325 CAT Excavator with Rosin Wood Processor and Felling Head


The spiral hose has lasted 4 years in service, at 1000 hours operation time per year with an output of 150 tonne per day with no hose related interruption in production.

End Market Industry  
Forestry – Timber Harvesting Hardwood & Native Forest

Application 
325 CAT Excavator with attached Rosin wood processor and felling head. Harvesting wood, which involves cutting the tree, debarking and cutting to length.

Original Components 
Ryco H1216D branded 1” SAE 100R12 spiral wire reinforced hose; the main pressure line to the wood processor, which runs along the boom arm of the excavator.

AHYD-002
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Problem
The hose was lasting under 12 months; the failure mode was coupling to hose separation due to pressure spikes in the system and the continued hose twisting. The hose failure cost the company approximately 2 hours production downtime, which equated to a production output cost of $5,000 per hour, measured at a 15 tonne wood harvesting loss per hour. 200 litres of hydraulic oil was lost, and an hour call out fee was charged for replacement hose.

Solution Description
Due to the critical nature of the application, Gates recommended a 1” MegaSpiral® 16EFG5K hose with Global Spiral™ couplings. The 345 bar (5000 psi) hose has superior bend radius, flexibility and impulse service life; the assembly is designed and tested to 1 million impulse cycles at 133% of maximum working pressure (twice the SAE 100R12 minimum requirement).



Benefits of Gates Product

The selected Gates MegaSprial® hose can handle the working pressure and pressure spikes whilst bending and twisting under load. The Site Supervisor proudly stated “the hose has lasted 4 years in service, at 1000 hours operation time per year with an output of 150 tonne per day with no hose related interruption in production.”

Submitted by: Kent Clark


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