QLD Mining and Energy Bulletin
Issue link: http://ebook.aprs.com.au/i/42546
The unitary vehicular approach to transporting material from 'coalface' to processing plant over long distances, achieving significant reductions in transport costs. diesel engine with a Roadranger 18 speed transmission. The engine is mounted above the chassis and the transmission below the chassis, these both connected by a series of hydraulic pumps and a hydraulic motor. A CANbus network and a custom- built software program are used to fuse communications between components. This technology is complimented by a remote diagnostics unit which gives service technicians access to the data and programming of any machine within the range of a satellite. This ensures equipment is always up and running in the most effi cient timeframe possible. Cost reductions The majority of road transportation costs faced by Australian mining and logistics companies are significantly variable depending on the approach used to move material from point A to B. By using innovative PTCs, mining companies are significantly reducing their material transport costs. The initial purchase cost of a PTC is commensurate with the average purchase cost of a 175 tonne payload standard rear dump mining truck; and the capital cost saving is only the beginning. The width of the haul units used to transport materials dictates the infrastructure requirements of the haul roads; a 6.3 metre wide unit requiring roads to be 22 metres [46] QLD Mining and Energy Bulletin Spring 2011 wide, while a 10-metre wide unit requires roads to be 35 metres wide. Most PTCs are approximately four metres wide, enabling them to operate on standard haul roads only 14 metres wide. A further reduction to infrastructure costs is achieved by the smaller sized maintenance facilities required to accommodate the vehicles within the combination. Aside from the reductions in equipment and infrastructure costs, PTCs reduce maintenance and human resource costs and eliminate double-handling of material by assuming the role of what has historically been the job of two or more independent vehicles. Similar to standard rear-dump mining trucks, PTCs can carry a high payload and can traverse gradients of up to 6.5 per cent. However, once loaded and out of the pit, combination vehicles continue on the haul road, not having to off-load to other vehicles, which is typically the case with standard rear-dump mining trucks. The large tyres used on standard rear-dump mining trucks aren't designed to travel long distances, heating up, and in some cases, exploding. The smaller tyres used on the PTCs are designed for both short and long- haul applications. Because of this, current model confi gurations have a signifi cantly lower tyre cost compared to standard rear- dump mining trucks. Powered dolly versus powered trailer By powering the dolly rather than the trailers, a far more ergonomic, fl exible and versatile outcome for increasing haul capacity is achieved. Powering trailers limits the use of the powered unit to the application of the trailer that it is attached to (i.e. bottom- dump, rear tip, side-tip etc.). Powered dollies can be used in combination with a number of different trailers such as side-tip or bottom- dump trailers. If necessary, the powerpacks can be quickly and easily removed and replaced, minimising equipment downtime. Further, there isn't space available on a trailer to attach a powerpack where it would also be easily serviceable. Author Joel McEnery is the technical documentation and marketing offi cer at J. Smith & Sons Pty Ltd – a family owned, wholly Australian business operating in Gympie, Queensland. The company specialises in the design and manufacture of a wide range of vehicles including truck bodies, dog and pig trailers, car carriers, rear tip trailers, side tip trailers, bottom dump trailers, low loaders, tiltslides, bins and containers, lazy and powered dollies, and jinkers. TRANSPORT SOLUTIONS