dedicated piece of sanding equipment, increasing efficiency throughout their operation and providing a fast return on investment. STEMMING LOST PRODUCTIVITY Stemming is another time-consuming task where the right attachment can revolutionize productivity and increase rear-eject versatility. Like haul road maintenance, many operations rely on side-dump buckets or loaders to fill blastholes after the explosives are packed in the bottom. Using a single 3-ton loader, operators might only be able to fill two holes per load before traveling back to aggregate piles. Depending on how close the stockpile is, this can result in cycle times of 15 min-utes or more. With each blast averaging 100 or more holes, stemming could take several hours to several days and from two to four crew members, creating a significant drain on productivity. Using the rear-eject body, producers can transport large amounts of stemming material – up to 60 tons, depending on the truck’s capacity – to the individual blastholes. The stemming attachment’s arm is then positioned over the hole to precisely deposit material. The ejector blade pushes material to a cross auger, which loads the stemming arm. The ejector blade speed, in-cab controls, stemming conveyor and operator con-trols at the stemming arm all precisely control the flow of stemming material for even distribution. Producers running a rear-eject body with a stemming attachment on a 40-ton articulated truck have been able to stream-line the process and increase efficiency 200 percent, reducing cycle times to just 7 minutes per blasthole. When stemming is complete, the attachment can easily be removed, and the rear-eject body can be rerouted for other hauling and dumping applications. MULTIPLYING OPPORTUNITIES Support equipment might not be doing the pitandquarry.com heavy lifting when it comes to aggregate operations, but there’s no denying the role these machines play in overall efficiency. With the right attachments, rear-eject bodies are capable of a few more tricks than just haul road maintenance. Their versatility offers producers an opportunity to streamline small-scale hauling operations with a single piece of equipment for increased productivity and long-term success. P & Q Josh Swank is vice president of sales and marketing at Philippi-Hagenbuch. Consistent high-grade materials handle the most demanding rock conditions. Count on Unified. 14 locations across the U.S. Family-owned and operated for 150 years. ★ Extended wear life ★ Meet OEM specifications ★ Largest inventory in the U.S. www.unifiedscreening.com February 2021 PIT&QUARRY 31
Pit & Quarry February 2021: Page 31
