Tag Archives: Toro

Sandvik introduces underground mining’s largest-capacity battery-electric truck

Sandvik is introducing what it says is the largest-capacity battery-electric truck for underground mining, with the release of the Sandvik TH665B. The unit was launched today, February 17, at The Electric Mine 2022 conference in Stockholm, Sweden by keynote speaker Henrik Ager, President of Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions.

With a 65-t-payload capacity, the Sandvik TH665B prototype is completing factory testing in California, USA. Finalisation of the trial agreement with Barminco and AngloGold Ashanti Australia will soon see the truck trialed at the Sunrise Dam gold mine in Western Australia to prove its viability in a long ramp haulage application before commercial production of the Sandvik TH665B is expected to commence in late 2023.

Following the introduction of the Sandvik TH550B 50-tonne battery-electric vehicle at MINExpo INTERNATIONAL® 2021, last September, Sandvik is continuing to execute on its BEV strategy by expanding its line of battery-electric trucks and loaders to include both larger and smaller size classes, it said. The Sandvik TH665B is engineered to improve productivity, sustainability and cost efficiency in bulk mining operations.

Henrik Ager states: “With more than 50 years’ experience in the design and manufacture of underground mining equipment, we’re proud to continue to lead the way in helping customers embrace more sustainable solutions. Our 65-t battery-electric truck is our latest development in helping mass hard-rock miners and contractors to make the shift towards more productive, emission-free mining.”

The Sandvik TH665B blends proven Sandvik design and advanced technology built around electric drivelines and battery systems. Due to an extremely efficient electric driveline, a fully loaded Sandvik TH665B is expected to be up to 30% faster on a 1:7 ramp than a comparable conventional diesel underground truck.

Each of the truck’s four wheels is equipped with independent drives, resulting in a simpler driveline, improved overall efficiency and maximum power output. The Sandvik TH665B electric drivetrain delivers 640 kW of continuous power, enabling high acceleration and fast ramp speeds, Sandvik said.

The truck is equipped with Sandvik’s patented self-swapping system, including the AutoSwap and AutoConnect functions, which enables battery swap in a matter of minutes, and without any major infrastructure like overhead cranes or other heavy-handling equipment. The Sandvik TH665B also features a new battery lifting system for improved reliability. Sandvik has redesigned the battery cage design to improve serviceability, enabling battery module changes without a need to remove the battery packs from the cage for service.

The new truck operator cabin uses the same design as the cabin of Sandvik’s Toro™ TH663i underground truck, with the cabin offering premium operator ergonomics with a significant number of adjustment possibilities to facilitate a comfortable operating environment, the company said. The central oscillation frame design results in stability, and front axle suspension, ensuring a smooth ride on rough roads. The cabin is equipped with joystick steering, large touchscreen colour display and the newest control system, providing easy access to equipment data.

Sandvik LH209L low-profile loader joins Toro family and receives Stage V engine treatment

The Sandvik 10-t-payload LH209L loader has become the first low-profile model to join the renowned Toro™ loader and truck family following an upgrade.

Designed to deliver in extremely demanding applications with limited heights, the Toro LH209L’s performance and serviceability have been further improved with, among other upgrades, a redesign and reinforcement of the machine rear, enabling it to better withstand ground and roof impacts that are typical in low-profile operations.

For improved serviceability, extremely flat covers contribute to easy access to the service and maintenance area on top of the loader. Other improvements to serviceability and reliability include new improved aluminium coolers, new transmission and several changes to the hydraulic system with its components.

From an equipment health monitoring and proactive maintenance perspective, the Toro LH209L is equipped with a new operator interface with 7-in (178 mm) display, providing access to the simple and purpose-designed control system. The interface offers basic information about the loader condition and warns the operator before failures occur, preventing severe damage or potential downtime.

The machine is powered by 185-kW, 8-liter engines from Volvo Penta, coming in both EU Stage V and Stage 3A compliant variants.

To reduce particle emissions, both engines are available with a diesel particulate filter (DPF). The Stage V engine comes with a DPF as standard, while the Stage 3A can be equipped with a DPF, if ultra-low-sulphur fuel is available at the operating site.

For further reduced exhaust emissions, both engines can also use paraffinic diesel fuel that meets the requirements of EN 15940, contributing to lower environmental impacts as well as reduced consumption of fossil fuel. The Stage V engine option also features selective catalytic reduction exhaust gas technology to reduce emissions of nitrogen oxides.

Sandvik upgrades Toro TH320, TH330 underground mining trucks

Sandvik has upgraded its Toro TH320 20-t and Toro TH330 (pictured) 30-t trucks to, it says, reduce customers’ costs of ownership and improve productivity.

