Komatsu Ltd has started commercial operation of large-scale ICT dozers for mining, the D375Ai-8 teleoperation model, through its wholly owned subsidiary, Komatsu Brazil International Ltd, in partnership with Anglo American, as of May 2023.
Komatsu and Anglo American have been working together since June 2020 to establish new solutions that help create a safer operating environment while maintaining productivity at the Anglo American-owned Minas-Rio iron ore mine in southeastern Brazil. The companies have been promoting the introduction of remote-controlled dozers for mining operations. Through their collaboration, a remote operation demonstration trial was conducted at the production site starting in October 2022, and commercial operation has now been achieved.
The dozers are equipped with Komatsu’s proprietary automatic blade control technology that works in conjunction with Modular Mining’s ProVision machine guidance system. During the demonstration trial, it was confirmed that the dozer driving and blade operation can be easily controlled remotely from a remote location, even by less experienced operators. In addition, driving comfort has been significantly improved because teleoperation can free the dozer operator from working in an environment with significant vibrations.
Based on the success of this demonstration trial, Anglo American has decided to introduce six D475A-8R machines that are ready to be equipped with teleoperation retrofit kits by the end of 2023 and plans to gradually proceed with teleoperation in the future. Komatsu continues to collaborate with Anglo American in the field of mining solution technologies.
“We take immense pride in the successful implementation of this technology, as it has led to a substantial enhancement in the safety standards of dozer operations at Minas-Rio’s stockpile. Furthermore, we are delighted to provide our operators with a heightened level of comfort and improved quality of life. Komatsu’s dozer teleoperation system has proven to be highly effective in overcoming the challenges faced by Anglo American, and due to the exceptional results achieved, Anglo American plans to install the teleoperations kit to all six D475A-8R Dozers that will be deployed at Minas-Rio this year,” said Evilmar Fonseca, Iron Ore Operation Director, Minas-Rio mine, Anglo American.
“We express our profound gratitude to Anglo American Iron Ore Brazil for their invaluable partnership, which contributed significantly to the outstanding outcome attained during the dozer teleoperation system trial. We firmly believe that this cutting-edge technology will not only contribute positively to the achievement of excellent results in Minas-Rio but also enhance the safety standards in dozer operations,” said Masayuki Moriyama, Representative Director, Senior Executive Officer, Komatsu Ltd.
As part of its growth strategy for the mid-term management plan “DANTOTSU Value – Together, to ‘The Next’ for sustainable growth,” Komatsu is working to achieve safe, highly productive, smart, and clean workplaces of the future together with its customers by advancing products (automation and autonomy of machines) and processes (optimisation of construction operations). DANTOTSU Value is defined as customer value creation that generates a positive cycle of improvement of earnings and ESG resolutions. Through this DANTOTSU Value, Komatsu says it will strive to create new values in order to take steady steps forward to the next stage for the workplace of the future and pass on a sustainable future to the next generation.
