Tag Archives: Cat 777D

RCT helps major miner move to Level 9 CAS at Bowen Basin coal mines

Automation, Coal technology, IoT, Mining safety, Mining services, Mining software, , , , , , , , , , , ,

A global mining giant has implemented Level 9 machine intervention control technology on its mixed haul truck fleet in what RCT says is a large-scale mining fleet first for Australia.

RCT rolled out its highly interoperable Muirhead® technology across the mining company’s 128-strong equipment surface fleet, which includes multiple models of Cat, Komatsu and Liebherr trucks.

The Muirhead Machine Interface Controller (MIC) was selected because of RCT’s comprehensive and extensive engineering and quality management capability, RCT says.

This expertise has evolved over RCT’s 50-year history and enabled the company to deliver a MIC system that provides a cost effective, multi-generational solution which offers a level of standardisation across its diverse fleet.

The machine intervention technology interfaces directly with a truck’s systems (eg braking, hydraulic and electrical) and, when directed, can affect control of certain areas of the machine (eg engine throttle, transmission and hoist) if obstacles are detected in the truck’s path.

RCT’s MIC is designed to integrate with industry-leading collision avoidance solution (CAS) technologies, giving clients the flexibility to select a preferred vendor across their fleet or operations, RCT explained.

RCT’s Field Service Team commissioned the MIC across two of the mining company’s open-pit operations in Queensland’s Bowen Basin.

RCT Global Business Development Manager – Mining, Ryan Noden, said this is the first deployment of a Level 9 machine intervention technology (technologies that actually intervene in terms of automated machine control to prevent or mitigate an unsafe interaction) across a large-scale mining fleet in Australia.

“The global mining company selected RCT for this project due to our proven history of delivering standardised interoperable technology across any make and model of mobile equipment,” Noden said. “Our technology interfaced directly with a market-leading supplier of CAS and, as a result, the mining company is experiencing improved operations across their mixed fleet including Cat 793Ds, 785Ds, 777Ds; and Komatsu 830Es; and Liebherr T264s.

“This solution ensures the safety of site personnel in proximity to the haulage fleet and eliminates damage to the fleet.

“In addition to developing cutting-edge technology, we pride ourselves on delivering comprehensive service and technical support to our mining clients which empowers them to maximise mining operations at all times.”

Hydraulink delivers new levels of service and uptime at Indonesia coal mine

Equipment maintenance, Mining consumables, Mining equipment, Mining maintenance, Mining services, , , , , , ,

An Indonesia coal mining operation in Kalimantan is, Hydraulink says, benefitting from the service availability, spare parts, and cost-efficiencies of partnering with the company’s hose and fittings organisation, as it seeks to maximise uptime of valuable equipment running 24/7.

Through local Hydraulink distributor, PT Intecs Teknikatama Industri (Intecs), the Indonesia mining contractor at the operation recently installed new hose fittings on a Cat 777D haul truck, weighs up to 161 t when full.

Hydraulink Indonesia Country Manager, Puji Wicaksono, said: “We knew this coal mining contractor needed all equipment running as efficiently as possible, with minimal downtime, to maximise their production and profitability. Hydraulics are crucial to reliability – just one broken hose can bring machinery grinding to a halt.

“So, we worked with our trusted and reliable local distributor, PT Intecs, and found that we could provide a better service offering for a lower cost than the customer was paying with their previous supplier.”

Hydraulink operates through more than 400 service points across Australia, New Zealand, Asia-Pacific, and the Pacific Islands, bringing essential, safety-complaint hydraulic hose and fittings, as well as traceable service expertise, to industries requiring prompt, quality 24/7 service either on or off site, it says.

The company services all of Indonesia, through local distributors like PT Intecs. PT Intecs has strengths in the mining market, which made them ideally suited to this job, according to Puji.

One of the challenges of being a supplier to a 24/7 mining operation is maintaining a reliable stock of spare parts of hydraulic hoses, fittings, adaptors and accessories. Hydraulink and PT Intecs worked with the customer to improve this offering compared with what it was receiving from a previous supplier.

“We keep stock of relevant hydraulic parts in the distributor branches closest to the mine site, which helps reduce lead times, and means we can service the mine vehicles more efficiently,” Puji said. “Additionally, all of our products are backed by warranty, so the customer has certainty that Hydraulink will stand by the quality of its products and service.”

To further enhance its offering to the mining contractor, Hydraulink provided tailored stock recommendations based on the machine population, and it also ran advanced training sessions with on-site personnel to ensure relevant employees were trained in the latest safety practices, according to Puji.

“Hydraulink also has a complete range of products, so the customer appreciates that they can source all their hydraulic components from a single source,” he said. “We are always working together with this customer to see how we can further improve our efficient stock management. And we’re available to solve any machinery performance issues that arise in the future.”