Designs dig deeper with mining equipment

摘要

Safety, efficiency and autonomy continue to be the key factors driving equipment design in the mining industry. As mining equipment designs evolve, safety, efficiency and function automation are the key aspects on which OEMs have been focusing. Ease of operation has also been an important design element, as the number of skilled laborers continues to decline. Operator interface simplification in trucks has taken drivability to the point of functions being forward, reverse and a gas pedal, says Randy Baker, President of P&H products at Joy Global Inc., Milwaukee, WI. "[It's about] trying to make the equipment inherently easier to operate and get more consistency out of the operator." Depleting ore grades are beginning to have an effect on how mining equipment is designed, as well. Miners and equipment are now going even deeper into the earth's surface to reach material, causing some of the machinery to increase in size and load capacity so larger amounts of materials can be carried in fewer passes. "A lot of the mines today are asking us to help them evaluate what kinds of technologies are out there to alleviate some of their challenges," says Josh Wagner, Director of Marketing for P&H products at Joy Global. "We're looking at how larger machines can help them meet their production targets."