The analysis of failure of driving reducer for bucket wheel excavator digging subsystem

Abstract

Bucket wheel excavators for continuous exploitation belong to the modern, complex and expensive production systems, manufactured in small series or individually for certain operating environment. During exploitation of bucket wheel excavators, as an effect of variable amplitude loading induced by working conditions and their own low-frequency oscillations, unpredictable failures (damages and fractures) of main parts and assemblies may occur. In this paper, the methodological approach to the analysis of failure of the digging subsystem has been presented with particular attention turned to the driving reducer for bucket wheel. The possibility of application of experimental methods in an analysis of condition of the main parts and assemblies in exploitation and failure analysis has been presented, together with the possibility of application of the methods in failure analysis from the point of view of evaluation of the system reliability (FTA method – Fault-Tree Analysis, FMEA method – Failure Mode and Effects Analysis). The measures for prevention of damages and fractures of the main parts and assemblies of the driving reducer have also been presented.