CAT D10T Bonnet Handrails
Ensuring safe access and protection when working on surface mining machines should be a priority for any operation. Applying handrails in areas which require frequent maintenance and inspection is a proven safety measure and will ensure personnel are far less likely to fall from a potentially life threatening height.
Handrail integrity is critical. Due to the rocky terrain and the 6,000 hours per year a machine such as the Caterpillar D10T would run, handrails inevitably begin to crack and have to be replaced as often as every 300 operational hours. This becomes extremely costly and inefficient when also considering the downtime required to repair or replace the handrails.
A significant risk to personnel safety also becomes present if the damaged handrails are not detected early enough, where simply leaning on the handrail could cause failure and result in a serious fall incident.
We received an enquiry from a valued client requesting we redesign the D10T bonnet handrails to be more robust and reduce cracking. Our above ground parts team went out to site, learned more about the issue, took down measurements and discussed possible solutions.
SOLUTION DEVELOPMENT
Drawing from Bend-tech’s in depth experience with manufacturing handrails, our team developed a robust set of handrails with design features addressing the ‘cracking’ problem. Features include:
- Specialised anti-vibration rubber mounting system to keep handrails rigid, while allowing flexibility to maintain strength in the welds.
- Rubber mounts clamp to further reduce vibration during operation.
- Custom designed to allow for removal and re-installation of the radiator header/water tank without handrail clashing.
- Available in two alternative designs: Fixed or a drop-in solution for temporary maintenance.
- Eliminates requirement for fall arrestor kits.
- OEM equivalent Hood/Bonnet also stocked.
We have received positive feedback from a number of sites, with a notable first failure recorded at 6000 hours, working out to be around 5-20x longer lasting than original handrails. Further adjustments have since been made to the design and we are expecting to see handrail lifetime extended further. This significant improvement in handrail integrity will ensure greater safety for personnel and prove to be a more efficient solution for those running D10T’s.
If you would like to learn more about our CAT D10T Bonnet Handrails, check out the video to the left or get in contact with our Above Ground Parts Team today!
