From one bucket a month to 200: The people behind Barracuda’s evolution Every product tells a story. Sometimes it’s a story about engineering, and sometimes it’s about innovation, but more often than not, it’s about people. As Schlam prepares to deliver its 200th Barracuda mining bucket, it’s a moment to reflect on far more than a … Read more
Productivity, cost and maintenance benefits associated with fleet standardisation applies equally to load and haul attachments as well as the machines that use them. The key is to analyse the opportunity on a total ownership cost basis. With one customer, this analysis supported the change over of their entire hydraulic mining shovel fleet to Barracuda … Read more
It’s now been one year since we started to apply Lean Manufacturing principles in our production line and we’re certainly seeing benefits for our people and customers. As part of the Schlam Future-Ready Manufacturing program, Lean philosophy and disciplines are helping to identify ways to make our production line safer, more efficient and agile. The … Read more
Standardisation has its place in mining. It simplifies maintenance, improves consistency and can reduce complexity across large operations. But when it comes to truck beds, standardisation can become the enemy of productivity. Every mining operation is different. Material properties vary, fleet configurations change and production priorities evolve. Increasingly, new technologies such as autonomous haulage systems, and … Read more
Australian mining has a global reputation for being tough. Remote operations, abrasive materials and relentless production demands have pushed mining equipment to its limits for decades. For Schlam, decades working alongside some of the world’s most demanding mining operations hasn’t just shaped our products, it’s shaped how we think about payload, performance, and what actually … Read more
It’s only natural to want to start getting the benefits of new equipment as soon as you’ve made the decision to invest. But if the delivery of essential parts is delayed, it can create an opportunity for some very creative solutions. When an American miner changed suppliers for ground engaging tools (GET) for their DA3 … Read more
In heavy engineering, creativity is not usually the first trait people think of. The industry is often viewed through a purely practical lens where performance, reliability and durability matter most. But innovative engineering has always depended on people willing to think differently. At Schlam, that mindset is embedded in how we approach design. Rather than … Read more