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Komatsu supplies 41 giant autonomous haulage trucks to BHP

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Komatsu has supplied 41 giant autonomous haulage trucks to mining behemoth BHP. 

The vehicles are the “new model” Komatsu 930E-5 ultra-class haul trucks, made “autonomous-ready”, and will be operated at BHP’s new South Flank iron ore mine in the Pilbara region of Western Australia, from next month.

Sean Taylor, Komatsu Australia’s CEO and managing director, says: “People-powered technology is our central philosophy at Komatsu, and it’s this people-first approach to technology that we feel we share with BHP.” [Read more…] about Komatsu supplies 41 giant autonomous haulage trucks to BHP

Komatsu develops electric mini excavator

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Komatsu Ltd has unveiled its electric mini excavator, based on its accumulated technological expertise of hybrid construction equipment and electric forklift trucks.

Equipped with an in-house developed new charger, high-voltage converter and other devices, it offers excavation performance on a par with the internal combustion model of the same power output, while achieving zero exhaust gas emissions and a dynamic reduction in noise levels.

Komatsu expects a wider range of applications for this machine, including construction work near hospitals or schools or in residential areas, where contractors pay special attention to exhaust gas and noise during work, as well as inside tunnels or buildings.

[Read more…] about Komatsu develops electric mini excavator

Komatsu establishes ‘center of excellence’ for its autonomous haulage trucks

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Mining vehicles giant Komatsu has created what it describes as a “center of excellence” for its massive autonomous haulage trucks.

The company says the new facility brings together product, technology and service experts from across the company.

The official name of the facility Center of Excellence for Autonomous Haulage Systems, its driverless trucks.  [Read more…] about Komatsu establishes ‘center of excellence’ for its autonomous haulage trucks

Komatsu agrees acquisition of forestry machine manufacturer TimberPro

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Komatsu America has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire TimberPro.

The acquisition is expected to close on 1st April 2019, subject to completion of the closing conditions.

Established in 2002, TimberPro is a Wisconsin-based manufacturer of purpose-built forest machines and attachments, offering tracked feller bunchers and harvesters, forwarders, wheeled harvesters, and felling heads.

Rod Schrader, CEO, Komatsu America, says: “Acquiring TimberPro will strengthen the company’s position in the full-tree-length market and enables us to offer a highly competitive range of products for professional logging.”

Autonomous vehicles: A future without humans

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Automotive companies are showcasing driverless vehicles in a wide range of environments all around the world.

From busy, urban roads in overpopulated cities to remote, desolate landscapes where no human has ever set foot, autonomous vehicles are almost everywhere now.

Almost 400 companies are working towards making autonomous vehicles part of modern society, but the vast majority of their innovations are still in the testing phase, awaiting technical and regulatory approval.  [Read more…] about Autonomous vehicles: A future without humans

Komatsu claims its autonomous mining trucks have hauled more material than all other companies’ vehicles put together

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Komatsu, a global heavy equipment manufacturer, claims its FrontRunner Autonomous Haulage System – a colossally gigantic driverless truck used in mining – has achieved the “unprecedented milestone” of more than two billion tons of surface material moved autonomously.

Komatsu further claims that this means the FrontRunner system “has now hauled more than all other commercial mining autonomous haulage systems combined”.

Since its first commercial deployment in 2008 at Codelco’s Gabriela Mistral copper mine in Chile, the FrontRunner AHS has experienced exponential growth in cumulative production, breaking the 1 billion tons mark in 2016 and the 1.5 billion tons mark in late 2017.  [Read more…] about Komatsu claims its autonomous mining trucks have hauled more material than all other companies’ vehicles put together

Komatsu to build new headquarters 
in Milwaukee’s Harbor District

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Mining vehicles and technology supplier Komatsu is planning to build its new headquarters 
in Milwaukee’s Harbor District.

Just shy of its 135th anniversary in the Milwaukee area, Komatsu Mining says it intends to build a new, state-of-the-art headquarters and manufacturing campus near the location of the company’s original machine shop off South First Street.

The company’s 2.5 million-square-foot South Harbor Campus is planned for Milwaukee’s Harbor District, off Greenfield Avenue.  [Read more…] about Komatsu to build new headquarters 
in Milwaukee’s Harbor District

Komatsu autonomous trucks ‘increase productivity by 34 percent’ at Rio Tinto

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Global mining giant Rio Tinto is said to have increased productivity by 34 percent through the use of Komatsu autonomous trucks.

Rio Tinto has been testing and implementing autonomous technology for around a decade, and after a decade of using Komatsu’s massive driverless trucks, the company is integrating autonomous trains into its operations.

Komatsu’s vehicles are called autonomous haulage systems, or AHS. The AHS truck fleet is forecast to drive reductions in operating costs at Australia’s iron ore mines by up to $0.62 per ton by 2020, according to research company GlobalData.  [Read more…] about Komatsu autonomous trucks ‘increase productivity by 34 percent’ at Rio Tinto

Komatsu acquires forest machine simulator firm Oryx Simulations

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Komatsu Ltd. has acquired Oryx Simulations through Komatsu Forest AB, a wholly owned subsidiary in Sweden. Oryx Simulations, headquartered in Umeå, Sweden, designs, develops, manufactures and sells simulators of forest machines.

Oryx Simulations has been developing forest machine simulators in collaboration with Komatsu Forest AB since the 1990s. As the operation of forest machines such as harvesters is very complicated, the use of simulators is indispensable for operator training.

The company designs, develops, manufactures and sells operator training simulators of forest machinery and construction equipment. Oryx Simulations has sold two harvester simulators in Japan so far.

[Read more…] about Komatsu acquires forest machine simulator firm Oryx Simulations

Komatsu reaches 10-year milestone in autonomous haulage

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Komatsu is celebrating the tenth anniversary of the commercial deployment of its Autonomous Haulage System (AHS).

More than 100 AHS trucks operate in Australia, North and South America and Komatsu plans to accelerate the pace of AHS deployment.

In 2005, Komatsu began the AHS trial at Codelco’s copper mine in Chile and succeeded in achieving the world’s first commercial AHS deployment with Codelco in January 2008.

[Read more…] about Komatsu reaches 10-year milestone in autonomous haulage