Wabtec Corporation has announced the successful test of its Collision Awareness System (CAS) Vehicle Intervention Solution, with Komatsu, the global provider of mining equipment, technology and automated solutions. Wabtec said that the test results are a significant safety milestone in the mining industry. The test showed that when integrated with the Komatsu Machine Intervention Controller (MIC), Wabtec’s CAS solution passed all key performance criteria. It also demonstrated the ability to decelerate a haul truck under a controlled deacceleration strategy.
“This is an important milestone for the industry because pending legislation in the Republic of South Africa and a global move to eliminate high risk vehicle interactions is currently driving Level 9 (intervention control) solutions,” said the statement. “This initiative proves the broader communication capabilities of our GPS integration solution, which helps to optimise brake functions and mobility dynamics of a large rigid body haul truck,” said Henro Van Wyk, Wabtec Vice President and General Manager of Digital Mine. “We will now be able to expand our testing for various interaction scenarios and dynamic decelerations that are required to ensure that the intervention solution performs optimally, positioning Wabtec as the global leader in Vehicle Interaction System Solutions.”
Tests were conducted to demonstrate the ability to integrate and decelerate Komatsu 730E and 860E haul trucks at speeds up to 30 km/h in a controlled manner. This is the first time a Wabtec mining solution has been validated at Level 9 of the Earth Moving Equipment Safety Round Table (EMESRT) Defensive Controls Model for a major Original Equipment Manufacturer.
The Wabtec Level 7/8 CAS solution is available to mining customers and is already in use at several mining sites. Wabtec Digital Mine will expand its testing to better cater for various interaction scenarios designed to improve the Vehicle Intervention Solution performance and capability by adjusting detection zones for braking distance, speed and real-time payload and haul road grade. Wabtec’s CAS Solution enables operators to enhance production and efficiency, while increasing safety and control. It is being utilised by nearly 10,000 assets across 40 mines and has recorded more than 370 million hours of operation.
