ABSTRACT
The Petitto MULE utility tractor is a highly complex and expensive piece of equipment which must operate under the most adverse underground mining conditions. Production demands, along with the need to provide maintenance parts and services, have required acquisition of a computing system and specialized software. The impact of this acquisition on the MULE project is presented. Included are descriptions of key portions of the previous manufacturing support procedures, comparison of these with use of the computer system, evaluation of selected computer-generated reports, an overview of the integrated manufacturing support system, and the impact of the changeover on both current and anticipated future operations.
