HIGH PROFILE
Setting the battery system safety standard
Sandvik ’ s mining-focused , safety-conscious battery system design philosophy continues to set it apart
In the three-and-a-half years since Sandvik acquired Artisan Vehicle Systems , the mining industry ’ s appetite and demand for batteryelectric vehicle ( BEV ) solutions has grown exponentially .
From conversations that were concentrated to mainly North America and involved the trial of BEVs , the sector has moved on to discuss commercial , fleet-sized applications to be deployed across the globe .
Sandvik , itself , highlighted this in July with the award of its biggest BEV contract to date – a 20- strong equipment order from Foran Mining in Canada .
With this increased industry focus on underground electrification with the help of battery-electric equipment , the discussions around battery system safety have also stepped up in terms of both the number and complexity of conversations .
These are conversations Sandvik Mining and Rock Solutions ’ Battery and Hybrid Electric Vehicles ( BHEV ) Business Unit is more than prepared to have , according to the unit ’ s VP Strategy and Commercial , Jakob Rutqvist .
“ It ’ s on us as an early adopter to spread the learnings and help educate the industry in terms of battery safety and engaging with the stakeholders involved in the supply chain ,” he told IM .
Sandvik , with the help of Artisan , has clocked up hundreds of thousands of operating hours in terms of BEVs in mining over the last decade or so .
This has been underwritten by the Artisan battery system architecture , which has been designed to move with both mining market demands and battery technology .
Brian Huff , Vice President of Technology for the BHEV business unit , expands on this : “ We produce in-house battery systems , which gives us a lot of capability in terms of controlling the design . We can be much more reactive to the field in terms of making changes to the design , versus an OEM that is using batteries designed for automotive or industrial applications where those higher volumes tend to drive design decisions .
“ We don ’ t have that diversion of focus ; we do what is right for mining .”
Doing what is ‘ right for mining ’ has led to Sandvik investing in a state-of-the-art battery system facility in Camarillo , California , boasting 100 MWh of annual battery production capacity . This same facility acts as a training and customer visitor centre with a test ramp that has a 20 % grade and a whole area for mucking on the property .
Huff said on the latter : “ We will test every product that leaves the shop and do a lot of development work – our development cycle has ,
Sandvik has invested in a state-of-the-art battery system facility in Camarillo , California , boasting 100 MWh of annual battery production capacity
as a result , sped up .”
Beyond this , Sandvik ’ s mining sector commitment has seen the company invest in a battery system platform that – when it comes to safety – recognises the realities of operating machinery at underground mines .
Quality cells with the right chemistry
The inherent safety of Sandvik ’ s battery system starts at the cell level .
Artisan partnered with China-based CALB all the way back in 2015 as it looked to shore up a reliable and high-quality battery cell supply that could seamlessly fit into its battery system architecture .
Seven years on – half of that under the guise of Sandvik – Huff sees no reason to change .
“ What matters from a battery system safety standpoint is consistency and high-quality cells ,” he said . “ That is achieved through high-volume manufacturing tied with automation and production controls that ensure the quality of production .
“ CALB , which makes a lot of batteries for stationary and bus applications in China and globally , has all the compliance and testing completed on their cells and meet all the requirements from a safety standpoint .”
The battery cell manufacturer was also one of
30 International Mining | OCTOBER 2022