Tread field commissioning puts a Tread service tech on-site with your crew for your unit’s first blast | verifying, calibrating, and training on the unit they’ll run every day
If you ask a blaster what their day usually looks like, there is a good chance it will sound something like this… On a recent commissioning trip for Buckley Powder in the Midwest region of the US, the crew was rolling at around 3:30 a.m. for a three-hour-plus drive to the pit. Once finally on-site, layout/blast prep, pumping, stemming, wiring, and shooting can take another four to six hours of work, wrapped up around what most people might call lunchtime. On this trip the crew did this for three separate blasts, three days in a row. At roughly 50 holes with five-to-six-inch diameter for each job, and a loading rate around 350 to 400+ pounds per minute.
That’s a grueling schedule stacked on top of an already labor-intensive job. The last thing that crew needs is a question mark hanging over their new truck, adding confusion and potential slowdowns to the job while they try to get used to their new unit.
That’s what commissioning is for.
Verification: proving the systems from the start.
When Tread Field Service commissions a unit in the field, we’re not walking around it with a clipboard; we are on the bench putting the truck through its paces.
Our techs verify all hydraulic pressures and operations to confirm smooth and accurate operation. While every unit at Tread is wet tested at the plant prior to shipping and signed off, adding commissioning by our qualified field service techs helps guarantee correct operations for the diverse, application specific needs of our customers.
Calibration: accuracy you can bill against
We also perform calibrations of components, so product delivery is consistent, and your product usage numbers are accurate. On a re-pumper like Buckley’s 2614 Unibody, that means pumping straight emulsion or pre-blended product, no on-board gassing or mixing systems.
Training: a confident operator on day one
One of the most valuable aspects of commissioning a new unit isn’t actually about the unit itself, but the people operating it. While we’re on site, our technicians train the operators who will be using the new unit day-in and day-out.
That matters more when the controls are working with the operator instead of against them. The Buckley unit runs Tread’s Spartan control system. Intuitively designed, closed-loop control that monitors delivery by the millisecond, company-set formulas, cloud connectivity, remote diagnostics, and the same standardized hardware we use across the rest of the AXIOM Control family. Simple to train on, simple to maintain. And if the operation later needs full datalogging, Spartan steps up to AXIOM as a software update. No new hardware or complicated install needed.
Pair an intuitive control system with a tech standing beside your operator on the first day, and the training period gets short. Nothing beats a confident operator.
The name of the game is continuous operation
While we ran some quick delivery rates out of the gate (350 to 400+ lbs/min), being the fastest is not our main goal. Instead, Tread’s focus is on the long game. Providing equipment that runs from the time you start it up to the time you shut it down, every day of the shot. For a few hours up front, commissioning helps set your unit up for that long, dependable life on the bench. And it’s why we recommend it for every new unit.
Because a customer who’s successful with Tread equipment, is the most important metric of success for Tread.
More than just bulk trucks | A Tread partnership provides all other explosives handling equipment and support for your operational needs.
– Storage solutions like bins, drive-thru silos, and portable magazines.
– Production plants/modules for on-site explosive product manufacturing.
– Replacement parts to keep your Tread equipment operating for decades.
– Global on-site product support gives Tread the ability to support you from anywhere in the globe, both digitally and in person, to help keep your equipment running as effectively as possible.
Want a Tread tech on site for your next unit delivery? Get in touch with one of our experts today by calling 540-982-6881 ext. 252, or emailing us at info@treadcorp.com
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