Caterpillar's MINExpo Experience Features Equipment, Technology That Drive Sustainability

Thu June 17, 2021
Caterpillar

Themed "Together, we're mining better," Caterpillar's MINExpo 2021 experience celebrates the company's partnership with mines and the ways it assists customers to mine more efficiently, effectively, safely and sustainably.

The 55,000-sq.-ft. exhibit will feature a broad range of product displays, new equipment introductions, previews of what the future holds and remote operating stations.

The exhibit will be grouped under three specific core areas: environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) and sustainability; technology and automation; and equipment lifecycle management solutions.

"After waiting an extra year, the mining industry is ready to reconnect at MINExpo. We are excited to show our customers and the industry the advancements Caterpillar has made not only in equipment, technology and services but also in how we are helping customers mine more sustainably," said Caterpillar Resource Industries Group President Denise Johnson.

"While we are eager to exhibit in Las Vegas, we recognize that many of our dealers and customers will not be able to travel to the show. Therefore, we are also creating a digital Caterpillar experience at cat.com/mining, where we will place MINExpo specific content."

Mining Sustainably

Central to Caterpillar's commitment to mining better together is helping customers meet their ESG goals and build sustainable mine sites of the future. Recognizing that one size doesn't fit all, Caterpillar has followed a strategic approach with a long-term vision of discovering, developing and delivering a broad portfolio of products, technologies, services and solutions.

This portfolio allows Caterpillar to provide a full site approach, which combines offerings with integration expertise to identify and provide the best possible solution for each specific mine.

Vital to the vision of the all-electric underground mine of the future, the new Cat R1700 XE LHD will feature 100 percent battery electric propulsion that generates significantly less heat and noise. It offers a 16.5-ton (15-t) payload, 53,330-lb. (24,190-kg) lift and tilt breakout force, and 11.2 mph (18 kmh) top speed. To optimize runtime and improve safety, batteries stay on the machine for charging.

Fully charging the R1700 XE in as little as 20 minutes, the new portable Cat MEC500 mobile equipment charger is the first of its kind in the industry. It can be moved via towing, fork truck or the R1700 XE and eliminates the need for regular battery handling and swapping.

The new R2900 XE LHD diesel-electric drive train on display features a significant reduction in maintenance and repair costs, while minimizing emissions. Its redesigned lift arm and components deliver up to a 39 percent improved lift breakout force over the R2900G, making this model up to 31 tonnes per liter more fuel efficient.

Cat D10 dozer

Caterpillar is set to unveil the world's largest, most powerful and efficient electric drive dozer with high drive. The new Cat D11 XE dozer will be the most advanced, lowest emission-per-ton dozer in the industry, built to deliver the lowest cost of bank cubic meters (BCM) ever. Exhibited alongside the D11 XE, the new Cat D10 dozer offers up to 4 percent less fuel consumption than the previous model, up to 3 percent more productivity with high-horsepower reverse and up to 6 percent more efficiency with combined load-sensing hydraulics and stator clutch torque divider.

The recently introduced Cat 992 wheel loader delivers up to a 32 percent increase in productivity. It reduces maintenance costs by up to 10 percent and has demonstrated in-field testing up to 48 percent greater payload-per-fuel efficiency in applications where a four-pass match to 100-ton (90.7-t) trucks was achieved versus five passes with the 992K.

Caterpillar is committed to helping its 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, according to the manufacturer.

Driving Technology and Automation

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," said 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 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 92,922 lb. (42,149 kg) of bit load and targets 8- to 12.5-in. (203- to 311-mm) 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 percent of the most significant fatigue events, 80 percent of average fatigue events and 91 percent 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.

Lifecycle Solutions

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 3,420 hp (2550 kW), on display reduces overall owning and operating costs.

Team members also will 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.

Partnership and Expertise

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.

Caterpillar invites all MINExpo 2021 attendees to visit its Central Hall exhibit, #6229, at the Las Vegas Convention Center from Sept. 13 to 15.

For more information, visit www.cat.com/mining.

The MD6310 improves drilling efficiency by automating individual drill features and communicating real-time production and health data.

This story also appears on Construction Equipment Guide.