Sandvik prototype underground truck sets new standards in Australian operational trials

The truck, Sandvik Mining's 63-tonne TH663, has already impressed everyone involved in the trial – from mine management through to operators and maintenance staff – with its speed, productivity, safety features, driver comfort and outstanding fuel economy.

Kimmo Martin, Sandvik Mining's international field-test supervisor, and Barry Martin, a member of Sandvik Mining's national product support team in Australia, are supervising the trials.

Together, they have trained operators and maintenance staff, are giving ongoing technical support and providing feedback to Sandvik's truck manufacturing plant in Turku, Finland.

There, a second prototype has been set up to adopt recommendations from the Australian trials to ensure that production models incorporate "real-world" mining experience gained in what are some of the world's toughest hard rock mining conditions.

The TH663 has already demonstrated its capacity to significantly lift productivity at the mine.

In July, of a total of 56,000 tonnes of ore hauled by the on-site fleet, the Sandvik TH663 alone moved 24,000 tonnes. In that month it logged 480 hours, hauling 54 tonnes per hour at close to its rated 63-tonne payload.

Kimmo Martin said the truck's sophisticated on-board weighing system helped ensure that every load was close to maximum.

"The on-board system is accurate to within 25 kg at full load, with a red-amber-green light array on the rear of the cab to provide the loader operator with a visual indication of available capacity," he said.

Operator comfort – which directly impacts on productivity – and overall safety were key design features for the Sandvik Mining design team.

According to Kimmo Martin, the new truck has more than 60 safety features, including a four-point driver harness, bonnet guardrails for the protection of maintenance staff and ground level access for every service point covered in the daily maintenance schedule.

This last point not only creates a safer working environment, it also cuts servicing time – allowing more hours per shift for the core task of hauling ore.

Kimmo Martin said drivers on site had no problem adapting to the new truck in a single shift, and had been enthusiastic about its comfort features.

"The TH663 is so quiet that drivers don't need to wear earplugs anymore, and the soundproofing virtually eliminates engine noise.

"This means drivers have had to get used to using the instrument panel to check engine revs rather than listening to the engine note, as they do in most other trucks," he said.

One driver participating in the trial described the truck as "easily the best I have ever driven," singling out its front-axle suspension for special praise.

"The suspension creates a really smooth ride, and that's important, not just in terms of day-to-day comfort and productivity, but also for long-term driver health," the driver said.

Power from Cummins QSK19 diesel engine has seen the TH663 with a 63 tonne load in its 38 cu m body climbing the mine's steep grades at speeds of up to 12 km/h.

Full or empty, the truck – which is eight tonnes lighter than its TH660 predecessor – trams at speeds up to 50% faster than the other Sandvik trucks in the mine's fleet.

"In practice, on most 12-hour shifts this truck is putting in one or two more load/dump cycles than the others, which translates to a 'bonus' 60 to 120 tonnes of dirt shifted every day," said Kimmo Martin.

"Split the difference and you're looking at an extra 2700 tonnes a month on a straight truck-to-truck comparison."

The trial is showing the new truck is not only fast – it is also highly fuel-efficient. Over the three months of the trial to date, its average consumption has been 50 litres/hour.

This compares with more than 70 litres/hour used by the older Sandvik trucks on site, while other makes of truck in the 50- to 60-tonne class typically burn diesel at rates in excess of 100 litres/hour.

Sandvik Mining's Barry Martin said the potential saving in fuel costs is significant.

"Cutting your fuel burn by a third on a 480-hour-a-month basis could add up to an annual saving per truck on the order of $200,000 at current diesel prices," he said.

"And, as we know only too well, prices are likely to continue escalating, making fuel economy an increasingly important factor in the equipment selection equation."

Sandvik Mining is confident the TH663 will also deliver higher-than-average availability levels, due in part to its sophisticated Vehicle Control and Management (VCM) system.

This system provides operators with instant warning of potential or actual problems, such as low tyre pressure or loss of hydraulic fluid.

A pop-up warning on the screen requires the operator to acknowledge the problem and, if necessary, take immediate action. If this is not done, the system shuts down to prevent further damage.

VCM also helps maintenance crews to make fast and accurate diagnoses, which further improves vehicle availability.

"Currently the truck is giving us 93% availability, which you'd expect from a new unit, but we're confident that it will settle down at better than 85%, which is a 10% improvement on the rest of the fleet," Barry Martin said.

An unusual – but potentially invaluable – feature of the TH663 is an in-built jacking system that will lift a fully laden vehicle in less than 30 seconds for a wheel change.

"This is a really important feature," Kimmo Martin said.

"Recently another truck here at the mine blew a tyre underground, and it took most of the shift to take a 100-tonne jack down the hole and make the change-over, during which time virtually all underground operations came to a halt.

"With the on-board jacking system, time for a tyre change on the TH663 can realistically be reduced to two hours."

What the trial has proved so far is that, by current industry standards, Sandvik's TH663 is faster, safer and more economical than other trucks in its class, with the potential to significantly increase productivity, while at the same time lowering operating costs.

"We're getting excellent results right now, and we're still only coming to grips with the truck's full potential," Barry Martin said.

"Who knows what sort of results we'll see when it really hits its stride?"

Brief specs of the new TH663 are:

• Payload, 63 tonnes
• Standard body capacity 36 cu m
• Standard engine, Cummins QSK19 Tier 2 diesel rated at 567 kW
• Maximum haul speed, 42.5 km/h
• Length, 11.58 m; width, 3.48 m
• Height, 3.46 m
• Outside turning circle radius, 9.35 m.

For further information please contact:

Scott Rowe
Product Line Manager For Underground Trucks Sandvik Mining
Ph 08 9334 4158
Mobile: 0419 828 033
Email: scott.rowe@sandvik.com