With a hardy structure, compact size and fit-for-purpose components, the trucks are built to be robust and reliable and tailored to meet productivity targets in challenging underground environments, according to the company.

Both upgraded trucks come with a 235 kW Tier 3 Volvo Penta engine with catalytic purifier and muffler, delivering long engine lifetime in underground mining conditions. The 8 litre engine has a  high-tech injection system that contributes to an efficient combustion and low fuel consumption, Sandvik says. Furthermore, it is calibrated for use in high-altitude conditions without sacrificing performance or reliability.

The heavy-duty and efficient aluminium cooler has “outstanding” corrosion resistance and is easy to clean, helping to reduce total cost of ownership, Sandvik says. To minimise brake and transmission overheating and brake wear as well as to provide better control of downhill speed, the trucks can be equipped with an optional engine brake.

Sandvik has equipped the trucks with new heavy-duty axles using limited slip differential to maintain traction, which are expected to have an extended lifetime compared with the previous models.

“We have really worked to improve availability and reliability and reduce the time needed for servicing or maintenance,” Pia Sundberg, Product Line Manager, Trucks, at Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions, says. “For fast ramp speeds when hauling ore, we have equipped these trucks with a new transmission with automatic gear shifting and torque converter lock-up.”

To increase uptime, Sandvik has also made upgrades to enable easy and fast maintenance. The trucks are designed for daily ground-level maintenance. When accessing the top of the equipment is required, the entirely new access system on the front of the truck provides a steady grip, including three-point contact high-contrast handles and anti-slip steps. The proven hydraulic system of the truck is simple and reliable, contributing to ease of maintenance and lower total cost of ownership.

Sandvik merges automation, cable electrification and battery tech with Toro LH514BE

Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions has merged three of its established technologies into one loader with the Toro™ LH514BE. This loader is an AutoMine® compatible cable-electric loader, boosted with battery technology.

The Toro LH514BE, which IM first talked about in 2020, looks like a traditional electric loader while in operation, with a trailing cable connected to the mine electric grid, but the technology is not “ordinary”, Sandvik says.

“When this loader needs to be moved to another area or to the maintenance bay, the difference is clearly visible: the power cable is disconnected from the electric grid,” the company explains. “While the operator drives the loader to the new location, Toro LH514BE gets its power solely from its battery. This battery-assist enables easy relocating and suitability for ramp drive.”

One of the noteworthy features of the new loader is the elimination of refuelling or recharging stops. There is no diesel engine that would require fuelling, and the battery does not need to be swapped because it is recharging during operation.

The loader produces no exhaust emissions and significantly less heat than conventional equipment based on combustion, supporting mines in improving sustainability by reducing CO2 emissions, Sandvik says. As a battery chemistry, the Toro LH514BE uses lithium-iron phosphate chemistry, which, the company says, is a fit-for-purpose choice for underground mining environments.

The Toro LH514BE is available with Sandvik’s automation system AutoMine, which allows a fleet of equipment to be converted into an autonomous production system, providing significant safety and productivity improvements for mine operations. The Toro LH514BE can be delivered with AutoMine, or the system can be easily retrofitted later during the loader’s lifetime.

As standard, the loader features Sandvik’s intelligent control system and a 7-in touchscreen display, providing easy access to data. General battery health and status monitoring data, as well as battery charge information, is also available on the control system diagnostics. As usual in Sandvik’s large loaders, the integrated weighing system option measures payload data and records the results to My Sandvik Digital Services Knowledge Box™. The Knowledge Box transfers the data to the My Sandvik internet portal for visualisation of fleet health, productivity and utilisation. The OptiMine® solution can also use transferred data for improving mining process efficiency.

Sandvik celebrates 50 years of the Toro load and haul heritage

Sandvik is celebrating the 50th birthday of its renowned Toro™ family of loaders and trucks for underground hard-rock mines.

This name has been recognised for decades, with the bull figure and the word Toro symbolising both a rich history and a promising future, Sandvik says.

The history of the bull at Sandvik dates to September 3, 1971, when the first Toro loader started its engine in Tampere, Finland. It was a Toro 100DH loader with a “massive” (at the time) 1.5-t carry capacity. Later on, the design and production facilities moved to Turku, which became the home base of the Toro family.

In 2020, after 15 years of dormancy, Sandvik reintroduced this old family name again.

“Today, the Toro family is characterised by design principles of safety, strength and intelligence,” Sandvik says.

