--- title: Optimizing Maintenance Strategy for a Longwall Shearer in Coal Mining description: Discover how a major coal producer optimized their maintenance strategy for a new mining system within five weeks, ensuring efficiency and reliability. image: https://blog.nexusglobal.com/hubfs/Case%20Study%20CTAs/Case%20Study%20CTAs6.jpg --- [Skip to the main content.](https://blog.nexusglobal.com/how-a-global-mining-company-delivered-optimized-maintenance-strategy-on-time-and-within-budget#main-content) [![Nexus Logo PNG White](https://blog.nexusglobal.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Nexus%20Logo%20PNG%20White.png?width=1600&height=645&name=Nexus%20Logo%20PNG%20White.png "Nexus Logo PNG White")](https://www.nexusglobal.com) [![Nexus Logo PNG Black](https://blog.nexusglobal.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Nexus%20Logo%20PNG%20Black.png?width=1600&height=645&name=Nexus%20Logo%20PNG%20Black.png "Nexus Logo PNG Black")](https://www.nexusglobal.com) - [Software](https://www.nexusglobal.com/software) - Business Optimizer - Data Optimizer - Strategy Optimizer - Planning Optimizer - Investigation Optimizer - Software Integrations - [Services](https://www.nexusglobal.com/asset-management-as-a-service) - [Solutions](https://www.nexusglobal.com/apm-solutions) - Leadership - Strategy Management - Work Management - Data Management - Investigation Management - [Training](https://www.nexusglobal.com/apm-training) - [Industries](https://www.nexusglobal.com/clients) - [Knowledge Center](https://blog.nexusglobal.com) - [About](https://www.nexusglobal.com/about) - Careers - Schedule a Call Search [Contact Us](https://info.nexusglobal.com/contact-us) Toggle Menu Search Toggle Menu [Contact Us](https://info.nexusglobal.com/contact-us) - [Software](https://www.nexusglobal.com/software) - Business Optimizer - Data Optimizer - Strategy Optimizer - Planning Optimizer - Investigation Optimizer - Software Integrations - [Services](https://www.nexusglobal.com/asset-management-as-a-service) - [Solutions](https://www.nexusglobal.com/apm-solutions) - Leadership - Strategy Management - Work Management - Data Management - Investigation Management - [Training](https://www.nexusglobal.com/apm-training) - [Industries](https://www.nexusglobal.com/clients) - [Knowledge Center](https://blog.nexusglobal.com) - [About](https://www.nexusglobal.com/about) - Careers - Schedule a Call - Example Link - Example Link - Example Link [Facebook](https://blog.nexusglobal.com/how-a-global-mining-company-delivered-optimized-maintenance-strategy-on-time-and-within-budget#0) [Instagram](https://blog.nexusglobal.com/how-a-global-mining-company-delivered-optimized-maintenance-strategy-on-time-and-within-budget#0) [Linkedin](https://blog.nexusglobal.com/how-a-global-mining-company-delivered-optimized-maintenance-strategy-on-time-and-within-budget#0) [X](https://blog.nexusglobal.com/how-a-global-mining-company-delivered-optimized-maintenance-strategy-on-time-and-within-budget#0) [YouTube](https://blog.nexusglobal.com/how-a-global-mining-company-delivered-optimized-maintenance-strategy-on-time-and-within-budget#0) [Medium](https://blog.nexusglobal.com/how-a-global-mining-company-delivered-optimized-maintenance-strategy-on-time-and-within-budget#0) [![Bo](https://blog.nexusglobal.com/hubfs/Imported%20sitepage%20images/Bo.svg) Business Optimizer DISCOVERING HIDDEN CAPACITY](https://www.nexusglobal.com/businessopt) [![Do](https://blog.nexusglobal.com/hubfs/Banner%20Images%20and%20Logos/Do.svg) Data Optimizer VALIDATE ASSET DATA QUALITY](https://www.nexusglobal.com/apmsolutions/data-management/dataoptimizer) [![So-1](https://blog.nexusglobal.com/hubfs/So-1.svg) Strategy Optimizer MORE THAN JUST PM