Chassis Crack Mapping
Every Crack Has a Story. Capture It. Track It. Learn From It.
Structural cracks in mining equipment need to be found early, monitored and repaired before they become a bigger and more costly problem. Regular structural inspections are therefore an important part of keeping haul trucks and other large mining equipment safe and reliable.
The problem is that many chassis crack inspections are still recorded using paper forms, spreadsheets, photographs and separate PDF reports. The cracks may have been found and recorded, but it can be difficult to see what has changed since the last inspection, whether a repair has worked, or whether the same cracks are appearing on other machines.
TrackTreads Chassis Crack Mapping software digitises the complete structural inspection process. Every crack is mapped to its location on the machine and recorded with its size, severity, photographs, comments, inspection history and repairs.
Over time, this creates a complete structural history for each machine. Maintenance and reliability teams can see where cracks are occurring, whether they are getting worse, which repairs have been successful, and whether the same structural problems are developing across the fleet.
The Problem We Are Solving
Finding a crack is only the first step. The bigger challenge is keeping an accurate record of that crack, monitoring what happens to it over time and using that information to make better maintenance decisions.
Traditional mining equipment crack inspections often rely on a mixture of paper inspection sheets, photographs, hand-drawn diagrams, spreadsheets and PDF reports. This may work for an individual inspection, but it becomes increasingly difficult to manage as the number of machines and inspections grows.
Crack Information is Scattered
Information from the same structural inspection can end up in several different places:
- Paper inspection sheets
- Photographs stored in different folders
- Hand-drawn crack diagrams
- Spreadsheets
- PDF inspection reports
- Individual inspector records
Finding the complete history of a crack can mean searching through several years of reports, photographs and files.
Undercarriage Component Wear Material measurement methods
Finding the complete history of a crack can mean searching through several years of reports, photographs and files.
Difficult to Track Crack Growth
Once a structural crack has been identified, the important questions are:
- Is the crack getting longer?
- How quickly is it growing?
- Has it been repaired before?
- Has the repair been successful?
- Has the crack returned?
- When does it need attention again?
Without a consistent crack history, answering these questions can be difficult.
Different Inspectors Record Cracks Differently
One inspector may describe and measure a crack differently from another.
Differences can include:
- How the crack location is described
- How the crack is measured
- How photographs are taken
- How severity is assessed
- How the repair priority is determined
This makes it difficult to compare one chassis inspection with the next, particularly when different inspectors or contractors are involved.
Reporting Takes Too Much Time
After completing the inspection, somebody still has to turn the information into a usable report.
This can involve:
- Finding and downloading the correct photographs
- Preparing Word documents or PowerPoint presentations
- Drawing crack locations onto diagrams
- Adding measurements and comments
- Reviewing previous inspection reports
- Preparing and sending the final report
This is time that could be better spent inspecting equipment, reviewing the results and planning the required repairs.
The problem is not that mining companies aren’t inspecting for cracks. The problem is that the information collected from those inspections is difficult to manage, compare and use over the life of the machine.
No Clear View Across the Fleet
Individual inspection reports tell you what was found on one machine. They don’t easily tell you what is happening across the fleet.
Maintenance and reliability teams need to be able to quickly see:
- Which trucks have the most structural cracking?
- Which trucks need attention first?
- Where on the chassis are cracks occurring most often?
- Are the same structural areas failing on multiple trucks?
- Which repairs are working?
- Which cracks keep coming back?
This becomes particularly important when managing a large fleet of mining haul trucks.
Historical Information is Difficult to Retrieve
When a crack is found, the first question is often: Has this happened before?
Answering that can mean finding previous structural inspection reports, searching through photographs and checking maintenance records to determine what repair was previously completed.
Important information may exist, but finding it when it is needed can take considerable time.
Digital Crack Inspections
Record Exactly where the crack is located
Finding a crack is one thing. Being able to find the same crack at the next inspection is just as important.
TrackTreads uses detailed images of the machine and its structure to guide the inspector to the correct component and location. Each crack is then recorded against that position, creating a consistent record that can be followed from one inspection to the next.
For every crack the inspector can record:
- Location – machine, component and exact position
- Crack length – measured length of the crack
- Severity – how serious the crack is
- Status – for example, repaired or unrepaired
- Images – photographs showing the crack and surrounding area
- Comments – additional information about the crack or required repair
- Flags – to identify cracks requiring attention
- Date and machine hours – showing when in the machine’s life the crack was identified
The inspection is completed directly at the machine using an Apple or Android mobile device. The inspector records the information once, and it becomes part of the permanent structural history of that machine.
You don’t just record that a crack exists. You record exactly where it is so the next person can find it again.
Crack History
Every Inspection Builds on the Previous One
A crack inspection is much more useful when you can easily compare it with what was found before.
Every TrackTreads inspection becomes part of the permanent structural history of the machine. When the next inspection is carried out, the inspector and maintenance team can see what was previously found, what has changed and what repairs have been completed.
