Chilean Tunnel Project: Conquering the Andes' Freezing Temperatures and Hard Rock

Background:

A construction firm specializing in mountain tunneling and road construction in Chile operates CAT excavators at altitudes above 3,000 meters in freezing conditions.

Challenge:

Low temperatures make metal brittle, and the local andesite rock is extremely hard. Standard teeth developed micro-cracks and failed rapidly in the cold, causing frequent work stoppages.

Solution:

We recommended our Rock Teeth made with special low-temperature toughness materials. The heat treatment process was fine-tuned to maintain impact resistance in sub-zero conditions.

Result:

After a two-month trial, the client reported zero breakage in freezing conditions and even wear patterns. Their engineer praised the product, stating they were "engineered for the toughest geological conditions," and adopted our teeth across their entire mountain fleet.