Tag Archives: OEMs

Cavotec charged up by new mining truck proof-of-concept work

Automation, Environmental, Mining equipment, Mining services, Power supply for mines, Sustainable mining, , , , , ,

Last month, Cavotec, a company that designs and delivers connection and electrification solutions to enable the decarbonisation of ports and industrial applications, secured an order that, it says, signals its entry into industrial battery charging for heavy-duty vehicles.

The order in question, valued at over €3 million ($3.2 million), related to the supply of a proof-of-concept battery charging system for a leading green energy technology company to enable high-voltage charging of electrically powered heavy-duty mining trucks at a mining application in Australia. The project was expected to be delivered from the beginning of 2023, it said.

So excited by this proof-of-concept work, Cavotec went as far as saying the order and its work on the order could open a market that is estimated to be worth several hundred million euros in the coming years.

While a battery connection and charging system for mining represents new territory for Cavotec, the company name is not new to mining.

Its electrification, power distribution and automation systems have been employed by the likes of BHP, Codelco, Pilbara Minerals, Rio Tinto and Vale, among others. It has also worked with OEMs such as Epiroc, Caterpillar, FAM, FLSmidth, Joy Global (Komatsu), TAKRAF, thyssenkrupp, Sandvik, Aumund Group, Caterpillar, Normet (Spraymec pictured above) and Metso Outotec, among others, on developing solutions.

And, added to this, the company already has experience with fast, high-power charging solutions for marine applications.

IM touched base with Memed Üzel, Chief Commercial Officer of Cavotec, to find out how the company is combining all this experience to deliver on the project brief.

Memed Üzel, Chief Commercial Officer of Cavotec

IM: How are you adapting your fast, high-power charging marine solutions for a heavy-duty mining truck application? What similarities are there between the two applications from a charging perspective?

MU: The similarity between the two is the requirement for providing a reliable, high-power, high-speed connection, where we have gained a lot of experience in the last few years from our marine applications. Our connection solutions are always designed and manufactured with harsh conditions in mind. Our connectors operate in a wide variety of temperature and humidity levels while ensuring serviceability and easy maintenance.

Unlike consumer applications for electrical automobiles, the Cavotec connectors in industrial and marine applications are made to be used many times a day reliably throughout their lifetime while ensuring a secure connection on the first try. On the charging side, we have the ability to use both a proprietary and a standard interface to communicate with the vehicle’s battery from the first connection to the end of the charging cycle.

IM: How will your existing experience in mining with electrification, power distribution and automation systems enable you to adapt the marine solutions for mining?

MU: Cavotec relies on decades of experience of providing electrification, power distribution and automation systems in mining. Mastering mining equipment specification and requirements make Cavotec the one-stop shop solution provider for all mining equipment OEMs.

IM: Can you explain some of the details behind the architecture around this proof-of-concept system? Is it charged via cable, overhead, etc? What size battery will it be charging? What are the expectations around charging time and power rating?

MU: The details of the final solution will be revealed at launch. For now, we cannot comment on the details of the technical solution. We will make an official reveal announcement jointly with the customer at that time.

IM: Are you working directly with the mining company, the OEM or the systems integrator on this project? Is it a client you have worked with before?

MU: As we are bound by confidentiality at this stage of the project, we cannot comment on this just yet. In general, depending on the industry and the application, we tend to work with OEMs, system integrators or end-users.

IM: Is this the only battery charging mining project you are currently working on? Are you working on any underground projects, for instance? Again, is this with OEMs or mining companies directly?

MU: Cavotec is active in a wide variety of industrial applications, including mining. We have seen the interest increasing rapidly for industrial charging projects.

RPMGlobal opens fleet management options with TALPAC-3D

Equipment maintenance, IoT, Mining services, Mining software, , , , , ,

RPMGlobal has unveiled a new addition to its suite of mining simulation solutions, launching TALPAC-3D to, it says, help miners unlock greater potential value from operations.

After detailed consultation with the global user base of TALPAC, RPMGlobal released TALPAC-3D to offer an enhanced user experience, increased functionality and a “stepping stone towards RPMGlobal’s other simulation products for those looking for more sophisticated simulation demands”, the company said.

TALPAC-3D harnesses the functionality of RPMGlobal’s Truck and Loader Productivity and Cost calculator —TALPAC—with a gaming-inspired 3D user interface (UI). This makes it easier and more efficient to import data, view results and make changes to models, and in doing so, enhances the ability for users to optimise haulage routes and equipment selection, according to RPMGlobal.

