Customer Product Insight – Mainetec Buckets
In 2018, Mainetec approached White Industries to supply a new range of excavator bucket components. When this new high performance Hulk bucket was being designed, Mainetec specified high integrity, high performance materials. Their material consultant pointed them towards White Industries for the supply of the cast components.
Mainetec needed three types of casting with two of each per bucket; the Torque Tube, the Upper Gutter and the Lower Gutter. Each casting presented its own challenge, from the design of the patterns and core boxes, the foundry methoding to produce sound castings to meet the most stringent ultrasonic requirements, the method of moulding and casting, as well as the processing through heat treatment and aftercast cleaning and fettling.
White Industries has many years of experience in producing high integrity steel castings using our Clean Steel technology. In order to meet Mainetec’s material specification, White Industries had to make further improvements to our Clean Steel technology, resulting in a product that meets and exceeds the material requirements as well as meeting the highest level of casting integrity.
Production of the cast Torque Tubes and Gutters began in 2019, with extensive ultrasonic testing confirmed compliance with Mainetec’s high standards. Production capacity was ramped up to ensure White Industries could produce enough castings to keep Mainetec stocked, as the finished buckets have proven extremely popular in the market, and have lived up to Mainetec’s design brief of more efficient processing for their customers.
White Industries enjoys working with pro-active, inventive customers, where we can collaboratively work together to develop and produce the best casting.