The Challenge
A maintenance crew from Bendigo contacted Southside Engineering in the middle of a loader rebuild when they discovered they were missing 12 heavy-duty spacers required for reassembly.
Freight delays meant the original replacements wouldn’t arrive in time — and every hour of downtime risked holding up an entire mine operation.
The crew needed precision-machined spacers that could handle extreme load and vibration, manufactured and delivered before the next day’s shift.
Our Approach
Southside Engineering prioritised the emergency request and immediately began production.
Our team:
- Verified dimensions from supplied drawings and photos.
- Selected high-strength steel stock rated for heavy equipment performance.
- Programmed the CNC lathes for simultaneous machining to meet the deadline.
- Conducted dimensional inspection on all 12 parts to ensure ±0.01mm uniformity.
- Arranged overnight courier delivery direct to the Bendigo site by sunrise.
The entire job — programming, machining, finishing, and delivery — was completed within 24 hours.
The Outcome
The spacers were installed first thing in the morning and fit perfectly without adjustment. This rapid turnaround allowed the maintenance team to complete the loader rebuild on schedule, avoiding extended downtime and operational loss.
Results:
- 12 high-strength steel spacers machined and delivered overnight
- Exact fit and tolerance confirmed on-site
- Zero rebuild delay, full job completion next day
- Locally machined, inspected, and shipped from Melbourne
Key Takeaway
Southside Engineering’s CNC machining services for the mining industry combine precision, durability, and speed to keep critical equipment online. By offering after-hours production, tight-tolerance machining, and reliable delivery, we help regional maintenance teams avoid costly delays and downtime — ensuring that every component fits, performs, and lasts.
| Metric |
Detail |
| Industry |
Mining & Heavy Machinery |
| Problem |
Missing spacers delayed loader rebuild |
| Solution |
CNC-machined 12 spacers from high-strength steel, delivered overnight |
| Turnaround |
24 hours |
| Result |
Rebuild completed on time, no production loss |