OPTIMIZATION](https://www.nexusglobal.com/strategyopt) [![Po](https://blog.nexusglobal.com/hubfs/Banner%20Images%20and%20Logos/Po.svg) Planning Optimizer SIMPLIFYING & OPTIMIZING MAINTENANCE PLANNING](https://www.nexusglobal.com/apmsolutions/work-management/planning-optimizer) [![Io](https://blog.nexusglobal.com/hubfs/Io.svg) Investigation Optimizer IDENTIFYING FAILURES FOR UNPARALLELED RELIABILITY](https://www.nexusglobal.com/apmsolutions/investigation-management/investigationopt) [![Topic Icons\_Software](https://blog.nexusglobal.com/hubfs/Banner%20Images%20and%20Logos/Topic%20Icons_Software.svg) Software Support FOR EXISTING USERS](https://www.nexusglobal.com/software-support) [![l-domain-01](https://blog.nexusglobal.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/l-domain-01.png?width=50&height=40&name=l-domain-01.png) Leadership](https://www.nexusglobal.com/apmsolutions/leadership) [![sm-domain-01](https://blog.nexusglobal.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/sm-domain-01.png?width=50&height=40&name=sm-domain-01.png) Strategy Management](https://www.nexusglobal.com/apmsolutions/strategy-management) [![wm-domain-01](https://blog.nexusglobal.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/wm-domain-01.png?width=50&height=40&name=wm-domain-01.png) Work Management](https://www.nexusglobal.com/apmsolutions/work-management) [![dm-domain-01](https://blog.nexusglobal.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/dm-domain-01.png?width=50&height=40&name=dm-domain-01.png) Data Management](https://www.nexusglobal.com/apmsolutions/data-management) [![im-domain-01](https://blog.nexusglobal.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/im-domain-01.png?width=50&height=40&name=im-domain-01.png) Investigation Management](https://www.nexusglobal.com/apmsolutions/investigation-management) [Careers](https://www.nexusglobal.com/careers) [Schedule a Call](https://info.nexusglobal.com/consultation) 2 min read # Optimizing Maintenance Strategy for a Longwall Shearer in Coal Mining [![Picture of Doug Robey | CMRP, CRL](https://app.hubspot.com/settings/avatar/956dd448a701e49e9f8bd4c5381c0b29) Doug Robey | CMRP, CRL](https://blog.nexusglobal.com/author/doug-robey-cmrp-crl) : Published January 28, 2019 Updated August 14, 2026 [STRATEGY MANAGEMENT](https://blog.nexusglobal.com/tag/strategy-management) [CASE STUDY](https://blog.nexusglobal.com/tag/case-study) [SOFTWARE](https://blog.nexusglobal.com/tag/software) [METALS & MINING](https://blog.nexusglobal.com/tag/metals-mining) [ASSET PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT (APM)](https://blog.nexusglobal.com/tag/asset-performance-management-apm) [PMO](https://blog.nexusglobal.com/tag/pmo) [STRATEGY OPTIMIZER](https://blog.nexusglobal.com/tag/strategy-optimizer) [RELIABILITY](https://blog.nexusglobal.com/tag/reliability) [MAINTENANCE STRATEGY](https://blog.nexusglobal.com/tag/maintenance-strategy) ![Optimizing Maintenance Strategy for a Longwall Shearer in Coal Mining](https://blog.nexusglobal.com/hubfs/Case%20Study%20CTAs/Case%20Study%20CTAs6.jpg) Optimizing Maintenance Strategy for a Longwall Shearer in Coal Mining 1:54 In the mining industry, equipment reliability is essential for both safety and productivity. A global mining company faced the challenge of developing a **preventive maintenance strategy** for a newly installed longwall shearer at one of its underground coal mines. The previous mining system had been in operation for decades, and the organization wanted to ensure the new equipment started its lifecycle with a robust, effective maintenance program. The client’s goal was to avoid repeating past inefficiencies, where previous reliability studies had taken too long and did not result in actionable