Business North March 2021

Dozers are a critical part of almost every mining operation where there’s a need to move large amounts of material quickly and efficiently. They typically carry out production roles, as well as in infrastructure support and maintenance roles. Production roles include using their blades for pushing blasted or loose materials to the main loading tools, or their rippers for breaking up and further loosening rock, compacted soils, and blasted materials. Mine infrastructure and support applications include ensuring loading and hauling equipment – trucks, diggers and loaders – can work more efficiently by keeping blasting, loading and dump areas clean, as well as constructing and maintaining haul roads. Dozers in mining applications are typically the larger machines, ranging in size from about 40 tonnes up to well over 100 tonnes operating weight. Komatsu – which in 2021 will celebrate its 100th anniversary – is one of the world’s leading suppliers of dozers for mining, and other industry sectors, able to supply machines capable of carrying out all kinds of mine work. Komatsu’s mining dozers offer strength and power to perform in the toughest mining environments, matched with reliability and durability to ensure they deliver the highest levels of productivity and availability. Its latest Dash-8 series of mining dozers, covering the D375A-8 and D475A-8, provide industry-leading advances in power, durability, productivity and operator comfort. They provide productivity increases of up to 10% compared with previous models, through such features as 13% increased engine power when reversing, and an automatic transmission with lockup torque converter that delivers power directly to the tracks. This feature also results in a 10% reduction in fuel consumption over previous models. Komatsu dozers are renowned for their durability, with machines throughout New Zealand and Australia still operating efficiently and productively after tens of thousands of hours, and many decades. The latest models incorporate structural enhancements and other improvements giving the capability to further improve durability and extended operating life. Komatsu dozers are recognised as highly productive machines, with their long and consistent track-on-ground-length helping them gain more traction. The amount of track engaging with the ground is a key factor in dozer productivity; the more track on ground, the higher the traction. This, combined with other features such as more powerful, fuel efficient engines, advanced transmission and hydraulics systems, and optimum weight distribution, means that Komatsu dozers are regarded as the most productive pushing and ripping tools on the market. Also key to successful and productive dozer operation is operator comfort, due to the often rough and difficult terrain in which they operate. Komatsu dozers provide greatly improved ride comfort to alleviate operator fatigue, and help ensure they remain alert and productive during long shifts. A critical factor in ensuring dozers – and all mining machines – maintain productivity and availability is ongoing monitoring of key components and drivetrain elements. Every Komatsu machine, across its entire mining and construction equipment range, comes with the Komtrax remote monitoring system as standard. This means that potential machine issues that could result in breakdown or component failure are flagged to machine owners and Komatsu, allowing them to be addressed quickly and early – before they become a major problem. Selected Komatsu dozers are also available with the company’s latest intelligent Machine Control precision technology. This technology allows for semi-automated dozing, from bulk earthmoving to final trim work on roads and batters, significantly increasing productivity and allowing for highly accurate material movement and placement. In New Zealand, Komatsu offers a nationwide network of branches and service agents, with factory-trained technicians able to provide industry-leading levels of service and support. In the South Island, this network is backed by the company’s recently opened South Island Hub, capable of handling service, support and parts backup for the largest machines. For more information contact: Elle Schutte Komatsu National Aftermarket Marketing Manager, Phone (09) 969 6704 eschutte@komatsu.co.nz www.komatsu.co.nz