5 Benefits of Running an Effective Mobile Asset Health Programme


<strong>5 Benefits of Running an Effective Mobile Asset Health Programme</strong>

5 Benefits of Running an Effective Mobile Asset Health Programme

Large, costly, mobile equipment used by mines are subject to wear and tear as well as operational abuse. Managing the health of these expensive assets is essential to ensure productivity is optimal and costs are managed.

An asset health programme is a proactive approach to managing and maintaining these mobile assets. It includes regular inspections, maintenance and repair, and is aided by the use of appropriate supporting technologies and processes. An effective asset health programme aims to enhance the asset’s performance and extend its lifespan.

Reliability Approach to Asset Management (Global Mining Guidelines Group)

Whilst implementing and sustaining an effective asset health programme can be challenging, it is crucial to guarantee the asset’s safe and efficient operation.

In this blog, we will discuss five benefits of running an effective asset health program in mobile mining.

1. Improved Safety

A key benefit of a good asset health program is the improved safety for workers as well as equipment. Regular inspections and maintenance activities help prevent unforeseen incidents occurring during operation. Something as simple as an oil leak can lead to a catastrophic fire – this could potentially be avoided with the right health programmes in place.

2. Increased Equipment Uptime

Even the smallest of stoppages has a huge impact on mine productivity and efficiency (think of the impact of a single excavator going down for an hour on truck productivity). An effective asset health programme helps proactively detect and address potential issues before they become a more major problem.

Consolidating these maintenance interventions with existing planned stoppages, where possible, can lead to fewer overall disruptions to the mining activities, ultimately resulting in higher production and efficiency.

3. Reduced Maintenance Costs

An asset health program can also significantly reduce costs associated with equipment operation. Scheduled maintenance activities can help extend the life of expensive components and reduce the need for costly repairs or replacements. The effective use of technology can also result in significant cost savings for mining operations, particularly in the long run, such as the use of sensors to monitor equipment, which minimises the need for manual inspections.

Proactively managing component rebuilds allows sites to minimise the chance of failure, control how it is rebuilt to maximise component life while balancing associated costs. This is illustrated quite well in the Cat® Repair Options Before Failure video.

4. Improved Enhanced Equipment Performance

By proactively maintaining and repairing equipment, mines can help prevent wear and tear that can lead to early equipment failure. Not only does this lead to higher productivity and better resource extraction, and therefore increased profits, but also helps reduce the need for costly equipment replacements.

With proactive asset management it is also possible to identify assets that may be performing sub-optimally potentially slowing down the overall fleet. The below example from Haul Road Explorer usage at one site illustrates how a single truck caused the out of pit haul to be extremely slow for all as it derated due to a simple air filter restriction.

Haul Road Explorer helps identify a single truck that derated and caused out of pit haul to be extremely slow

5. Better Environmental Stewardship

Implementing an asset health program can also contribute towards reducing emissions and fuel consumption, thereby minimising the environmental impact of equipment and machinery in mobile mining operations. This can help mines reduce their carbon footprint, and improve the overall sustainability of the industry.


An effective asset health management program contributes towards increased safety, efficiency, profitability and sustainability of mining operations. As mines across the globe strive to become leaner and more innovative, we recommend establishing an asset health program, if you don’t have one already.

If you have any comments or would like to know more about how we could help your mining digital transformation, drop us a line at [email protected].

Author: Joe Atkinson