THIRD GENERATION CUTTING SYSTEMS-FROM FIRST IDEA'S TO A WORKING PRODUCT

摘要

In 2003 VOSTA LMG launched a new revolutionary third generation tooth system called T-system. The development started in 1996 and it took till 2003 to complete the first prototype. This paper describes the design criteria, the development processes, the challenges in detail problems, the expectations and the actual results in the field. It also shows that a lot of 'out of the box thinking' and unconventional approaches were needed to come to a completely new concept that would bring cutting systems to a new level. Although the system was first designed for cutter dredgers with 5000 up to 8000 hp installed on the cutter shaft, smaller sizes have been designed for smaller cutter powers.