The chain connectors are installed in seven mines in the United States with severe geological conditions where they have performed very impressively, according to the company.

A similar line of chain connectors has been developed for the Australian market, in conjunction with Peter Van Iersel, managing director of Longwall Associates Australia.

Longwall Associates said it was among the first companies to successfully address the corrosion and wear factors associated with chain connectors, consistent with today’s applications and productivity requirements.

To develop the connectors, the Longwall Associates R&D team worked closely with a mine experiencing problems with premature failures in their chain connector operations. The team were able to fully assess the failure mode of current connectors through a range of evaluations, including a full finite element analysis. A new design with new materials resulted in highly innovative chain connectors.

The connectors integrate a nickel-plated finish to resist corrosion and are made with a proprietary grade of high-alloy steel called Tri-braze.

“In our production and maintenance of other equipment, such as pan lines, AFC drives and stage loaders, we have seen the Tri-braze material resist abrasive wear, while still maintaining a high level of ductility and toughness. In order to achieve the outcome we wanted with our connectors, we decided to integrate that high wear alloy into our standard design,” said senior design engineer and export project manager, Dennis Heninger.

In addition to successfully utilizing the special corrosion resistant qualities of nickel plating, and Tri-braze wear resistant material, both Longwall Associates Australia and Longwall Associates Inc line of connectors incorporate the following features:

- Center post to inhibit "flexing" fatigue.

- Through drilled for center post and controlled breaking strength.

- Fabrication from proven wear resistant material, Tri-Braze.

- Forged Tri-Braze links, quenched and tempered for optimum hardness.

- Through hardened to 1480N/mm2 Tensile, 1325N/mm2 yield.450 BHN hardness, - 35 ft-lbs. charpy.

- Reliable connectors combining durability and no maintenance.

- A user friendly locking mechanism, which facilitates removal and re-installation of the connector for chain tensioning.

- Tested to fatigue failure at over 100,000 cycles.

- Matched halves with unique identification system.

- Size and pitch identification on each connector.

“We are thrilled with our new line of connectors,” Van Iersel said. “It is very exciting to be the first company of international AFC and BSL suppliers in the industry to successfully use alternative metals and design factors to address the current problems. We are dedicated to enabling our clients to reach their goals through the design and manufacture of innovative equipment, and our connectors demonstrate that.”