1. MAJOR BREAKDOWN PREVENTED

A Komatsu PC3000-6 hydraulic excavator operating at a gold mining site began showing abnormal fluctuations in hydraulic oil temperature over several days.

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2. CAUGHT EARLY

SmartFleet^DX's Health Monitoring Team identified the anomaly by analysing unusual spikes and drops in hydraulic oil temperature through SmartFleet^DX Insights' advanced trend dashboards.

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3. NEXT STEP

To pinpoint the root cause, the client was guided to conduct a series of diagnostic tests addressing potential sources of the hydraulic temperature issue:

• Step 1: A damaged hydraulic temperature sensor was identified

• Step 2: Subsequent testing of the fan motor’s rotational speed revealed underperformance due to a faulty hydraulic motor.

• Step 3: During the investigation, technicians discovered an unrelated issue with the engine output coupling, which was also addressed as part of the same inspection.

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4. SOLUTION

The following corrective actions were taken to resolve the identified issues:

1. The damaged hydraulic temperature sensor was replaced, restoring accurate temperature monitoring.

2. The defective fan motor was replaced, and the oil cooler was thoroughly cleaned to optimise cooling efficiency.

3. The engine output coupling was replaced to prevent future complications and major breakdown.

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5. END RESULT

The seamless integration of SmartFleet^DX Insights’ proactive digital issue detection and the technician’s thorough physical diagnostics was key to resolving the problem.

This collaboration highlights the critical role of digital data in identifying potential issues early. Without the advanced monitoring of temperature trends, the issue could have escalated into a more severe breakdown. This approach minimised downtime, reduced repair costs, and ensured the equipment’s swift return to peak performance, safeguarding operational efficiency and reliability.

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