A big date with the big machines

I work for a company which makes earthmovers. Being an engineer in the production line, we monitor as the machines get built, run them and test them for prescribed parameters. Whenever a trouble shoots up we jump into troubleshooting.

But be it an engineering industry or IT sector, the actual conditions where the product is put into use is something very different from for what it is tested for in production line. It has been a wish for me since I joined this mega engineering industry three years back to visit one such site to see the machine we built performing.

This wish came into reality when I was asked to lead a team to Northern Coal Fields Limited (NCL) ten days back.  I was excited, little troubled about facing the tough task taken the fact that Northern Coal fields was among the tough customers we had.

A brief about NCL. Northern Coalfields Limited is the subsidiary company of Coal India Limited. The coal supplies from NCL has resulted in 10k MW of electricity production through NTPC, UPRVUNL, and Renu power division.The region now is called power capital of India. It has ten projects spread over an area of 3202sq.km.

 We had recently supplied twenty two 100 tonner dump trucks with the introduction of several monitoring and improved performance features. There had been few serious issues from the customers. And we were expected to go and solve them.Two trains and two long days, we reached Singrauli, a small district that dwells on the border of MP & UP. In the last ten days, it was a tough  job to manage. I enjoyed my virgin experience among the tough conditions and soaring temperature.

I was proud to see the machines built by us performing in the fields. As our machines worked 20 hours a day in three shifts, the coal was being transported from mining site to the coal handling plant. And from there through conveyor belts, to the wagons carrying to different stations. Ultimately it reached power stations around India and lightened the streets, homes and lives of lacks touched by the entire process.

Here are some pictures that I am glad to share with you. That you too may want to see.. 

Seen are a Russian make Walking Dragline, BEML make 100 Tonne dumper and Dozer and CAT make shovel

Carrying coal to the handling plant

With 10 cubic metre bucket capacity

Inside the huge bucket

With the CAT grader model

As the big date with the big machines came to an end, I had an experience that gave me professional strength, knowledge and something good to share with you all…

Have a nice time around

Its Ash