preventive maintenance tasks. Instead, they needed a comprehensive program built quickly, using vendor manuals, proven methodologies, and input from on-site personnel. The process began with building the [equipment hierarchy](https://blog.nexusglobal.com/predicting-equipment-failures) for the new shearer and applying the vendor’s recommended maintenance strategy. Tasks were reviewed, refined, and grouped into structured preventive maintenance (PM) programs. This ensured that all relevant failure modes were addressed while eliminating duplicate or non-value-adding activities. Electrical, mechanical, and operations teams collaborated throughout the review, providing practical input and confirming that strategies were aligned with day-to-day realities in the mine. Commissioning schedules were produced, ensuring that preventive maintenance activities could begin immediately as the new system came online. By focusing on [strategy management](https://www.nexusglobal.com/apmsolutions/strategy-management) and optimization, the company established a foundation for improved reliability, maintainability, and fault detection—positioning the new longwall shearer for long-term operational success. [**Download the full case study**](https://blog.nexusglobal.com/hubfs/Case%20Studies%20and%20Whitepapers/SM%20Casestudy%20-%20Global%20Mining%20Company%202018.pdf) to learn how a mining company developed and implemented an optimized maintenance strategy for a newly installed shearer on time and within budget. ### What is maintenance strategy optimization? Maintenance strategy optimization is the process of reviewing preventive and predictive maintenance activities to ensure they address relevant equipment failure modes at the appropriate frequency. The goal is to remove unnecessary work, improve task intervals, identify missing activities, and create a maintenance program that balances reliability, risk, cost, and resource requirements.  ### What is Planned Maintenance Optimization (PMO)? Planned Maintenance Optimization (PMO) is a structured approach for evaluating an existing or proposed preventive maintenance program. PMO examines whether maintenance tasks are necessary, cost-effective, and aligned with known failure modes. In this project, the process identified non-value-added tasks, extended overly frequent intervals, and added activities for failure modes that had previously been missed.  ### Should OEM maintenance recommendations be optimized? OEM recommendations provide an important starting point for maintenance strategy development, but they should be reviewed against actual operating conditions, equipment criticality, failure modes, risk, and organizational experience. In this case, the vendor-recommended strategy was reviewed and revised to ensure necessary failure modes were covered while removing or adjusting activities that did not provide sufficient value.  ### How can maintenance optimization reduce planned downtime? Maintenance optimization can reduce planned downtime by eliminating unnecessary tasks, extending intervals that are more frequent than required, and grouping related activities into efficient PM programs. In this mining application, the optimized strategy resulted in a **50% reduction in PM downtime** compared with the vendor-recommended schedule.  ### How does Strategy Optimizer support maintenance strategy development? Strategy Optimizer™ provides a structured environment for analyzing failure modes, reviewing maintenance activities, optimizing task intervals, and developing deployable maintenance strategies. For the longwall shearer project, Strategy Optimizer and the PMO process were used to review **964 maintenance tasks** and produce PM programs and commissioning schedules ready for implementation. [Explore Strategy Management](https://www.nexusglobal.com/apmsolutions/strategy-management?utm_source=chatgpt.com) - [Tweet](https://twitter.com/share) [![How a Brewery Improved Maintenance Strategy on Its Bottling Line](https://blog.nexusglobal.com/hubfs/Case%20Study%20CTAs/Case%20Study%20CTAs5.jpg)](https://blog.nexusglobal.com/how-a-major-brewery-and-bottling-company-reduced-annual-maintenance-labor-by-650-hours) #### [How a Brewery Improved Maintenance Strategy on Its Bottling Line](https://blog.nexusglobal.com/how-a-major-brewery-and-bottling-company-reduced-annual-maintenance-labor-by-650-hours) [![Picture of Doug Robey | CMRP, CRL](https://app.hubspot.com/settings/avatar/956dd448a701e49e9f8bd4c5381c0b29) Doug Robey | CMRP, CRL](https://blog.nexusglobal.com/author/doug-robey-cmrp-crl) Discover how a brewery reduced annual maintenance labor by 650 hours through optimized strategies and improved plant throughput. [STRATEGY MANAGEMENT](https://blog.nexusglobal.com/tag/strategy-management) [CASE STUDY](https://blog.nexusglobal.com/tag/case-study) [MANUFACTURING](https://blog.nexusglobal.com/tag/manufacturing) [ASSET PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT (APM)](https://blog.nexusglobal.com/tag/asset-performance-management-apm) [PMO](https://blog.nexusglobal.com/tag/pmo) [STRATEGY OPTIMIZER](https://blog.nexusglobal.com/tag/strategy-optimizer) [RELIABILITY](https://blog.nexusglobal.com/tag/reliability) [MAINTENANCE STRATEGY](https://blog.nexusglobal.com/tag/maintenance-strategy) [Read More](https://blog.nexusglobal.com/how-a-major-brewery-and-bottling-company-reduced-annual-maintenance-labor-by-650-hours) [![PM Route Program Delivered in Expedited Time at Major Paper Mill](https://blog.nexusglobal.com/hubfs/Featured%20Images/Created-Effiencient-PM-Routes-in-Expedited-Time.jpg)](https://blog.nexusglobal.com/created-efficient-pm-routes-in-expedited-time) #### [PM Route Program Delivered in Expedited Time at Major Paper Mill](https://blog.nexusglobal.com/created-efficient-pm-routes-in-expedited-time) [![Picture of Doug Robey | CMRP, CRL](https://app.hubspot.com/settings/avatar/956dd448a701e49e9f8bd4c5381c0b29) Doug Robey | CMRP, CRL](https://blog.nexusglobal.com/author/doug-robey-cmrp-crl) Nexus Global delivered a PM Route Program to a major pulp & paper manufacturer using a robust and cost effective method for PM Optimization (PMO). [STRATEGY MANAGEMENT](https://blog.nexusglobal.com/tag/strategy-management) [CASE STUDY](https://blog.nexusglobal.com/tag/case-study) [MANUFACTURING](https://blog.nexusglobal.com/tag/manufacturing) [ASSET PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT (APM)](https://blog.nexusglobal.com/tag/asset-performance-management-apm) [PMO](https://blog.nexusglobal.com/tag/pmo) [STRATEGY OPTIMIZER](https://blog.nexusglobal.com/tag/strategy-optimizer) [RELIABILITY](https://blog.nexusglobal.com/tag/reliability) [MAINTENANCE STRATEGY](https://blog.nexusglobal.com/tag/maintenance-strategy) [Read More](https://blog.nexusglobal.com/created-efficient-pm-routes-in-expedited-time) [![NZ Energy Retailer Improves PMO & Uptime with Strategy Optimizer™](https://blog.nexusglobal.com/hubfs/BLOG_Genesis%20Energy_Featured%20Image%20(1408%20%C3%97%20833%20px)%20PR.png)](https://blog.nexusglobal.com/nz-energy-retailer-improves-pmo-and-uptime-with-so-1) #### [NZ Energy Retailer Improves PMO & Uptime with Strategy Optimizer™](https://blog.nexusglobal.com/nz-energy-retailer-improves-pmo-and-uptime-with-so-1) [![Picture of Doug Robey | CMRP, CRL](https://app.hubspot.com/settings/avatar/956dd448a701e49e9f8bd4c5381c0b29) Doug Robey | CMRP, CRL](https://blog.nexusglobal.com/author/doug-robey-cmrp-crl) A New Zealand energy retailer boosted