Transport Frame Innovation Creates Reduced Lead Times for Industry Partners
MINPROVISE has proudly designed, engineered and manufactured hundreds of industry compliant transport frames to date, with 60% of these being customised to client-specific requirements. Now, having undertaken a review of the data and processes around these manufactures, the specialist products and services group have established an innovative approach to the design and manufacture of such frames, optimising lead times for the delivery of client assets and machinery to regional mine sites.
MINPROVISE were tasked by international partners to optimise the transport frame building process by developing a simple, modular design across the full range of transport frames. This innovation would allow the standardisation of the products key components, leading to quicker turn arounds for client deliveries to site and greater protection against damage in transit.
Due to our in-house engineering, design and fabrication capabilities, MINPROVISE were well positioned to deliver on this innovative simplification and build process, ensuring time efficiencies to future partners and clients through a standardised product.
The client requirements for this transport frame innovation included:
- The floating sub frame required to be supported by Anti-Vibration Mounts to protect equipment from damage in transit
- Lashing lugs were required to conform to AS4991 safety guidelines
- Base frames required to conform to AS4991 safety guidelines and be liftable from two diagonal lift points
- Required to conform to National Transport Commission guidelines for load restraints and chain of responsibility laws
- Full weather protection during transport to site, with easy lift-off roof system
- Oversized frames required to have underbody wind protection
THE NEW OPTIMISED DESIGN
The MINPROVISE design and engineering team worked tirelessly over a short project time-frame in order to research, brainstorm, design, engineer and test the new build. Sketches and ideas were scrutinised collaboratively in an intensive production setting, with a team of 8 meeting twice weekly to keep the innovation process and build on track. Most of the early sketches created by the team were then brought to life through engineering and manufacture processes, with several design tweaks required to perfect the parts throughout the build.
The sub frame mounting was re-designed to allow flexible in-house adjustments to suit variable drives or motors at short notice. By standardising these key components, the design and engineer team have reduced the need for continual changes to the design and engineer elements of the transport frames, ultimately shortening lead times. The tubular outer housing for transport protection has been designed to lift off in one simple motion, complete with the PVC cover.
IMPROVED PERFORMANCE & LEAD TIMES
- The innovation means 7 of MINPROVISE’s standard frames with their modularised parts now allow the team to manufacture and stock key items “Ready to go” without having to engineer new designs with each tailored order
- This has already proven to shorten partners lead times by a documented 5+ days
- These simplifications in design are passed on to clients through savings – through a more flexible and cost-efficient pricing matrix and 15% reduction in production costs
- Client feedback was overwhelmingly positive and excited for the new design’s future utilisation