Spreader

Reliable electrification and automation solutions

Spreaders are discharge machines for bulk materials with extremely long discharge booms, two or three belt conveyors, crawler tracks, slewing and hoisting gear. The material is fed to the receiving belt of the spreader via a tripper car, which can be moved on rails or crawlers. With more than 60 years of experience in the industry, ABB has developed spreader solutions that ensure your material flows seamlessly and is dumped properly, improving productivity and reducing production costs.

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Our offering

Automation for efficiency

To provide ultimate control, a sensor is installed at the discharge boom to measure the discharge height. When the desired height is achieved, the crawler track of the spreader moves in a previously designed path to start a new dump site. The slewing gear of the spreader is confined by two reversal points on the left and right side, and once the operator specifies these points, all other changes of direction are carried out automatically. When the spreader moves, the tripper car automatically follows. An absolute value transmitter, installed on the tripper car, continuously displays the position of the shifting path. The control of the travel gear is used to always position the tripper car in the middle, taking into account the travelling speed of the two travel gears, the angle position between the receiving belt of the spreader and the tripper car, as well as the left or right hand side of the belt conveyor.

Power supply and electrification

Major mechanical and electrical installations impact the efficiency of a mine. Our engineers ensure that the right technologies and products are used to offer maximum energy savings. Based on decades of experience, we select the correct cable dimensions, and plan the layout for seemless commissioning. Our goal is to reduce your energy consumption, savings that will continue over the life of your plant.

Instrumentation

Machines operate in tough conditions, and require instrumentation solutions that are certified to international standards. ABB’s field-proven sensor technology meets those standards and is specifically designed to perform in harsh environments. Our highly accurate sensor technology provides exact measurement values, consistently delivering the right data to the operational system.

Cabin design


Our customized driver cabs can be found in mining machines all over the world. Our goal is to provide the operator with an ergonomic workplace to prevent tiredness and incorrect operations. The most up-to-date communication systems provide the operator with all important data.  
We offer air conditioning and heating, windscreen demisting and airborne dust blowers, screen wipers and washers, and fixed or movable ergonomic operator desks. Our philosophy is to install the respective computer technology separately from the operator station if possible, for operating convenience.

Motors and drive systems

A bucket chain excavator is a complex machine with many movable parts, including a boom that has to slew and raise, crawlers to move the excavator forward, and a bucket wheel that turns. All of these movements require motors and drives. Our experts ensure that both of these products are sized correctly to provide the power and control required for the application.

Fire warning, intercom and lighting concepts


With increasing emphasis on safety and environmental issues, large equipment needs more than just automation. That’s why ABB is offering energy efficient light concepts, as well as fire warning and firefighting systems, which can include all equipment (video, radio and speaker systems) on the machine.

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Automation solutions and electrical equipment for open-pit mining and bulk-material handling

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