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Shenzhen Metro Line 16 | Shield Tunneling Project

Complex slightly weathered rock formations

High-toughness disc cutters with optimized structure

Full breakthrough without cutter replacement

Cutter change frequency significantly reduced

Category:

Shield / TBM Disc Cutter Application Cases

High-Service-Life Cutter Ring Solution for Complex Weathered Rock

Operating Conditions

The tunnel passes through multiple strata including slightly weathered granite, moderately weathered granite, strongly weathered sandstone, and sandstone. Rock strength varies frequently.

Maximum UCS: up to 70 MPa

Quartz content: ≈45%

Typical high-abrasion composite ground

Extremely unfavorable cutter replacement conditions

Initial performance:

Standard cutter rings: ~100 m service life

Two well-known domestic hob cutter brands: 200–280 m

Failed to meet project advance requirements

Key Challenges

Rapid stratum variation accelerating cutter wear

Common industry issues with hob cutters:

Poor wear resistance of cutter steel
Alloy cracking and insert loss

Frequent cutter changes causing excessive downtime

Xinda Solution

The project adopted Xinda’s new-generation high-toughness hob cutter ring, featuring:

Advanced process significantly improving overall toughness and wear resistance

Enhanced impact resistance, suitable for weathered rock + sandstone composites

Optimized key structural design to prevent:

Cutter breakage
Chipping
Alloy insert detachment

Performance Results

Continuous tunneling >700 m without cutter replacement
Service life >3× industry benchmark (vs. 200–280 m)
Fully resolved issues of poor steel wear resistance and alloy failure seen in domestic brands
Highly recognized by the project team and selected as the preferred solution for subsequent cutter supply