SURFACE LOADING
Optimised loading tools
For this year ’ s surface loading report , Paul Moore homes in on the latest awareness and digital technologies as well as new bucket designs & GET approaches that are assisting operators to optimise shovel production
While there have been some important new mining shovel launches and improvements in recent years , notable examples being the Komatsu P & H 4800XPC rope shovel , Cat ’ s improved 7495 , plus Liebherr ’ s R 9600 and Caterpillar ’ s Next Generation hydraulic excavators beginning with the 6060 , a lot of progress in surface mine loading has been made via enhancements in areas such as optimisation of systems , digitalisation , teleremote operation &
operator assist .
This was highly visible at MINExpo 2021 last September where a Cat ® Next Generation 6060 Hydraulic Mining Shovel cab display showed off the latest optimised electronic architecture . The design fully integrates Cat Electronics and provides a platform to support innovation and technology expansion . Next generation shovels will feature five standard technologies , including Hydraulic Optimization , Operator Assist : Enhanced Motion Control ( EMC ), Product Link™ Elite , Vision 360 and Payload . Cat next generation shovels include Hydraulic Optimization , which creates significant fuel
efficiency savings . “ Conventional hydraulic systems operate all pumps at the maximum required flow and pressure , resulting in metering loss and excess heat and waste . Cat optimised hydraulics deliver the exact flow and pressure required for each hydraulic function , improving efficiency by up to 15 %, reducing heat , mitigating
waste and prolonging component lives .” Operator Assist : EMC incorporates angle sensors on the linkage to calculate boom and stick positioning . Reducing pressure spikes and shock feedback to the operator , the control system slows stick / boom movement as it nears the end of the cylinder stroke . This prevents hard stops and metal-to-metal contacts , improving the service life of these main structural components . With the new Product Link Elite hardware as
standard , all next generation shovels ship from the factory Cat MineStar™ Solutions ready . Product Link Elite improves condition monitoring and enables the machines to quickly integrate the industry ’ s most comprehensive suite of operational technologies . This includes MineStar Guide , a new technology platform for high-precision on-board guidance featured in the cab display . Guide offers 3D grade control and design visualisation of the site , loading material and block identification , operator and production key indicators , surface management , and equipment tracking . Both Product Link Elite and Guide were installed on the Next Generation 6060 cab at the event .
Retrofitting is also a vital part of Caterpillar ’ s expansion strategy to bring technology to existing shovels . “ This strategy ensures existing shovels can benefit from innovation and technology advances that help customers increase safety , reliability , and productivity . Vision 360 serves as the foundational technology for the scalable retrofit architecture .” The Vision 360 kit includes cameras with harnesses , an electronic control module ( ECM ), and a 254 mm high-definition , colour technology display with harness .
Vision 360 increases situational awareness by stitching together four camera views to provide the operator a 360-degree surround view on the technology display . The touchscreen display allows operators to toggle between views and the ability to focus on specific areas to increase safety or productivity . Vision 360 reduces blind spots and repositioning , alleviates potential safety hazards and lowers cycle times . These benefits increase operator confidence and efficiency , while reducing operator fatigue .
Caterpillar stated : “ With Vision 360 installed , integrating future technology
Komatsu ' s Argus Payload Monitoring ( PLM ) System has proven its worth on numerous shovels worldwide including the Komatsu P & H 4100XPC AC
upgrades , such as Cat Payload , will be seamless . Cat Payload optimises truckloads when being loaded by Cat hydraulic mining shovels . Sensors on the boom and stick measure the weight of the material in the bucket and send the data to the Vision 360 technology display in real-time . Payload automatically calculates the total amount of material loaded into each truck , preventing overloading and underloading .”
Also available for existing machines through the expansion strategy , new Product Link Elite gives mines a gateway for efficient integration of Cat MineStar Solutions . The scalable suite of MineStar technologies provides the ability to track , monitor , and manage the mining shovel .
MineStar can be deployed as a single technology or as a multipurpose solution to increase operating efficiency .
Following the Next Generation 6060 will come the 6040 followed by the remaining models . Greg Hepler , General Manager of Tracked Products – Resource Industries at Caterpillar Inc told IM at the show that going forward , following the
Inside the Next Generation Cat 6060 Hydraulic Shovel cab
International Mining | MARCH 2022