For each machine they can quickly review:
- Previous inspections
- Historical photographs
- Crack growth and progression
- Repair history
- Engineering comments
- Maintenance actions
- Outstanding cracks and defects
This makes it much easier to answer the questions that matter:
- Is this a new crack?
- Was it there at the last inspection?
- Has it grown and, if so, how quickly?
- Has it been repaired before?
- Has the crack returned after repair?
- Is the repair holding?
- How long has the crack been there?
- Does it need attention now or can it continue to be monitored?
Instead of searching through old inspection reports, photographs and maintenance records, the history is available against the machine and the crack being inspected.
You are no longer looking at a single crack inspection. You are looking at the history of that crack over the life of the machine.
Chassis Heat Maps
See where your Fleet is Cracking
Undercarriage Component Wear Material measurement methods
Once crack inspections are collected digitally, TrackTreads can bring the results together and show where cracks are occurring across a machine model or an entire fleet.
Chassis Heat Maps highlight the areas where cracking is occurring most often. Instead of working through hundreds of individual inspection reports, maintenance and reliability teams can quickly see where the problems are.
The information can be viewed across the fleet or filtered down to a particular machine, model or period of time.
This helps answer important questions such as:
- Where are most of the cracks occurring?
- Are the same areas cracking on several machines?
- Is one truck cracking more than the others?
- Are particular areas of the chassis becoming a problem?
- Are cracks occurring again after repair?
- Are some machines performing better than others?
- Is the cracking getting better or worse over time?
Find the Problems That Keep Coming Back
One crack on one truck may simply be an isolated problem.
The same crack appearing in the same location on several trucks tells you something much more important.
By combining structural crack inspection data across the fleet, TrackTreads makes these patterns easier to identify. Maintenance and engineering teams can then investigate why the cracking is occurring and decide whether changes are needed to the repair method, inspection frequency or maintenance strategy.
Instead of looking at one crack at a time, you can see where the fleet is cracking and concentrate attention on the areas causing the most problems.
Fleet Management
Know Which Machines Need Attention
When you are managing a large fleet, you don’t want to open every inspection report to find out which machines have structural problems.
TrackTreads brings the latest chassis crack inspection results together so maintenance and reliability teams can quickly see the condition of the fleet and identify the machines that need attention.
The fleet view can show:
Machines with unfixed cracks
High-severity cracks
New and growing cracks
Cracks requiring repair
Outstanding maintenance actions
Recurring cracks
Inspections that are overdue
When each machine was last inspected
From the fleet view, the user can drill down into an individual machine to see where the cracks are located, photographs, measurements, previous inspections and repair history.
See the Bigger Picture
The TrackTreads Fleet Crack View brings the inspection results from all machines together in one place.
Maintenance and reliability teams can compare machines and see:
- Number of cracks by machine
- Total crack length
- Recracks
- Changes from month to month
- Cracking by structural area
- Individual machines performing differently from the rest of the fleet
Each machine can be expanded to show where the cracking is occurring on the structure. This makes it possible to move from the overall fleet, to a particular truck, and then down to the structural area causing the problem.
Results can be reviewed over different time periods and exported to Excel for further analysis.
Instead of opening individual inspection reports one at a time, you can see what is happening across the fleet from one screen.
Close the Loop – From Inspection to Repair
Finding the crack is only the start. The next step is making sure the people carrying out the repair know exactly what needs to be done.
TrackTreads takes the information collected during the structural inspection and produces a detailed repair request for the workshop.
The repair request can include:
- Work Order Number
- Location of each crack on the structure
- Crack register
- Crack length and repair status
- Photographs of each crack
- Inspector recommendations
- Engineering requirements
- Inspection and Test Plan
- Welding procedures and repair instructions
- Quality and inspection requirements
The welder therefore receives more than a list of cracks. They can see where each crack is located, what it looks like and the repair procedure that needs to be followed.
From Repair Back to the Next Inspection
Once the work is completed, the repair becomes part of the machine’s structural history.
At the next inspection, the inspector can see which areas have previously been repaired and check whether those repairs are still holding.
If a crack appears again in the same location, it can be recorded as a recrack. Over time, this allows the maintenance and reliability team to see which repairs are lasting and which structural areas continue to cause problems.
TrackTreads connects the inspection, Work Order, repair instructions, welder and follow-up inspection in one continuous process.
Reporting & Power BI
Turn Inspection Data Into Useful Information
Different people need different information from a structural inspection.
The welder needs to know what has to be repaired. The reliability engineer needs to understand what is happening to the machine. Management needs to see what is happening across the fleet.
TrackTreads uses the same inspection data to provide each of these views.
Inspection Reports
A detailed inspection report can be produced as soon as the inspection has been completed.
The report provides a clear record of:
- Cracks and structural defects identified
- Location of each crack
- Crack measurements and severity
- Photographs
- Inspector comments
- Recommended maintenance actions
- Previous repairs and recracks
- Outstanding defects
The report becomes part of the permanent structural history of the machine and can be shared with maintenance, reliability and engineering teams.
