Mining industry to reconnect at MINExpo
The recently introduced Cat 992 Wheel Loader delivers up to a 32% increase in productivity. It reduces maintenance costs by up to 10% and has demonstrated in field testing up to 48% greater payload-per-fuel efficiency in applications where a four-pass match to 90.7-tonne (100-ton) trucks was achieved versus five passes with the 992K.
Caterpillar is committed to helping our customers with their energy transitions, and the MINExpo exhibit will include a range of renewable and storable power displays, including the Cat Microgrid system. The Cat 3516 engine will feature dynamic gas blending (DGB), which allows mines to save fuel and reduce emissions without sacrificing diesel performance.
Achieving sustainability goals requires mines to continually strive for operational improvement. Fully optimizing operations delivers the highest safety and productivity at the lowest cost and least possible environmental impact.
“Technology and automation are critical components for substantially improving machine uptime availability and productivity,” offers Marc Cameron, Vice President, Caterpillar Resource Industries. “Through Cat® MineStar™ Solutions, Caterpillar offers customers scalable technologies to fit the mine’s specific needs. The exhibit’s technology and automation stage will focus on the real value that Caterpillar technology options provide customers.”
MINExpo will be the first opportunity for many attendees to learn more about the recently introduced Cat MineStar Edge. It brings visibility to the entire mining operation to show how activities early in the process impact those further down the value chain. MineStar Edge makes it possible to measure, manage, analyze and improve the entire mining operation.
Equipped with MineStar Command for hauling, the new Cat 777G Water Truck provides a glimpse into the future for autonomously lowering dust levels at the mine site while maintaining haul road safety. Featuring the market’s first autonomous water delivery system, the machine integrates truck, tank and sprayer and knows where and when to water haul roads.
Representing the Caterpillar fleet of autonomous trucks, the displayed Cat 794 AC electric drive will be factory-installed with Cat MineStar Command for hauling. Recently, autonomous trucks using Command for hauling surpassed 3 billion tonnes of material hauled, safely traveling more than 110 million km (68.3 million mi).
Accurate to the centimeter, the exhibited Cat MD6310 rotary blasthole drill offers technology, efficiency, safety and productivity improvements. Fully integrating Caterpillar’s proven components and systems, including technology and automation, the drill is capable of up to
42 149 kg (92,922 lb) of bit load and targets 203- to 311-mm (8- to 12.5-in) hole diameters.
Exhibiting how technology can improve safety at the mine site, the Cat MineStar Detect Driver Safety System (DSS) display details how the system monitors eye-closure and head pose to alert the driver via seat vibration and/or audio alarm the moment fatigue or distraction is identified. DSS has been shown to reduce 97% of the most significant fatigue events, 80% of average fatigue events and 91% of distraction events.
Several Cat Command stations and trailers will be on display for attendees to experience effective remote control and semi-autonomous drilling, dozing and underground operations from many kilometers away.
From individual offerings to comprehensive solutions, Caterpillar and Cat dealers offer dozens of equipment management services designed to improve overall machine performance and mine site productivity. Component rebuilds, retrofits, aftermarket solutions and service agreements help customers get the most out of their investments. Dealer-provided Customer Value Agreements (CVAs) allow customers to focus on their core competency – mining.
Highlighting Caterpillar’s rebuild services capability, the rebuilt Cat C175-16 engine, which produces up to 2 550 kW (3,420 hp), on display reduces overall owning and operating costs.
Team members will also be available to explain to attendees how MineStar Health maximizes equipment availability and reliability by connecting the machine to the office. The service assists with proactive maintenance services and predictive equipment analysis by collecting equipment data, monitoring critical machine parameters, obtaining real-time alerts, analyzing operational trends and patterns, predicting failures and receiving repair recommendations.
In addition to teams of workers with machine and technology expertise, representatives of Cat Financial and Cat Solutions will be on hand to share information on safety, fleet management and productivity offerings that can be combined into full site solutions.
A ThoroughTec® Simulation training will provide an opportunity to experience the 7495 Electric Rope Shovel. In addition, attendees will be able to experience two next generation machine cabs – one for mining trucks and another for the 6060 hydraulic mining shovel – via actual cabs on display.