“Safety is everything for those who work underground with heavy equipment, and it is the number one driver in the product design.

“In addition to safety of operators and maintenance personnel, the design needs to be sound from a sustainability perspective. Strength and power are at the very heart of the old Toro heritage and robust design, reliability and performance in the most demanding conditions are also the foundations for the current offering.

“The third element, being smart, evolves quickly. Sophisticated digital systems such as Sandvik’s AutoMine® and OptiMine® offerings are fine examples of intelligence, but smart solutions are needed all over the equipment, including operator ergonomics, easy maintenance access and component layouts.”

On August 31, Sandvik introduced a new i-series 15 t loader, the Toro™ LH515i, which was launched in Canada.

The Toro family includes loaders and trucks in all size classes and for all market areas. The key technologies are diesel-powered loaders and trucks, cable-electric loaders, and, as a newcomer, a battery-assisted loader that, according to Sandvik, is making an entry on the marketplace very soon.

Sandvik bolsters Toro LHD line up with LH515i

Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions says it is launching a new, higher-capacity 15-t size class loader as a next generation model for the current 14-t Sandvik LH514.

The 15-t Toro™ LH515i has one tonne greater capacity than its predecessor, yet it is designed to operate within the same footprint. This new member of the Toro family has been redesigned from the ground up, leveraging all of the benefits of its predecessor, while improving the design based on customer feedback, according to the company.

The new loader has been designed following the principles of intelligence and simplicity, Sandvik says. The Toro LH515i features a totally new Sandvik intelligent control system with 12-in touchscreen colour display, making loader health monitoring easy, providing quick access to data and enabling new solutions for efficient troubleshooting, the company says.

“With a multitude of smart technologies and optimised for use with Sandvik’s AutoMine® and OptiMine® systems, Toro LH515i brings digitalisation to the operator’s fingertips, enabling optimal productivity,” Sandvik says. “To ensure quick and efficient maintenance, the loader features easy access to service points, roomy component layout organised to facilitate servicing and excellent access to systems, both in the cabin and on top of the equipment.”

The loader features an entirely new cabin designed to provide an ergonomic working environment for operators during long shifts, including increased leg space, new seat and dashboard and improved visibility over the extremely flat rear frame of the loader.

The Toro LH515i is available with two different engine configurations from Volvo Penta: the 265 kW Stage V diesel engine, and the 256 kW Tier III engine.

Equipped with selective catalytic reduction exhaust gas technology and a new diesel particulate filter, the Stage V configuration meets very stringent emission regulations. To further help to reduce their greenhouse gas footprint, both versions of engines are fully compatible with paraffinic diesel fuels meeting the EN 15940 standard, Sandvik says.

The launch of the new loader is part of Sandvik celebrating the 50-year journey of Toro loaders and trucks.

RUC Cementation bolsters Edna May fleet with Sandvik Toro LHD

RUC Cementation Mining Contractors has acquired a new Sandvik Toro™ LH517i loader for its underground mining operations, looking to deploy it at Ramelius Resources’ Edna May gold operation in Western Australia.

The Toro LH517i loader represents the latest in LHD technology to improve performance and reliability as well as enhanced machine data and performance analytics, RUC Cementation said.

Barry Upton, RUC Cementation Managing Director, said the company was pleased to take delivery of the new machine, which is planned to significantly enhance LHD performance across the fleet at Edna May, and it was looking forward to tapping into the benefits the intelligent series of loaders was able to offer.

The Toro LH517i loader is a matching pair with the Sandvik TH551i truck, considering the designed payload capacities.

It features the latest Sandvik Intelligent Control System and My Sandvik Digital Services Knowledge Box™ on-board hardware as standard. The unit is also fully ready for automation, requiring just a few days for AutoMine® retrofit implementation, according to Sandvik.

The Edna May operation produced 26,632 oz of gold in the June quarter.

Sandvik releases ‘totally new’ Toro LH410 underground loader

Sandvik says it is getting ready for an eventful loader and truck year in 2021, both in terms of launching new equipment and introducing upgraded versions of existing models, with the first such release being the “totally renewed” 10-t-payload Toro™ LH410 underground LHD.

The new Toro LH410 loader builds on the best parts of its predecessor, the Sandvik LH410. However, following the footmarks set by Sandvik’s large intelligent loaders, the now introduced Toro LH410 is full of new features, making it, in practice, a totally new machine, Sandvik says.

The Toro LH410 offers best-in-class performance in productivity, for example, by means of high ramp speeds and fast bucket filling. To make truck loading easy, it features superior lift height compared with any other loader of the same size class, Sandvik says. The renewed loader also features Sandvik Intelligent Control System, with a 7 in touch screen display as a user interface, enabling multiple new options to tailor each loader according to customer needs.

