The innovative loading design of the Terra Blade provides extensive productivity and efficiency benefits to an operation. Terra Blade has an increased capacity in comparison to conventional blades. This design reduces load time, fuel consumption and wear and tear on drive components. Terra Blade can penetrate very hard material without ripping, producing opportunities for reduced blasting onsite. Terra Blade design penetrates the ground and the dirt flows away from the center leaving the forward cutting edge free to dig and load the blade to capacity. This unique design dramatically reduces the amount of ripping required, improving wear resistance and increasing fuel efficiency.
Key Benefits
-Increased fuel efficiency per m3 material displaced
-Shorter cycle times
-Reduced stress on the dozer components
Terra Blade has an increased capacity in comparison to conventional blades. This design reduces loadtime, fuel consumption and wear and tear on drive components. Terra Blade can penetrate very hard
material without ripping, producing opportunities for reduced blasting onsite.
The center section of the Terra Blade penetrates the ground and the dirt flows away from the center leaving the forward cutting edge free to dig and load the blade to capacity. This unique design dramatically reduces the amount of ripping required, improving wear resistance and increasing fuel efficiency. Terra blade yields on average production gains of over 38%.
TB UB
Efficiency in dozer production due to blade design was investigated using two methods: computational modeling (numerical), and; on-site measurements (experimental). Two blades were compared: Terra Blade (TB), and; the conventional Caterpillar U Blade (UB). The TB was developed as a design alternative to conventional blade designs, claiming to offer improved ground engagement characteristics and pushing/carrying capacity. On-site trials and measurement were conducted at a mine site, the conclusions of the investigation were:Discrete element modeling and on-site measurement results indicated that the TB performed with up to 30% improved efficiency than the UB by measure of Work Mass Ratio (WMR).
The conclusions of the blade trials were as follows:
1. Comparison of the average WMR ratios deemed the TB had performed on average 32% better than the UB during the trials.
2. The mean force in X (in the direction of push) for TB was lower than the UB
3. BCM volumes for TB were larger than the UB. This indicated the TB had excavated a larger amount of bank material. The TB also excavated a larger LCM volume than the UB.
4. Observations of blade capacities were noted on site to be greater for the TB than the UB.
5. TB exhibited less torque spikes in data trends than the UB.
