Wirtgen’s 4200 SM WPI surface miner with integrated measurement system detects wear and tear on cutting tools.

WPI stands for Wirtgen pick inspection — and essentially consists of eight very quickly measuring sensors integrated in the cutting roller housing. These sensors are used to measure the wear of the cutter.

WPI can take measurements in less than one minute and this can be carried out easily during truck changeover so that downtimes can be avoided. The entire measurements are taken automatically at the press of a button, and the operator can see the measurement results on a separate screen. Machine operators and service technicians are thus able to optimally plan any necessary service intervals, and the cutting tools are used to their maximum capacity.

4200 SM WPI: Maximum Performance in Large-Scale Opencast Mining

The new 4200 SM is a high-performance machine for mine operators and customers in large-scale opencast mining whose goal is to achieve an annual mining capacity in soft rock of up to 12 million tons with a single machine while wanting to make full use of the benefits offered by Wirtgen’s selective mining technology that enables cutting, crushing and loading in a single working pass. The surface miner is available to customers in two different designs: as a powerful mining expert for hard rock, such as iron ore, bauxite or phosphate, or for use in various types of soft rock including, for example, coal or lignite. The miner has a cutting width of 13.8 ft. (4.20 m) and is capable of working at a maximum cutting depth of 32.7 in. (83 cm) in soft rock.

The heavy-duty machine is equipped with a 16-cylinder diesel engine from Cummins, making it the ideal candidate for a wide range of applications as its power of 1,612 hp (1,194 kW) offers tremendous reserve capacity. Generously dimensioned tanks offering capacities of 766 gal. (2,900 L) for diesel and 2,648 gal. (10,000 L) for water additionally increase the miner’s uptime.

A two-stage conveyor system with 71 in. (180 cm) wide primary and discharge conveyors and a discharge conveyor length of 472 or 630 in. (1,200 or 1,600 cm) respectively, supports the miner’s cutting performance of up to 3,000 tons per hour. The discharge conveyor’s large slewing angle of 180 degrees, flexible height adjustment and variable belt speed ensure smooth loading of large transport trucks even in space-restricted conditions.

App for Service Teams Reduces Changeover Times

Another advantage of WPI comes from the simplified workflow for the service teams responsible for changing the cutting tools. If a cutter needs to be changed, a separate mobile end device prepares the information stating which cutter is to be changed. This function is accomplished by an application that shows part of the cutting roller and marks the cutter to be changed in color.

In addition, when operating the entire surface miner fleet, the information on the wear status of the cutting tools helps to optimize the whole service and production process. For example, the use of service technicians and the provision of spare parts is planned specifically based on the wear information of the individual machines.

For more information, visit www.wirtgen.com.

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