Like many countries in the world, RIMEX is taking part in best practices that we see throughout the industry worldwide. One of these best practices is the NDT Testing and Refurbishment that companies in Australia are obligated to undertake.
Currently in Canada there is no official standard requiring wheels/rims to undergo regular inspections and refurbishment. At RIMEX we see the value in this practice, as there are many benefits to proper wheel/rim maintenance, including reduced costs and increased savings.
By bringing the practices we’ve been using in Australia for the past 11 years to Canada, RIMEX is taking a proactive step towards better wheel/rim maintenance.
To learn more, please read the following sections:
The Existing Standard
Benefits of Inspection
Why RIMEX Recertification?
The Process
The Existing Standard
Australia has been very proactive with regards to tires and wheels and the inherent dangers of these pressure vessels. Industry in Australia has created a standard. The Australian standard is very clear. It has been implemented to protect those in the industry by setting a guideline for wheel inspection, repair and mounting/demounting procedures.
Standard Details (As taken from The Australian Standard AS4457.1-2007 Earth Moving machinery – Off Highway rims and wheels – Maintenance and Repair.)
Preface
On a number of occasions wheels have suffered failures both in Australia and overseas. In many cases, where the wheel or rim has disintegrated, pieces of the rim have been thrown for considerable distances. The release of large quantities of energy in an uncontrolled manner poses risk to person nearby and in order that this element of risk be minimized, some controls over the repair and inspection of wheels are considered necessary.
Scope
The standard sets out the requirements for the identification, safe dismounting, inspection, maintenance, testing and mounting of off-highway wheels and rims for rubber-tyred earth moving machinery. It applies to wheels and rims of not less than 600 mm (24 inches) in diameter.
Objective
The objective of this standard is to assist manufacturers, suppliers, employers, repairers and users of earth-moving machinery in minimizing the risk to health and safety of employees working with or otherwise near wheels and rims of earth moving vehicles.
Outside of Australia it is common to see wheels remain in service until they fail in the field. Fatigue in wheels is very difficult to predict, but there are indicators that become evident over time. For practices based in Canada, RIMEX uses the Australian standard as a guideline.