Kimmo Ulvelin, Product Line Manager Small and Low Profile Loaders at Sandvik, said: “With all its features, this truly is an advanced and intelligent piece of equipment, definitely comparable to the large i-series loaders – but naturally in a smaller package.

“We want to offer our customers possibilities for sophisticated and intelligent equipment also in the middle size class; and therefore Toro LH410 has the same Sandvik Intelligent Control System as the large Toro LH517i and Toro LH621i loaders, with the available traction control, operator speed assist and integrated weighing system, to name a few. Also, Toro LH410 is fully compatible with AutoMine® solutions. From new features specifically relating to safety, we could mention eg a new retrieval hook, updated door interlock, improved access ways and new type of fire suppression system options.”

The engine range of the Toro LH410 loader includes multiple different diesel engines, starting from a powerful and fuel-efficient Tier II and ending up with the Stage V engine option. The Stage V engine uses passive DPF regeneration taking place during normal operation, minimising downtime. Its modulating engine brake provides better control of vehicle speed downhill while also minimising brake and transmission overheating and brake wear, Sandvik said.

During 2021, new product launches and upgrades are expected to be released to further strengthen the Toro family.

Sandvik goes back to Toro legacy for underground load and haul line

Sandvik is reintroducing the Toro™ family name to its underground hard-rock loaders and trucks, with some of its i-series models set for the treatment later this year.

The Toro family name has been recognised by Sandvik underground mining customers for decades and now Sandvik is bringing back the bull, firstly with the large intelligent loaders Toro LH517i and Toro LH621i, it said.

“Toro, ‘the bull’, has traditionally symbolised the strength of Sandvik underground hard-rock loaders and trucks since the first model was introduced in the early 1970s,” Sandvik said. “Even though the family name has not been used for 15 years, it has never disappeared from the thoughts of the company and many of its customers.”

For the new generation of Sandvik loaders and trucks, the Toro stands for safer, stronger and smarter, according to Sandvik.

Wayne Scrivens, VP Product Line, Load and Haul, explained: “Safety is at the forefront of our product design and crucial for those who work in or around our loaders and trucks. We also believe that environmentally-sound solutions and sustainability principles firmly belong with safety.

“Being strong and powerful is at the very heart of the old Toro. To be robust, reliable and productive in the most demanding of conditions is part of our heritage, and we will keep that with us going forward. Being smart involves seamless integration with Sandvik’s AutoMine® and OptiMine® offering, but it is also about innovation and smart design: eg how we arrange maintenance access, improve efficiency and reduce waste. Developing intelligence on all frontiers is, and will be, one of the key elements of the Toro going forward.”

The large intelligent loaders Toro LH517i and Toro LH621i now come with several design upgrades aimed to further boost productivity, reduce total cost of ownership and improve operator experience, Sandvik said.

Both loaders can now be equipped with a Stage V engine, meeting the most stringent current emission regulations. Operator speed assist, a new feature that will be available with the Stage V engine option, specifically supports downhill tramming and preserves the equipment brakes as the Sandvik Intelligent Control System can be set to limit maximum speed, the company said.
A new traction control system, available as an option, reduces wheel spin and slippage when penetrating the muck pile, extending tyre lifetime.

Finally, a Digital Trainer training simulator has been added to the load and haul equipment range, offering a compact and flexible solution for the safe training of operators, with authentic controls and real loader control system, Sandvik said.

As matching pairs for the large loaders, the 51 t Toro TH551i and 63 t Toro TH663i trucks will be among the first equipment models to acquire the Toro family name.

Both trucks have recently benefitted from several significant design upgrades including, for example, a new transmission, heavy-duty cooler, AutoMine for Trucks with on-surface navigation possibility and an ongoing Stage V engine trial.

Scrivens said: “Customer feedback on the i-series trucks indicates that overall maintenance costs have decreased compared to their predecessors, the Sandvik TH551 and Sandvik TH663: we have also received the same customer feedback on LH517i and LH621i loaders. Reducing costs in addition to the already-reported positive operator feedback clearly shows we are on the right track, which befits the Toro family.”

The fifth model acquiring the Toro family name is the world’s largest payload capacity underground loader, Toro LH625iE. This features a 25,000 kg payload capacity and is electrically powered by a trailing cable.

The Toro LH625iE loader builds on well-proven technology, but also features the i-series intelligence needed for connectivity and digital solutions, Sandvik said.