“TALPAC has been trusted by the mining industry for more than four decades for its accuracy and equipment manufacturer independence, delivering best practice simulation for miners, original equipment manufacturer (OEMs), contractors and consultants,” the company said. “Originally developed as a tool to support truck and loader haul route calculations, TALPAC is now used all over the globe with thousands of users.”

TALPAC-3D builds on the extensive history and smarts of TALPAC and applies a brand-new graphical UI, according to the company. RPMGlobal’s strategy has been to provide a much richer user experience across all products with a focus on the UI. This has translated into an upgrade for TALPAC-3D, bringing it in line with the RPMGlobal Intelligent Simulation suite including HAULSIM, the Discrete Event Simulation (DES) solution.

HAULSIM was introduced to the market over six years ago and RPMGlobal has invested significant resources into ensuring the UI focuses on ease of use and intuitive controls across the entire simulation suite, the company said.

RPMGlobal Chief Executive Officer, Richard Mathews, said: “The solution is reflective of the company’s commitment to taking on board client feedback and addressing the industry’s evolving needs.

“While TALPAC has been the de-facto standard for the industry’s simulation needs for more than 40 years, we remain dedicated to introducing new solutions tailored to the requirements of the industry.”

He added: “We realised there was a need for an innovative simulation solution providing the reliable engine of TALPAC but encompassing a fresh, modern UI that was scalable.”

TALPAC-3D also offers a “seamless upgrade path” with integration to HAULSIM, according to RPMGlobal. As users become more sophisticated in their simulation requirements and need more functionality through a DES tool, they can easily upgrade to HAULSIM. This isn’t offered by any competitors in the industry, according to RPM Global.

The 3D UI of TALPAC-3D delivers several new features such as a fleet planner and a cycle time analysis tool that work across the network.

Mathews said: “The industry’s adoption of TALPAC had continued to grow and it was used by miners all over the globe to help them calculate the ideal size of their fleet and understand which machines and sizes of equipment are most compatible.

“As a modern software package, TALPAC-3D makes that work easier than ever before, enabling end-users to rapidly achieve the next level of productivity.

“The world’s biggest miners are consistently looking for ways to unlock greater value from operations. Using TALPAC-3D, mining companies are able to investigate multiple fleet options to optimise productivity.”

Demand for OEM simulators, conversion kits high, Immersive Tech says

Careers in mining, Mining equipment, Mining safety, Mining services, Mining software, , , , , , , , , , ,

Immersive Technologies says it has engaged in an “unprecedented level” of mining machine simulator development for a diverse range of original equipment manufacturers (OEM) over the past year.

This trend is set to continue with projects underway for new and existing customers to build simulators for heavy machinery manufactured by BELAZ, Caterpillar, Epiroc, Hitachi, Iveco, Komatsu, Liebherr, MACK and Volvo, the company said.

In the last 12 months, Immersive Technologies has released new simulator modules (Conversion Kits®), for Cat Line of Sight Remote Control, Cat 777E Truck, Komatsu 930E-5 Truck, Liebherr R9200 Excavator, Sandvik DD311-40C Jumbo, Volvo FH16 Light Truck and many more, it said.

Investment in Conversion Kits for multiple OEM machines is continuing unabated with projects in development within the next months for: BELAZ 75131 Truck, Cat 994K Wheel Loader, Hitachi EX5600-7 Shovel, Komatsu 730E-8 Truck, Letourneau L-2350 Gen 2 Wheel Loader, Liebherr R9800 Excavator, Mack GU813E Light Truck and others.

Projects are underway to produce simulators for machines manufactured by BELAZ, Caterpillar, Epiroc (formerly Atlas Copco), Hitachi, Iveco, Komatsu, Liebherr, MACK and Volvo.

Wayde Salfinger, Executive Director – Marketing at Immersive Technologies, said: “Our investment in simulators for a diverse range of OEM’s machines is increasing, driven by demand from our customers. Immersive has always and will continue to be focused foremost on the needs of our customers, most of whom operate mixed OEM fleets.”

Salfinger added: “Immersive Technologies’ acquisition by Komatsu will not change our strategy, we will continue to support machines from all OEMs; that’s what our customers expect.” Komatsu announced, just last month, that it would acquire the mining simulation and training specialist.

Immersive Technologies credits its ongoing growth in demand on its proven and verifiable success in increasing mine profitability by optimising the safety and productivity of equipment operators. “These results are driven by a clear focus on integrating people, process, and technology to reduce risk, quantify training impact and effectively managing the training process,” the company said.