Tag Archives: underground loading

Komatsu brings WX11 to the 10-t-class underground loader market

Mining equipment, , , , ,

Komatsu has introduced to the global market the new WX11 LHD, an 11-tonne loader that, it says, offers best-in-class breakout force and best-in-class payload helping to maximise productivity and provide a lower total cost of ownership.

The WX11 showcases Komatsu’s commitment to providing underground hard-rock miners with an exceptional load, haul and dump solution, integrating next-generation data management capabilities, operator ergonomics, intuitive controls and compliance with EU Stage V emission requirements, the company says. As a new model within the Komatsu hard-rock family of products, the WX11 is designed to be a class-leading LHD for all underground mine operators and contractors, offerering an 8-10% payload boost above other machines in its class.

“With ease of operability, superior performance and ground-level maintenance position, the WX11 has several competitive edges in the 10-t LHD class,” it said.

It comes with rated horsepower of 209 kW at 2,000 rpm, an operating weight of 35,250 kg, several available engine certifications, adjustable ride control and on-board telemetry. Additionally, it is fitted with new heavy-duty, hard-rock Komatsu axles with SAHR brakes, Komatsu cylinders and accumulators, swing-out radiator fan assemblies to support quick washdowns, optimised kinematics for superior breakout and tilt force, and all-new engineered structures to support the additional 10% payload capacity.

Ryan Karns, Director of LHD and Truck Products at Komatsu, said: “The WX11 is a game changer for hard-rock miners. Developed through a close partnership between our experienced team and our long-time customers, this product reflects a shared commitment to design excellence. The WX11 is the LHD every miner will want to have in their operation.”

Caterpillar lowers UG mining costs, downtime with release of bolt-together LHD buckets

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

Caterpillar has launched “bolt-together” buckets for underground loaders that, it says, offer the same strength and durability as standard buckets, but reduce time and costs associated with transportation, assembly and rework procedures for underground mining.

The new bolt-together bucket does not require skilled maintenance operators for underground welding, resulting in a reduced safety risk, according to the company. On top of that, the design allows for efficient underground assembly, where the loader is working, to cut replacement time and lead to lower machine downtime and higher productivity.

“Optimised for moving abrasive underground materials, the new bucket design includes improved material thickness for increased strength and a rigid bucket assembly to aid in easier edge installation and removal,” Caterpillar says. “High-grade, 400 BHN materials used for bucket assembly components and high-grade wear protection ground engagement tools (GET) on the removeable shroud assembly deliver a long bucket service life for better cost saving and productivity. With proper GET selection and management, the Cat bolt-together bucket is designed to last through the first machine overhaul period to reduce replacement downtime.”

The buckets are modular in design for quick installation and removal, with the Cat GET available for the new bolt-together buckets including three edge options – bolt-on half arrow, modular weld-on and Durilock – shroud segments, and rock guard to deliver reduced downtime and accelerated repair.

The new bolt-together bucket is available in a range of capacities from 5.3-7.5 cu.m, specially designed for the Cat R1600H, R1700G, R1700 and R1700 XE LHD models. They are built in the same factory and go through the same stringent quality control process as Cat equipment and are supported by the global Cat dealer network, the company says.

Sandvik bolsters Toro underground loader range with the Toro LH307

Automation, Mining equipment, , , , ,

Sandvik has added a new loader to its rapidly expanding Toro™ family, with the Toro LH307.

In addition to featuring a multitude of design updates and new options to both hardware and software, the Toro LH307 loader also carries more tonnes than its predecessor, the 6.7 t Sandvik LH307, with the new model’s payload capacity increased to 7 t when equipped with the standard 3 cu.m bare lip bucket.

Among the new options designed to improve productivity are, for example, the Sandvik integrated weighing system IWS and traction control, both already available for the larger Sandvik loaders. The integrated weighing system measures the payload when lifting the boom, as well as the number of buckets filled during a shift, and records the results to My Sandvik Digital Services Knowledge Box™. Payload monitoring assists in maximising productivity by optimising loads, reducing overloading and helping to identify training needs. The traction control system reduces wheel slippage when penetrating to the muck pile and filling the bucket, extending tire lifetime and decreasing rubber waste.

As part of upgrading the 7 t loader, specific attention has been applied to digitalisation readiness. The loader has benefitted from control system upgrades, including 7 in touch screen colour display for the operator as standard.

The loader has been designed for use with AutoMine®, Sandvik’s advanced mining automation system for increased safety, productivity and reduced cost. AutoMine integration can be achieved by ordering an optional on-board package for the new loader for immediate autonomous use, or by selecting the automation-readiness option, allowing easy retrofitting of AutoMine later in the loader’s lifetime. Sandvik OptiMine®, also available as an option, delivers descriptive and predictive insights to improve operations and data analytics.