Fleet Reporting
TrackTreads brings the results from individual inspections together so the condition of the entire fleet can be reviewed.
Reports and dashboards can be used to compare:
- Machines
- Equipment models
- Crack numbers
- Total crack length
- Recracks
- Structural locations
- Inspection periods
- Repair history
Results can be filtered to investigate a particular machine or problem and exported to Excel where further analysis is required.
Power BI Analysis
TrackTreads can also present structural inspection data through Power BI, giving management and reliability teams a higher-level view of what is happening across the fleet.
This makes it easier to identify:
- Crack trends over time
- Machines performing differently from the rest of the fleet
- Recurring structural problems
- Repair performance
- Inspection compliance
- Changes in the overall structural condition of the fleet
From One Inspection to the Whole Fleet
One inspection tells you what is happening on one machine today.
As hundreds of inspections are collected, the same information can show where problems are repeatedly occurring across a machine model or the entire fleet.
Combined with the Chassis Heat Maps, this information can help engineering and reliability teams investigate recurring failures, review repair methods, improve inspection programs and identify structural areas that may require closer attention.
The inspection report tells you what was found. Fleet reporting shows you what is happening.
Equipment Applications
Structural Crack Mapping Across Mining Equipment
Structural cracking is not limited to haul truck chassis. TrackTreads can be configured to inspect and manage cracking across a wide range of large mining equipment.
Detailed machine and component images guide the inspector through the structure and allow cracks to be recorded against the correct component and location.
TrackTreads Chassis Crack Mapping can be used for:
Off-Highway Haul Trucks
Structural inspections can cover the truck chassis and other major structural components, with each inspection location clearly identified so cracks can be monitored throughout the life of the truck.
Electric Rope Shovels
Large electric rope shovels contain many highly loaded structural components that require regular crack inspection.
TrackTreads can map inspections across areas such as the:
- Main frame
- Boom
- Handle / crowd structure
- Dipper
- Carbody and crawler structures
- Other nominated structural inspection areas
Each major structure can then be broken down into smaller inspection areas so the exact location of a crack can be recorded and found again.
Hydraulic Mining Shovels & Excavators
Structural crack inspections can be configured around the major structures of large hydraulic excavators and mining shovels, including:
- Main frame
- Carbody
- Boom
- Stick
- Bucket
- Track frames
Large Mining Dozers
TrackTreads can also be used to manage structural inspections on large mining dozers, including nominated areas of the:
- Main frame
- Track frames
- Equalizer bar and mounting areas
- Blade and push-arm structures
- Ripper structures
Configure the Inspection Around the Machine
Different machines have different structures and different areas that need to be inspected.
TrackTreads allows the inspection to be built around the actual machine. Detailed images identify the major components and inspection areas, giving inspectors a consistent process to follow every time the machine is inspected.
Whether it is a haul truck, electric rope shovel, hydraulic excavator or dozer, the principle is the same: identify the structure, record exactly where the crack is located, and build its history over time.
Why TrackTreads
Finding the Crack is Only the Start
Finding a crack tells you there is a problem today.
Managing that crack means knowing exactly where it is, whether it is growing, what repairs have been completed, whether those repairs are holding and whether the same problem is occurring on other machines.
TrackTreads brings the complete process together:
- Mobile structural inspections
- One standard inspection process
- Cracks mapped to their exact location
- Images, measurements, severity and comments
- Complete crack and machine history
- Repair Requests and detailed welding instructions
- Repair and recrack history
- Fleet dashboards
- Chassis Heat Maps
- Power BI reporting and analysis
The information collected during each inspection is not lost in another report. It stays with the machine and becomes more useful as the history grows.
TrackTreads Gives You the Tools to Manage Your Cracks
From the inspector finding the crack through to the welder repairing it, and then checking that repair at the next inspection, TrackTreads keeps the complete history together.
Capture it. Track it. Repair it. Learn from it.
Talk to TrackTreads about managing structural cracks across your mining fleet.
Proven on Large Mining Equipment
TrackTreads Chassis Crack Mapping is already being used to manage structural inspections on large mining equipment, including Caterpillar 793 and 797 haul trucks. The system has been developed around the practical requirements of people inspecting, maintaining and repairing mining equipment—not simply around producing an inspection report. The same approach can be applied across off-highway haul trucks, electric rope shovels, hydraulic mining shovels and excavators, dozers and other large mining equipment.
Fleet-Wide Analysis
One crack tells you where one machine has a problem. Its history tells you whether that problem is getting worse. Its repair history tells you whether the repair worked. And when the same information is collected across the fleet, you can see whether the same problems are occurring on other machines. That is the difference between recording cracks and managing them.
Proactive Maintenance
Detect and address cracks before they become critical, reducing unplanned downtime and maintenance costs. With this module, transform crack monitoring from a manual, time-consuming process into a streamlined, data-driven operation