Photo courtesy of Komatsu
A Komatsu ZR77 blasthole drill at the company’s Arizona Proving Grounds.
Komatsu has announced two separate teleoperation advancements for its blasthole drills and mining dozers, further advancing mine safety, productivity and operational interoperability.
These advancements mark a significant step toward the future of remote-controlled equipment, allowing operators to manage heavy machinery from an off-site location.
By integrating innovative teleoperation technology into the core of equipment, Komatsu empowers customers to enhance productivity while prioritizing worker safety, particularly in high-risk environments, the company said.
Blasthole Drills: Expanding Horizon With Non-Line-of-Sight Teleoperation
Komatsu has a new capability within its drill automation package: non-line-of-sight drilling for the blasthole drill line, which was showcased at MINExpo 2024. This breakthrough allows operators to remotely control drilling operations from off-site locations within the customer’s network, offering increased flexibility and safety.
Komatsu’s drill automation technology is designed to reduce operational variability, leading to improvements in blasthole quality and fragmentation through precise execution of drill patterns.
Customer benefits include more consistent production output, reduced machine wear from less experienced operators and improved downstream process efficiencies.
“Komatsu’s drill automation technology portfolio is designed to provide flexibility and support our customers’ growing need for remote and autonomous drilling. Non-line-of-sight teleremote operation is our next exciting offering, expanding upon our existing capabilities to provide more operational freedom, safety and productivity,” said Jesse Dubberly, vice president of surface drilling at Komatsu.
Teleoperation Dozers: Revolutionizing Safety, Productivity in Harsh Environments
Komatsu also announced the latest teleoperation technology for its mining dozers. This technology integrates Modular ProVision machine guidance with automatic blade control, offering precise and reliable remote operation, even in the most hazardous environments, such as stockpiles and ripping applications. Komatsu teleremote dozers, which have already seen successful deployments in Brazil and Australia, allow operators to maintain productive operations from a distance without sacrificing control or efficiency, the manufacturer said.
This advanced system eliminates the need for operators to endure high-risk conditions, including high-vibration environments. By leveraging the automatic blade control technology, Komatsu has successfully mitigated the latency issues typically associated with teleoperation, ensuring consistent productivity without compromise.
Primary benefits identified at customer sites include the complete removal of operators from hazardous zones, increased production in high-risk environments and the opportunity for less experienced operators to reach proficiency in a shorter time period. In addition, teleoperation offers training capabilities directly at the console and reduced downtime for shift changes or breaks.
Komatsu’s continued innovation in teleoperation throughout mining operations demonstrates dedication to driving safer and more productive operations for customers.
For more information, visit www.komatsu.com.
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