Normet has announced the launch of the Scamec LC Thor, it says “marking the start of a new era of underground scaling operations.” Replacing its globally successful predecessor, the Scamec 2000, the completely new Scamec LC Thor Normet says “makes the most challenging of underground operations safer than ever before.”
It was designed in close collaboration with its customers, “combining Normet’s decades-long experience in developing cutting-edge underground equipment with scaling operators’ invaluable experience in everyday scaling work.” As a result of this cooperation, Normet says the purpose-built machine brings boom accuracy and handling, work area visibility and operator ergonomics – and, consequently, safety and productivity of the whole underground scaling process – to a higher level than ever before.
Normet says safety is always the first priority in everything it does. “The Scamec LC Thor has an extremely safe FOPS/ROPS approved cabin with excellent visibility due to the carefully designed structures, a highly useful reversing camera system and heated wide-angle mirrors.” The windscreen is fitted with a protective grille to safeguard the operator from rockfall hazard and, furthermore, the new boom of the Scamec LC Thor is designed to project falling debris away. The machine can also be equipped with an emergency escape function, activating an emergency sequence for lifting the stabilizers and the dozer blade while engaging reverse gear and preparing the machine for reversing. The operator can then concentrate on steering the machine to safety after releasing the parking brake.
Operator ergonomics and wellbeing has been a focal point in the entire design process of the new Scamec LC Thor. As a result, the cabin is highly comfortable with low noise levels and dust sealed with replaceable air filters. “It is equipped with air conditioning and cabin heating for a pleasant working environment and comes with three-point contact rails and non-slippery steps, ensuring safe passage in and out of the cabin. The operator’s seat with ergonomic armrests is comfortably cushioned and fully adjustable to the operator’s weight and size. The hammer stroke is controlled with a foot pedal, allowing the operator to focus on manoeuvring the boom. All frequently needed operating controls are located ergonomically on the seat switch panels.”
The Scamec LC Thor is also fitted with a completely new, agile and accurate boom with precise control features. Its advanced dust suppression system not only increases visibility even further, but also improves air quality underground.
The machine has an effective vertical reach of up to 9.5 m and fits tunnels measuring 4 m wide and 2.4 m high. It is available with the latest Volvo Penta’s Stage V or Stage IIIA technology, both allowing for excellent performance in incline driving and improved retardation features with an automatic engine brake function. The automatic gear shifting of the lock-up transmission enhances driving safety, allowing the operator to concentrate on steering the machine in underground tunnels. The Scamec LC Thor “is the latest result of Normet’s passion for continuously developing new solutions and technologies to meet and exceed customer and industry expectations for safety and productivity.”
Designed and built with minimising its environmental impact as the key driver, Normet’s broad equipment offering it says fulfills all emission requirements globally while the Normet SmartDrive® battery-electric architecture with zero local emissions paves the way into the future of efficient underground operations. “Our mission to improve the scaling process does not end here, since the SmartDrive version of the Scamec LC Thor with further advancements in efficiency, operator wellbeing and sustainability is already on its way.”