uptime with a PMO program supported by Strategy Optimizer streamlining strategies, job plans, and closeout... [STRATEGY MANAGEMENT](https://blog.nexusglobal.com/tag/strategy-management) [SOFTWARE](https://blog.nexusglobal.com/tag/software) [POWER GENEARTION](https://blog.nexusglobal.com/tag/power-geneartion) [ASSET PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT (APM)](https://blog.nexusglobal.com/tag/asset-performance-management-apm) [PMO](https://blog.nexusglobal.com/tag/pmo) [STRATEGY OPTIMIZER](https://blog.nexusglobal.com/tag/strategy-optimizer) [RELIABILITY](https://blog.nexusglobal.com/tag/reliability) [Read More](https://blog.nexusglobal.com/nz-energy-retailer-improves-pmo-and-uptime-with-so-1) Nexus Global Business Solutions, Inc. Nexus Global Business Solutions, Inc. Nexus Global is a global Asset Performance Management company headquartered in North Carolina, serving organizations worldwide with software, consulting, reliability engineering, training, and managed services. 4909 Unicon Dr Suite 119 Wake Forest, NC 27587 Resources Resources - [Blog](https://blog.nexusglobal.com) - [Solutions Finder](https://info.nexusglobal.com/solutions-finder) - [Contact Us](https://info.nexusglobal.com/contact-us) [![Nexus Logo PNG Black](https://blog.nexusglobal.com/hubfs/Nexus%20Logo%20PNG%20Black.png)](https://www.nexusglobal.com) - [Privacy Policy](https://www.nexusglobal.com/privacy-policy) - [Software Support](https://info.nexusglobal.com/software-support) © 2026 Nexus Global Business Solutions, Inc. [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/nexusglobalinc/)[X](https://x.com/nexusglobalinc)[Linkedin](https://www.linkedin.com/company/nexus-global-business-solutions-inc-)[YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/@NexusglobalBusinessSolutions) Return to top ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Doug Robey | CMRP, CRL", "url" : "https://blog.nexusglobal.com/author/doug-robey-cmrp-crl" }, "dateModified" : "2026-08-14T16:23:23.160Z", "datePublished" : "2019-01-28T21:36:25.000Z", "headline" : "Optimizing Maintenance Strategy for a Longwall Shearer in Coal Mining", "image" : [ "https://blog.nexusglobal.com/hubfs/Case%20Study%20CTAs/Case%20Study%20CTAs6.jpg" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://blog.nexusglobal.com/how-a-global-mining-company-delivered-optimized-maintenance-strategy-on-time-and-within-budget", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://blog.nexusglobal.com/hubfs/nexus_logo%20-%20high%20res%20file-1.png" }, "name" : "Nexus Global Business Solutions, Inc" } } ``` ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : [ { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Doug Robey | CMRP, CRL", "url" : "https://blog.nexusglobal.com/author/doug-robey-cmrp-crl" } ], "dateModified" : "2026-08-14T16:23:23Z", "datePublished" : "2019-01-28T21:36:25Z", "description" : "Discover how a major coal producer optimized their maintenance strategy for a new mining system within five weeks, ensuring efficiency and reliability.", "headline" : "Optimizing Maintenance Strategy for a Longwall Shearer in Coal Mining", "image" : [ "https://cdn2.hubspot.net/hubfs/2551661/Case%20Study%20CTAs/Case%20Study%20CTAs6.jpg" ], "inLanguage" : "en", "keywords" : "STRATEGY MANAGEMENT, CASE STUDY, SOFTWARE, METALS & MINING, ASSET PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT (APM), PMO, STRATEGY OPTIMIZER, RELIABILITY, MAINTENANCE STRATEGY", "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://blog.nexusglobal.com/how-a-global-mining-company-delivered-optimized-maintenance-strategy-on-time-and-within-budget", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "name" : "Nexus Global Business Solutions, Inc." } } ```