FLEET AUTOMATION
Liebherr begins validation of first autonomous fleet
Having completed comprehensive internal validation of its Autonomous Haulage Solution ( AHS ) at Liebherr ’ s Mining Technology Development Centre in the USA , Liebherr Mining has announced that it has deployed a fleet of four T 264 trucks to a customer minesite in Western Australia in Q3 2023 to support onsite validation . This marks a new stage of Liebherr ’ s strategy to accelerate development of a new autonomy product for the mining industry . “ After significant research , development , and program planning , Liebherr is excited to announce the commencement of onsite Autonomous Haulage Solution validation as we move to deploy the next generation of autonomy technology for mining equipment ,” says Scott Bellamy , Divisional General Manager , Product Management , for Liebherr Mining . “ This deployment not only represents Liebherr Mining ’ s market introduction of the AHS , but also highlights Liebherr ’ s continued expansion as a technology solution provider for the mining industry .” Liebherr ’ s flexible scope of supply solutions provide customers with scalable options – from autonomy ready haul trucks through to the fully integrated Liebherr AHS , also including a fully integrated Fleet Management System . Liebherr ’ s philosophy is to provide open architecture solutions , allowing customers the freedom to choose which best-inclass base machines , automation , traffic management , and fleet management systems will work best for their purposes . “ Along with the first deployment of the autonomy solution , Liebherr has expanded its autonomy project team to include onsite support for the duration of the AHS validation program ,” adds Bellamy . “ However , our focus is to ensure the organisation can support in the future not only this exciting project , but also future AHS deployments across multiple customers and regions .”
dynamic sites and opens the technology to a wide range of customers .”
In a first for mining events , xtonomy demonstrated a fully operational AHS live in a quarrying show at this year ’ s Steinexpo 2023 in Germany , from August 23-26 in cooperation with Germany ’ s Bell distributor Kiesel GmbH on a Bell B30E 4x4 . The event is held in Europe ’ s largest basalt quarry in Nieder-Ofleiden , which is operated by Mitteldeutsche Hartstein-Industrie AG . Visitors could observe how the machine operated in full autonomous cycles around the show grounds of the Quarry Vision area . The company told IM : “ It was an eye-opener to the industry that AI can be leveraged today to solve the biggest industry challenges such as safety , labor shortage , OEE , cost and ESG factors .”
On the wider market , after many years of development xtonomy adds that its AHS for trucks is now transitioning to full production and is currently being rolled out to several applications . “ The xtonomy AHS is designed for smaller truck fleets that may be fully orchestrated by the excavator or loader operator . Although the autonomous trucks automatically follow the excavator position on the bench and adapt queuing position , cusp point and loading position automatically , the operator may adapt all points to facilitate the process if needed .” No additional personnel is required to supervise the fleet as all underlying processes are fully automated . The system uses robust radar onboard mapping and object detection to continuously perceive the environment and with motion planners that freely plan the best routes “ and dynamically react to changes as opposed to driving from one fixed point to another on virtual rails .
“ Furthermore , it handles the interaction of multiple trucks in such unstructured environments . This is only possible through a very high degree of autonomy at highest system levels . Several safety layers guarantee a safe operation with safe radio comms , high-precision GPS , radar and Ultra-Wideband ( UWB ) localisation . Manned machines may be integrated into the ecosystem for safe interaction in complex scenarios .”
Finally , xtonomy says its autonomy system does not require uninterrupted coverage of highbandwidth comms throughout the mine-site which dramatically reduces the system implementation effort .
China ’ s EACON looks to go global
Established in 2018 , China ’ s EACON describes itself a pioneering force in delivering field-proven solutions for autonomous haulage and zeroemission truck engineering in open-pit mines : “ Our mission revolves around creating a secure , intelligent , and sustainable future for the mining industry .”
EACON has currently deployed over 150 autonomous trucks across two coal mines and a quarry . The earliest coal mine stripping project has been operational for more than three years , and as of June 2022 , it has transitioned to 24 / 7 continuous operation without the need for safety drivers on board .
On July 18 , EACON held a launch ceremony for the deployment of 100 hybrid autonomous mining trucks , the new EACON136 . EACON took the lead in designing the core components of this vehicle model , which include a plug-in hybrid electric drive system , an intelligent vehicle-wide energy management system , a specialised range
extender system for large-tonnage mining trucks , wire-controlled braking , and a fully hydraulic wire-controlled steering system . “ These trucks can handle 90 t payloads , conquer 35 % slopes , and reach 45 km / h . With 25 patented technologies , these trucks offer enhanced safety , efficiency , and reliability .”
EACON adds that its strategic partner , OEM LGMG , has been instrumental in truck production and the assembly of autonomous driving hardware . Recently , 102 new trucks have been successfully delivered , and autonomous driving testing has commenced at the mine site . EACON deployed these trucks at the South Pit of TBEA , China ' s highest-capacity coal mine , marking one of the largest fleets of autonomous mining trucks within a single mine worldwide .
With the maturation of autonomous driving technology , EACON has also embarked on expanding its overseas operations . The current focal markets include Australia , Chile , and the Middle East .
In June 2023 , EACON established a subsidiary in Australia to support its endeavours in these regions . “ Our expansion into Australia was motivated by its robust mining industry , favourable regulatory environment for autonomous driving , rich talent pools , and strong Sino-Australian trade relations .”
EACON Australia is currently engaging with potential partners to initiate pilot projects , offering two primary solutions for the Australian market . One is a comprehensive retrofit plan that transforms mainstream mining truck models into self-driving ones , regardless of the OEM and model .
The company adds : “ Our truck engineering team , with over 30 talented individuals experienced in whole truck design and drive-bywire solutions , has experience of successfully retrofitting more than 200 mining trucks , prioritising safety and reliability . The second solution is to provide factory-installed autonomous battery electric mining trucks . These trucks , while having a payload capacity of 60-90 t , can effectively meet the haulage needs of gold mines , lithium mines and quarries without increasing labour costs , making them viable replacements for existing diesel fleet .”
When it comes to the Chilean market , apart from the aforementioned two solutions , EACON is also closely considering the potential for introducing its hybrid truck model , the EACON136 .
EACON ’ s aim it says is to bring field-proven autonomous system , refined over three years and across 150 + trucks in China , to global customers . “ We strive to provide localised , tailored functions and features that benefit not only large-scale mines but also small and medium-sized operations . Furthermore , we are actively
56 International Mining | SEPTEMBER 2023