is responsible for the development and launch of global service offerings for Caterpillar. “The idea is that we bring the components and the machine back to its original condition and at a reduced cost compared to new equipment or a new component.”
Sotreq plays a critical role in that effort, says Denis Guimaraes Moreira, commercial consultant for Sotreq.
“We have a dedicated team [from coordination to technicians] working at CSN,” he notes. “We also have an engineering team focused on this client, on-site. This way, we can be together with the client, working and decreasing the unavailability of equipment, increasing the life availability of tools, production and support.”
For the team at CSN, this constant support is invaluable. Automation Coordinator Adriano explains that working with a Cat dealer means everyone wins. “The rebuilt equipment has had good performance, and with Sotreq’s close monitoring we have managed to increase the performance,” he says.
And when their equipment is already in for a rebuild, it’s the ideal time for upgrades. “For the performance we are seeking, we also [get] upgrades to the machine’s technology," Adriano says. These upgrades keep CSN on the cutting edge so they can meet their evolving needs on the mine site.
A REPAIR OPTION FOR ANY SITUATION
With Sotreq’s close monitoring and expert recommendations, CSN schedules maintenance before issues arise. This repair-before-failure approach helps them prevent disruptive downtime. Geraldo, CSN’s operations planning coordinator, explains, “The importance of changing components before failure is that it guarantees predictability for my operation.”
However, when machine components do reach the end of their life, Sotreq Service Supervisor Gustavo Henrique de Castro says failed components are immediately sent to the Component Rebuild Center. There, technicians analyze the failure and determine the best service plan.
“And once again, the partnership between Sotreq and CSN arises, to discuss what we found out from this component and to analyze what the client — that is, CSN — needs.”
This means deciding if a smaller repair is the best option, or if a more extensive repair that will extend the lifetime of the component is a better choice, de Castro says. And it’s the different Cat repair options that give CSN the flexibility to make the right choice. They know they can prioritize getting a machine back to work quickly. But they can also make more extensive repairs to ensure a long, productive working life.
“For the CSN client today, we have a Customer Value Agreement (CVA), which is focused on repair,” Moreira explains. “We also have a CVA pertaining to CCR, which is the Caterpillar Certified Rebuild.”
The CCR contract means CSN can expect more reliability. “This equipment goes through a certified rebuild, supplying everything it needs from the Caterpillar factory, along with Sotreq,” Moreira says. “Currently, 85% of the machine is being repurposed, and rebuilding takes around 40% less energy than to manufacture a new one.”
And that partnership has paid off, Adriano says. “We managed to reduce costs while [obtaining] performance equal to new equipment.”
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