Fill the Loader Bucket
Poor Bucket Fill Factor (BFF) is generally an indicator that your loader operators are missing some critical skills and you are losing production – some thoughts from the field.
Overview
I mentioned in an earlier post that it is important to have a good match between loader bucket size and haul truck capacity. This all goes for naught if the loader operator can’t fill the bucket correctly i.e. they can’t achieve the expected BFF. There are good reasons why this is generally the case.
- Not digging square to the face
- Poor penetration into the face
Not digging square to the face
Not digging square to the face results in poor BFF. It is also VERY hard on the loader. It twists the loader frame, results in broken corner adapters on the bucket and causes unnecessary wear and tear on the machine.
There may be times it is necessary, but when you see it on a regular basis you should know that you are looking at an operator who is hard on the machine and doesn’t know what they are doing.
Poor penetration into the face
It is important to ensure good penetration at the toe (bottom) of the face. If this is not achieved, it is VERY difficult to get a full bucket.
The way to fill the bucket correctly is to approach the face squarely, the bucket just off the floor (so as not to unnecessarily wear the bottom of the bucket).
Once the bucket is firmly in the face, lift just enough to put more weight on the front wheels. Doing this helps to ensure less wheel spin and better penetration.
Now lock the lift lever back and curl the bucket through the face.
Give the bucket lever a quick flick to knock off any loose rocks so that they don’t drop on the floor where they can be inadvertently run over.
Action Item(s)
- Make sure wheel loader operators dig square (at right angles to) the face whenever possible.
- Ensure that the back of the bucket is filled through good initial penetration.
- Reduce tyre damage by flicking the bucket before leaving the face.
Summary
A video camera can be your best friend in helping to correct operators who need to improve their skills. Remember, the wheel loader operator can’t always judge how much is in the back of the bucket – taking a video of the operation and playing back to the operator will help.
Improved BFF results in less passes and better productivity – truly a case where less is more!