SupaCluster
The smart way to upgrade tubular boom clusters and extend the life of your draglines
Save millions on dragline repairs
SupaCluster* is our innovative design modification and repair scheme that dramatically improves the fatigue performance on draglines with tubular boom designs, avoiding the repeated and unsustainable repair costs associated with boom replacement and months of downtime.
Once implemented, the SupaCluster design yields a superior fatigue strength and is easy to inspect and maintain.
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*US Patent 10,100,489 B2 – primary inventor Charles Constancon: Structural Connectors for Dragline Boom and Mast Tubular Clusters and Methods for Repair Reinforcement and Life Extension of Dragline Booms and Masts.
The SuperCluster Solution
Advanced FEA analysis was completed to verify the fatigue strength of the SupaCluster design. In the original OEM design, highly localized stress concentration effects arise between the lacing walls and the chord at the weld toe, resulting in early fatigue cracks and structural failure. By comparison, the SupaCluster design strengthens the main chord and eliminates the stress concentration effect. The weld detail quality is significantly improved by using full penetration, post-weld ground and peened weldments, which are fully accessible for full penetration double sided welding.
SupaCluster Design Details
​By removing the complex coping required at the tubular lacing intersection with the main boom chord, poor weld details and stress concentration effects can be avoided.
