Innovation at Bradken's Core

Building on 100 years of manufacturing expertise, Bradken is embracing continuous improvement and taking a new approach to support their customers in adopting innovative digital mining solutions. From its traditional manufacturing origins, to today’s diversified brand, the transformation continues to support the evolution of the mining industry.  

Bradken has built its name in the design, engineering and manufacture of a range of steel plant, industrial and rail equipment and boasts a global network of sales and service centres, foundries and manufacturing sites.

Over time, Bradken has found a calling in the mining industry for quality ground engaging tools, undercarriage systems and buckets, along with mineral processing and fixed plant wear solutions.

The shift in mining practices has changed the way the company operates and there is an increased focus on providing innovative digital solutions to meet service solutions for customers.

Sean Winstone, Bradken’s CEO reflected on this change, “It goes without saying that the future is becoming more digitally orientated and Bradken will be able to offer customers a superior service and experience via digitised solutions at every touchpoint.

“Matching our history of working with customers to understand what they need and value with technology solutions is key to Bradken’s future”.

“Reinforcing this digital solution focus even further, we have established a new Marketing and Technology business unit, led by mechatronics engineer and Bradken stalwart Mark Hurley.”

The Marketing and Technology business unit incorporates our dedicated Research and Development team, IT team, along with Marketing and Market Analyses teams. These teams will collaborate and expand to meet the growing industry demands and foster innovative approaches that support the development of digital technology services for Bradken’s products and customers.

Mark noted, “that supporting customers through their own digital evolutions was at the heart of his team’s vision and Bradken’s future.

“Bradken is proud of the 100 years of manufacturing history and of the customers we continue to serve. Their needs are changing and we are committed to joining them on that journey to deliver innovation through digital product and service solutions, which improve site safety and sustainability, while lowering total costs of ownership .”

These innovations include the integral technologies of condition and performance monitoring for mineral processing, mobile and fixed plant equipment, along with enhancing customer experiences with digital support.

These solutions support Bradken’s future growth and take us from being a niche manufacturer into a technology and service provider for our customers, supporting them with safety, maintenance and productivity solutions.

The range of digital technology solutions being produced presents a range of benefits for Bradken and its customers. Customers will have the ability to remotely monitor the wear condition of their G.E.T., undercarriages, and mill liners, for example, and forecast the remaining life on the products to allow scheduled maintenance to be planned more efficiently.

This solution also provides safety benefits by removing people from equipment onsite for condition monitoring purposes throughout high production periods.

Further into the technology space, we have developed an online condition monitoring dashboard and reporting solution which collects and displays equipment data for assessment.

This encompasses a range of product specific modules, as well as a cloud-level software reporting suite.

This innovation is the kind of thing no one expected of Bradken 10 years ago, but is fast becoming a reality as we transform to connect with the future of mining.

A key focus for Bradken moving forward is the concept of interoperability, and open-architecture design on this monitoring software. Bradken has collaborated with customers to determine requirements from a cybersecurity, architecture and documentation perspective.

Reece Attwood, Bradken’s Research & Development Manager has noted, “We’ve really listened to our Customer’s feedback and implemented it so the end product suits their operations and solves their problems, our technology solutions will also be ideal for future customers.”

But to transition from manufacturer to a broader service provider doesn’t happen overnight.

To ensure Bradken accommodates rapid technological adoption, the teams have integrated new roles, skill sets and specialists. Of course, COVID-19 has accelerated this adoption for Bradken, as for the wider industry.

Remote monitoring is now a necessity rather than a bonus and realising this, Bradken is remaining connected with its clients around the globe, without the need to travel on site.

“Previously we would have preferred our own sales teams monitoring the products in-person. But for now, our sales teams are interacting with our customers behind the scenes. The fewer hands on the equipment and fewer people on site, the safer and more manageable for the mine operators in current conditions,” Attwood concludes.