To serve varying customer and country specific needs, two 160 kW engine alternatives are available, both from Volvo Penta. The standard engine is an 8-litre EU Stage III A, capable of operating on diesel fuels with up to 3,000 parts per million sulphur content, whereas the optional EU Stage IV requires ultra-low sulphur diesel fuel.

The Stage III A engine also has an optional passive diesel particulate filter exhaust reduction system. To reduce emissions and consumption of fossil fuel, both engines can also use paraffinic fuel, thereby meeting EN 15940 requirements.

Epiroc and Combitech continue to break new ground in mine automation

Automation, Base metals, Communications in mining, IoT, Mining equipment, Mining safety, Mining services, Mining software, , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

After three years of collaboration, Epiroc and Combitech’s traffic management solution for autonomous loaders at underground mines is coming to fruition.

In 2017, Epiroc and Combitech started to work on this technological leap. Together, they have combined technology from Epiroc and SAAB’s civilian product portfolio with knowledge of the way traffic management is to be systematised and developed.

At the end of the same year, a prototype, or ‘proof of concept’, was delivered and evaluated in Epiroc’s test mine outside Örebro, Sweden.

Eighteen months later, in spring 2019, the solution was installed and used at an Australia gold mine.

This solution is called Epiroc Scooptram Automation Total and is included in Epiroc’s 6th Sense offering.

“This solution, in which autonomous machines can perform complete assignments and interact with each other in a shared area, is much sought after within the mining industry,” Robert Raschperger, Consultant for Epiroc and Combitech’s Product Development Manager, said. “It is a matter of being able to create an even flow of material, avoid locking between machines in production and move employees away from an unsafe environment.”

The solution’s driver is a proprietary module known as the Traffic Management System (TMS). It allows machines to share roads, service locations and loading and dumping sites without collisions or locking events.

The module is generic inasmuch as it is applicable to other autonomous solutions, whereby machines, drones and trucks are able to independently perform pre-defined tasks, eg travelling from point ‘a’ to point ‘b’, and depositing a load.

Epiroc’s strategy is an “open automation system” that means other machine manufacturers can be integrated into the solution, such as integrating a remotely operated MacLean water cannon into the Epiroc automation fleet at Newcrest Mining’s Cadia East operation in New South Wales, Australia.

As well as the TMS module, there is the Fleet Management System (FMS) to automate assignment and resource management so that the mine operator can focus on the work to be performed, eg transporting 1,600 t from point ‘a’ and dumping it at point ‘b’. The system decides which machines to be used, when they should operate and which routes they should take.

The FMS module is based on the SAFE (Situational Awareness For Enhanced security) platform, which has been developed within the SAAB group.

The TMS and FMS modules are integrated into the mine’s overall production management, so work orders are received, implemented and reported in order of priority, while, at the same time, the system attends to other machinery and parts of the production flow, eg ore crushers and ore transportation systems.

Mattias Pettersson, Global Portfolio Manager Loaders, Epiroc’s Underground division, said: “Interoperability and openness have been key words in the development of Epiroc’s automation system and, thanks to this, the collaboration with a partner like Combitech has also worked extremely well.

“Besides the technical advancements made and the new functions, which we have succeeded to develop in record time, I’m almost more impressed with our collaboration and partnership. The future of digitalisation and automation development depends on our success in integrating different systems – where collaboration between people and organisations is just as vital as the technical aspects.”

Raschperger added: “A key to our success is that our team has different skillsets. Some of us are good at traffic-management logic, ie sending data and coordinating traffic patterns. Others are good at acquainting themselves with end-user problems, work culture and human-to-machine interaction. We also have sound expertise in development of systems so they meet the stringent demands around availability in a mine, typically 24/7, plus how modern software development should be set up and managed.

“It’s enjoyable seeing how knowledge can be used in new ways, and what results are attainable through collaboration.”

Epiroc’s Scooptram Automation Total allows machine operators to carry out remote work safely in a control room above ground level, where they can share the overall situation in real time and carry out tasks that still call for a human being’s experience and precision. The operators have good insight into what is happening within the production environment and can take over machines as and when necessary to carry out non-automated tasks.

The latest addition to the solution is the option of “easy control” of the security system that protects employees from harm if they accidentally enter the autonomous production area, Epiroc says.

“Putting it simply, various sections and passageways are permitted to be closed or opened for autonomous operation, allowing the mining operator to send in manned machines without stopping autonomous production any more than is necessary,” the company explained. “The function also supports smooth check-in and check-out of autonomous or remote-controlled machinery.”

Raschperger concluded: “With this solution we are breaking new ground, as we are bringing manual and autonomous operations closer to each other. A fully-autonomous mine is still a long way off, but the latest addition to the solution allows mining companies to actually proceed towards autonomous operation and increases the degree of utilisation of the investment in infrastructure, machinery and employees.”

This is an edited version of an Epiroc story that first appeared here: https://www.epiroc.com/en-uk/newsroom/2020/the-route-to-an-autonomous-mine

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

IoT, Mining equipment, Mining services, , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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.