SURFACE MINING TRUCKS
Komatsu as FrontRunner
IM spoke to Komatsu Mining on its progress on everything from automation to trolley & zero emissions
Q Are you working toward developing FrontRunner automation capability for battery trucks and battery trolley trucks ? A Yes , Komatsu Autonomous Haulage System ( AHS ) capabilities will be incorporated as one of the features that will be available on the Komatsu power agnostic truck platform as an option .
Q Do you already offer automation capability for " standard " trolley assist trucks and is this in development ? A The Komatsu Autonomous Haulage System ( AHS ) does not currently have ProVision Machine Guidance System for trolley operation , but current plans call for the release of an integrated solution that optimises trolley line management and material flow autonomously . Installation of trolley infrastructure at the Komatsu Arizona Proving Grounds supports development and testing of this solution , as well as other greenhouse gas reduction technology .
Q Will the 830E remain the base platform for the initial power agnostic trucks or are you also looking at the 930E and other models ? A In the coming years , Komatsu plans to develop a series of power agnostic trucks . The order or priority of these platforms is in part determined by the market and the Greenhouse Gas ( GHG ) Alliance members . Through the alliance framework , Komatsu ’ s GHG partners collaborate on product planning , development , testing and deployment of the next generation of zero-emission mining equipment and infrastructure . The Komatsu power agnostic platform will be released on several models and size classes traditionally supplied with electric drives . Members of the Komatsu GHG Alliance provide guidance on demand and timing through engagement on zero-emission strategy planning , which helps drive priorities . Early planning and collaboration are key to developing a successful long-term transition to the zero-emission economy .
Q With regard to the 980E , is it fair to say that this model is now leading the electric drive ultraclass market by some margin with new fleets commissioned at Las Bambas , Toromocho , Antapaccay etc ? What do customers like about the truck ? A The Komatsu 930E continues to be the market leader in the ultra-class truck market . The Komatsu 980E has quickly become the preferred haul truck in the 400 st size class since it was introduced in 2016 . Customers like the comfort , reliability , and performance of the Komatsu 980E .
Q What level of automation has been achieved to date with the 980E plus are there any plans to offer a 980E trolley package ? A The 980E has been operated autonomously at a mine site for the last couple of years . Komatsu is currently developing trolley assist packages for several of its electric drive haul trucks , including the Komatsu 980E-5 .
Q Can you comment on current status and progress of Komatsu ' s power agnostic truck program ? Does the battery version remain the priority given the focus on zero emissions and your work with GHG Alliance partners ?
Komatsu 830E running under trolley at Copper Mountain Mining
A Komatsu has several concurrent development programs focused on greenhouse gas ( GHG ) reduction and zero-emission platforms for surface mining . The power agnostic truck design effort runs parallel with development of unique power modules for the truck . The three basic types of Komatsu power modules are power supply , power storage and hybrid supply . A power supply module generates power from sources like a diesel engine and may be combined with overhead trolley power for additional savings . A power storage module collects power from off-board sources , like trolley or a static charging station , and stores it in batteries for use while the truck is untethered from a power source . Hybrid supply modules generate and store power using a combination of technologies , like hydrogen fuel cells ( HFC ) coupled with lithium batteries . Engagement with Komatsu GHG Alliance members shows clear benefit from all three power modules depending on a mine ’ s transition strategy and deployment timing .
Q Is the trolley line at the APG complete and have you run the battery version of the power agnostic truck on the trolley line yet ? A Komatsu looks forward to an aggressive trolley development and testing schedule starting in the second half of this year for both standard and autonomous trucks .
Q Do you already offer automation capability for " standard " trolley assist trucks and is this in development ? A The Dispatch Fleet Management System ( FMS ) from Modular Mining already provides routing and assignment management for trolley operations with available modules today . Development of the trolley assist module for Komatsu ’ s FrontRunner Autonomous Haulage System ( AHS ) is underway . The system will automate truck guidance and production management for late-model AHS trucks and the upcoming power agnostic trucks . These systems will optimise battery management and production assignments for piloted and autonomous trucks .
Q Where do you see the synergies between autonomy and battery mining trucks ? A The Komatsu FrontRunner AHS supervises material movement by converting a vast array of dynamic optimisations from mining operations into a series of guidance instructions for the trucks . In this way , truck activities are repeatable , manageable and quality improves . Transitioning battery management and trolley usage to FrontRunner and Dispatch moves more truck operational decisions to this supervision and optimisation environment and increases opportunities for improvement .
and deep machine learning through the systems and sensors embedded on the vehicle – delivering truly smart vehicles rather than standard vehicles controlled by means of a smart control centre . Should communications be temporarily lost , the vehicle will keep operating in order to complete its mission , thus avoiding any loss of productivity or delays due to
downtime . The open architecture of Auto-mate ’ s solution also allows it to integrate with existing systems and mixed fleets , lowering implementation costs and giving visibility across
International Mining | MAY 2022