UNDERGROUND LOAD AND HAUL
Volvo CE ’ s new concept HX1 autonomous , battery-electric , load carrier
jobs , reducing the fleet needed underground . The Volvo side-tilt bucket , for example , has proven reliable in limited space environments and can dramatically increase production rates by eliminating the conventional “ Y ” loading pattern .
The latest technologies include lockup transmission converters , Volvo-patented OptiShift technology with reverse-by-braking , safety controls and systems , and on-board data logging and diagnostics ( with telematics connection where capable ) to assist service planning .
As for haulers , an optional low profile cab is available to reduce the overall working height without impairing operator visibility , factoryfitted fire suppression systems , cameras and various lighting packages to increase visibility in poor light conditions . Optional , fluorescent highlight strips available for wheel loaders provide an additional safety feature .
A variety of guarding packages can be applied to the cab , windows , radiator / rear , hydraulics and driveline to customise protection to specific needs ; the majority are bolt-on / bolt-off assemblies designed to fit the machine , allowing smoother replacement .
All cabs are ROPS / FOPS certified ; brakes and other primary systems meet or exceed international standards . Filtration solutions are
available to mitigate dusty environments , both for engine air intake and for cab protection and treatment packages can be applied to address corrosive or high / low temperature environments , increasing reliability and uptime .
The latest Volvo L260H and L350H are particularly suited to underground production at the face , as the Volvo Z-bar linkage generates tremendous breakout forces at ground level , allowing the bucket to be completely filled with minimal raising of the boom .
With ventilation an important consideration , Volvo ’ s latest , highly fuel efficient , Stage IV / Tier 4 final emissions technology offers cleaner burning engines and minimal exhaust emissions . In Canada , for example , the latest A25G / A30G haulers are CANMET registered for underground use .
Volvo CE is also actively engaged in investigating future solutions . Participation at the Swedish Mining Initiative ( SMI ) in Toronto in April this year serves as just the most recent example of keeping in touch with developments and customer needs . Organised by Business Sweden , exchanges around best mining practices and the future of the mining industry provided an opportunity for Volvo CE ’ s former Vice President of advanced technology and verification , as an invited panelist , to share Volvo ’ s current work around electric power in mines .
With its never-ending consideration for the environment , Volvo is investing heavily in alternative solutions – alternative fuels , hybrid technology and electrification . Such alternatives contribute not only to reduced fuel consumption , but , equally important when working underground , further reduction in emissions and noise pollution .
At the company ’ s Xploration Forum event held last year in Eskilstuna , Sweden , attended by customers and others , Volvo CE showcased some of the fruits of its investment . Presented under the umbrella of ‘ Volvo Concept Lab ’ – a new Volvo Group initiative – the event saw the unveiling of the LX1 prototype hybrid wheel loader – a machine with the potential to improve fuel efficiency by up to 50 %; demonstrations of a prototype autonomous wheel loader and ADT working together , and an electric site solution that showcased the new concept HX1 autonomous , battery-electric , load carrier .
Volvo CE has teamed up with its customer Skanska Sweden , the Swedish Energy Agency and two Swedish universities – Linköping University and Mälardalen University – to collaborate on this SEK203 million electric site project .
With clear implications for mining / underground mining , the electric site project aims to transform the industry by reducing carbon emissions by up to 95 % and total cost of ownership by up to 25 %. All of the innovations shown at the Xploration Forum are ongoing research projects that aren ’ t commercially available at this stage .
Volvo CE continues to develop technologies connected to electro-mobility , intelligent machines and total site solutions to benefit its customers and the environment by contributing to increased machine performance , productivity , efficiency , safety and sustainability .
Bell Equipment last year launched its B60E , elevating the design and performance of the original B60D to the next level . Described by Bell as “ the next generation ”, its 4x4 full articulation steering and oscillation joint “ provides more offroad capability than any other conventional rigid truck and its Mercedes Benz engine offers the lowest cost per tonne on the market .”
The B60E was presented along with the company ’ s new E-series large trucks for the first time in North America at CONEXPO 2017 . Featuring the new E-series truck styling and features , the range includes the latest generation Mercedes Benz engine , certified for off-highway use by MTU , with an Allison transmission .
The B60E is an ADT with a single rear axle
JUNE 2017 | International Mining