Daily tap hole replacement maintenance time has been slashed dramatically at the Maanshan Iron & Steel Co. Ltd. No. 3 steel making plant in the People's Republic of China. The Model XL 4210 industrial maintenance machine by Gradall improved productivity levels in three 80 metric ton Basic Oxygen Furnaces (BOF) at the plant. Drilling out the brick tap holes quickly is vitally important to maintaining a high level of production. The 2200° F (1200° C) working temperatures inside the furnaces must be restored after the process, and the longer it takes to replace the tap holes, the more the temperature will drop. Since 1993, a Gradall Model 660E had been found to be ideal for the job, using the telescoping, tilting boom to drill out bricks to form tap holes in 8 to 20 minutes. That maintenance time has now been reduced to about 2 minutes with the quick and powerful Model XL 4210.

Gradall Versatility Advantages

The Gradall Model XL 4210 has the advantage of 360° boom tilt, enabling it to achieve greater productivity from rugged attachments like the Rammer™ hydraulic hammer and drilling bit used in the tap hole replacement. The attachment rotation and impact functions can be applied simultaneously or separately, delivering greater efficiency and stable performance. The Model XL 4210 is specially built to withstand the vibration and heat associated with BOF maintenance. As part of the designed-in durability of the machine, for example, the boom tilt motor is located at the rear of the boom - away from the boom-end attachment where it could become damaged. The telescoping boom action also permits the machine to reach out and perform hard work in tight spaces, where there isn't much overhead room. Mr. Zhas Fanghui, who had performed the work with the Model 660E in the plant for seven years, was impressed right from the start with the performance of the new Model XL 4210. "This is an excellent machine," he said.