This means that, even in the most
high-tech of mines, dumper trucks
have a crucial part to play. As such,
their reliability, performance and
specification are paramount to
turning a high yield mine into a high
profit venture.
While a variety of factors, such as
payload capacity, are important areas
for operators and contractors to
consider when selecting their truck
fleets at the beginning of a mining
operation, it is the specification of a
truck’s powertrain that arguably
requires the most attention. At the
core of every truck lies several
components working in tandem to
make up the powertrain – the most
significant of these being the engine
and transmission. These unassuming
parts must be carefully considered
and selected to suit the task at hand:
a well-matched engine and gearbox
in a dumper truck can yield boons in
performance, reliability, fuel
consumption and driveability.
In the world of heavy‑duty
off‑highway vehicles, brands such as
Caterpillar, Iveco, Cummins and
Allison Transmission all hold
reputations that earn more respect
than the average automotive badge.
Each is known for providing the
mining industry with high
performance and reliability, often
together in the same fleet of vehicles.
Regardless of the geographical and
political landscapes, trucks and
components from these names have
found their way into mines and
construction sites across the globe.
The powertrain of a truck holds a
significant amount of the machine’s
capability to deliver the performance
and productivity that keeps a mine
in business. It is therefore not
unusual for mine operators to
request non-standard transmissions
and engines for trucks originally
supplied with an OEM’s own
components. Some may even retrofit
their vehicles with alternative
components, in order to glean the
most productivity per vehicle per
hour from their fleet.
Savvy OEMs recognise such
trends and understand that mine
operators will look for vehicles with
powertrain components that have a
reputation for delivering reliable
performance. To this end, one can
often find Allison fully-automatic
transmissions with DEUTZ and
Cummins engines, all installed onto
chassis provided by major truck
OEMs, such as Iveco, Astra and
Mercedes.
Such a diligent approach to truck
powertrain specification can be seen
in China, the current heartland of
coal mining.
Case study: going
fully‑automatic in China
Once an industry made up of
numerous fragmented companies
operating in the same area,
consolidation has driven efficiency in
China’s coal mining industry. The
country has become the global leader
in coal production – a necessity,
given the nation’s vast consumption
of thermal coal used in industrial
production and power generation.
One mine where the importance of
productivity is recognised is the
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World Coal
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September 2014
Since Allison transmissions automatically select gears based on road conditions, they
ensure superior shifting strategies. Driver fatigue is reduced, as is wear and tear and
vehicle downtime.
