Caterpillar® dealer WesTrac has today launched a new Technology Experience Centre in Tomago, New South Wales, built to showcase the latest in equipment, technology and innovation.

The new state-of-the-art centre provides customers with a hands-on experience to demonstrate the advantages of using the latest Cat products and technology in mining and construction, the company says.

The education and training facility features a dedicated Remote Operator Station, where visitors can remotely operate a Cat 320 next generation hydraulic excavator, located in the on-site WesTrac dig pit. The operator station can also be configured for the remote operation of multiple other Cat machines from mini excavators and skid steer loaders to large mining equipment such as dozers and drills.

The Technology Experience Centre also includes the latest in 3D printing solutions as well as live demonstrations of cutting-edge technology including Cat MineStar technology. The Cat MineStar technology suite includes solutions for precision machine control and guidance, automation, remote operation, fleet health optimisation and fatigue monitoring.

Cat MineStar Command enables remote-control operations right through to full automation of machines, providing customers with a number of operational benefits. WesTrac and Caterpillar successfully deployed Command for drilling in partnership with Thiess, which saw a world first for Caterpillar with the successful remote operation of three drill rigs by a single operator. The team have also deployed Command line of sight and non-line of sight dozer solutions across multiple mine sites in New South Wales.

The centre demonstrates how WesTrac and Caterpillar’s technology can be incorporated into a variety of operations, increasing site safety, productivity, efficiency and sustainability, it says. it also adds a new element to the suite of information already available on owning and operating Cat equipment.

The new facility is supported by the WesTrac Training Institute that offers accredited and post trade training to both customers and team members, including operator training for the effective operation of Cat equipment using the latest technology systems.

WesTrac Chief Executive NSW/ACT, Adrian Howard, says the Technology Experience Centre reinforces WesTrac’s commitment to helping mining and heavy construction customers implement better technology into their fleets.

“The centre will greatly benefit our customers by delivering a practical and educational experience with the cutting-edge technology used by WesTrac and our Cat products,” he says. “We want our customers to walk away from the Technology Experience Centre feeling confident about using technology to deliver improved safety and productivity outcomes to their operations.

“Importantly, we want them to understand that these technologies are readily available, they can realise the benefits of them immediately and we’re there to assist them with deployment and continued support. The opening of the Technology Experience Centre in Tomago is an important occasion for the future of technology at WesTrac and I want to congratulate the WesTrac team for turning this vision into a reality.”

General Manager Resource Industries NSW/ACT, Jody Scott, says the Technology Experience Centre was designed to provide a facility for both new buyers and existing customers at WesTrac.

“We wanted a space where we could provide our customers with greater insight into both the competitive advantage of Cat products and the ongoing development of future technology at WesTrac,” he says. “When designing the centre, it was vital for customer experience to remain at the forefront, which is why it can accommodate meeting spaces and events as well as training with the Cat products our customers have invested in.

“We have a skilled and experienced team based at the Technology Experience Centre, ready to deliver comprehensive and tailored technology training experiences that are unrivalled in thhee industry.”