MINING TRUCKS
75131 which has a dominant market share globally in this class ranging from 60 to 85 %.” Negotiations started at the end of 2017 with PT Tambang Raya Usaha Tama( TRUST) being a wholly owned contractor of BANPU Group from Thailand culminating in Q1 2018 with a new contract for seven machines to be delivered to the site at Kalimantan area at the end of August 2018. The BELAZIA team has also signed a recent contract for supply of six units of 55 t 7555B trucks to the Philippines for Geo-Transport & Construction, which has several limestone projects in Cebu province. The trucks will be fully operating at the site around August-September 2018.
Komatsu’ s introduces the HD1500-8
Komatsu has released the HD1500-8 mechanical drive dump truck, a 142 t capacity hauler designed to reduce cost per tonne through such features as highest payload in its class, faster cycle times, improved fuel efficiency, longer component life and enhanced maintainability. It replaces Komatsu’ s successful HD1500-7, introduced in 2008 and with more than 50 units operating in Australia working in mining applications across coal, gold and nickel.
“ Our new HD1500-8 truck will further build on the success the HD1500-7 has had in Australia,” said Scott Harrington, Komatsu Australia’ s National Product Manager, Mining.“ It’ s a completely new, redesigned truck, developed using principles developed by the Earth Moving Equipment Safety Round Table( EMESRT) to ensure high standards of safety and harm minimisation,” he said.
“ This new truck builds on the performance and reliability characteristics of the HD1500-7, as well as incorporating technological advances from our proven HD785-7, such as the Komatsu Traction Control System. It will deliver our customers outstanding productivity due to its high payload and high engine power, enabling faster cycle times. We estimate it will provide a further 6 % cost per tonne advantage compared with the HD1500-7, through reduced operating costs due to component life improvements, improved fuel efficiency and better maintainability,” he said.
Power comes from a 16 cylinder Komatsu SDA16V159-3 engine, based on the Cummins QSK50 Tier 2 diesel( also available in fueloptimised calibration), rated at 1175 kW gross – a 6 % increase in power over the 12-cylinder Komatsu SDA12V160 powering the HD1500-7.“ While this engine is new to the Australian imported HD1500-8, it’ s been used across other Komatsu mining products, and is well-proven in the industry,” said Harrington.
Fuel efficiency is improved compared with the previous model through a number of engine management and control features, including: n Komatsu“ on demand” energy saving technologies, such as variable displacement pumps for the steering and hoist circuits n Improved hydraulic pressure management for the transmission system n Operator feedback systems, including ECO fuel saving guidance on the in-cab monitor to encourage more fuel-efficient operation n Operator selectable operating modes, with a choice of“ Power” or“ Economy” mode depending on operating conditions and haul road profiles. A key element in the truck’ s improved fuel
The new Komatsu 1500-8 124 t class truck
efficiency, higher productivity and increased safety is a completely revamped transmission system which offers a seven-speed automatic transmission with selectable reverse gear ratio. This is combined with the electronically controlled technologies introduced in the HD785- 7, and designed to optimise operating efficiency. These include: n K-Atomics, electronic shift control with automatic clutch modulation in all gears, optimising clutch engagement for smoother shifting without any loss of torque n Komatsu Traction Control System( KTCS); this system, introduced on the HD785-7 truck, continuously – and automatically – monitors the rear wheels’ rotating speeds and vehicle speed to minimise wheel slip, maximising traction, improving productivity and extending tyre life n Komatsu Automatic Retard Speed Control( ARSC) which allows the operator to easily set a downhill travel speed and go down inclines at a constant speed, allowing them to fully concentrate on steering.
“ We’ ve also significantly upgraded the transmission and rear axle components to ensure improved maintainability and durability,” said Harrington. Reliability and durability have been further enhanced through a redesigned highrigidity frame, incorporating castings in highstress locations where loads and shocks are most concentrated. In addition, the HD1500-8 incorporates a payload monitoring system( PLM) which assists in managing the payload of each haul cycle, as well as analysing production volumes and working conditions.
The PLM has also allowed Komatsu to introduce a“ loading policy” for the truck, providing guidelines for ensuring correct target payloads are achieved every haul cycle –“ maximising productivity, reducing operating costs, and extending the life of tyres, brakes and other components,” said Harrington. Improving maintainability was another important design aim in developing the new truck. To achieve this, the Australian-spec truck includes such features as a centrally located service centre on the bottom part of the steering / hoist tank, allowing changing of engine oil, coolant, transmission oil, steering hoist oil, and brake cooling oil at a common location; centralised filters; maintenance-free engine cooling fan drive belt, with tension maintained by an auto-tensioner pulley; auto-greasing system which automatically supplies grease to each point at a preset number of hours; the reservoir’ s refill port is accessible from ground level; easy radiator tube replacement with individual cooling tubes held in headers with flexible seals for easy to removal and installation; a battery isolation switch; LED headlamps and tail-lights; and Flange-type tyre rims.
Komatsu has also made use of the latest information communications technology( ICT) developments to further improve reliability and maintainability, increase site and operator safety, and enhance productivity and efficiency. These include a KOMVISION camera and radar system, with six cameras and eight radar units providing full situational awareness for the operator of nearby machines, site vehicles, personnel and hazards; the latest KOMTRAX Plus machine monitoring system, to analyse the vehicle operation as well as machine health condition; and a road condition analysis system, using suspension cylinder pressures to map haul road conditions, allowing the development of optimal travel speed guidelines and schedule road maintenance – further contributing to maximising vehicle availability.
Safety and operator comfort have also been upgraded on the new truck, including the provision of a new ergonomically designed
MAY 2018 | International Mining 19