6
trucks also exhibit superior payload-to-truck weight ratios,
making them more efficient since more of the energy being
expended is going towards moving material instead of driv-
ing the vehicle, resulting in lower carbon emissions. The
higher payload-to-truck weight also makes the trucks better
suited to electrification.
One of the major sources of greenhouse gas emissions
in mining is fuel consumption during material haulage. To
address this issue, the industry is moving towards electri-
fication as a key strategy.* Many of the largest haul trucks
in use today are designed as diesel-electric drives. In these
vehicles, electric motors handle the task of propelling the
equipment, with the diesel engine serving solely to generate
electricity.
Trolley-assist operations, a well-established technology
for diesel-electric equipment, have been in use for decades.
Building upon this foundation, mining companies are
exploring several feasible electrification technologies:
1. Battery-electric “converted” diesel-electric haul
trucks: In cases where trolley-assist infrastructure
is available, there is potential to convert diesel-
electric haul truck designs to battery-electric sys-
tems. However, this transition presents certain
technological challenges, such as energy recovery,
charging speed, and battery weight. Currently,
ultra-class haul truck manufacturers like Hitachi,
Komatsu, Caterpillar, and Liebherr are actively
pursuing this technology.
2. Smaller battery-electric haul trucks: When scaling
up to larger battery-electric vehicles, the increased
mass of the equipment requires higher voltages or
significantly heavier cabling to manage the greater
forces involved. With limitations on tire TKPH
(tire load capacity) and battery voltage, super
*thedriven.io/2023/06/23/bhp-says-battery-electric-cheaper
-than-hydrogen-as-it-dumps-diesel-for-haul-trucks/
and ultra-class battery-electric equipment may be
restricted to short-haul cycles with reduced flexi-
bility. To address these limitations and regain some
operational flexibility, mines are exploring the use
of smaller battery-electric equipment.
THE CURRENT STATE OF OPEN
AUTONOMY
Open Autonomy is no longer a vision, it is the present and
it’s continuously growing. Wenco is currently involved in
two significant Open Autonomy projects, each with its
unique goals and partnerships.
Roy Hill Iron Ore, an established customer of Wenco,
is embarking on a journey toward automation. Their aim
is clear: equip more than 75 mixed-fleet haul trucks with
autonomous capabilities. To achieve this, they are collabo-
rating with ASI, the creators of the Mobius command and
control solution. This project focuses on Australia’s Pilbara
region, where a seamless integration of AHS-FMS messages
between Wenco Mine and Mobius is vital. Mobius is tasked
not only with managing the autonomous haul trucks but
also with controlling all spotting and manned equipment.
The end goal is to automate a production fleet that includes
haul trucks ranging from 230 to 320 tons.
In another corner of Western Australia, Rio Tinto,
in partnership with Scania, aims to automate a swarm of
80-ton Scania trucks. The integration is achieved by merg-
ing Wenco’s fleet management system and high precision
machine guidance application on the staffed loading equip-
ment with Scania’s autonomous haulage solution. The
innovation here is evident in Scania’s smart truck approach,
allowing for greater autonomy with less reliance on real-
time connectivity.
CONCLUSION
Openness is the key to innovation.
trucks also exhibit superior payload-to-truck weight ratios,
making them more efficient since more of the energy being
expended is going towards moving material instead of driv-
ing the vehicle, resulting in lower carbon emissions. The
higher payload-to-truck weight also makes the trucks better
suited to electrification.
One of the major sources of greenhouse gas emissions
in mining is fuel consumption during material haulage. To
address this issue, the industry is moving towards electri-
fication as a key strategy.* Many of the largest haul trucks
in use today are designed as diesel-electric drives. In these
vehicles, electric motors handle the task of propelling the
equipment, with the diesel engine serving solely to generate
electricity.
Trolley-assist operations, a well-established technology
for diesel-electric equipment, have been in use for decades.
Building upon this foundation, mining companies are
exploring several feasible electrification technologies:
1. Battery-electric “converted” diesel-electric haul
trucks: In cases where trolley-assist infrastructure
is available, there is potential to convert diesel-
electric haul truck designs to battery-electric sys-
tems. However, this transition presents certain
technological challenges, such as energy recovery,
charging speed, and battery weight. Currently,
ultra-class haul truck manufacturers like Hitachi,
Komatsu, Caterpillar, and Liebherr are actively
pursuing this technology.
2. Smaller battery-electric haul trucks: When scaling
up to larger battery-electric vehicles, the increased
mass of the equipment requires higher voltages or
significantly heavier cabling to manage the greater
forces involved. With limitations on tire TKPH
(tire load capacity) and battery voltage, super
*thedriven.io/2023/06/23/bhp-says-battery-electric-cheaper
-than-hydrogen-as-it-dumps-diesel-for-haul-trucks/
and ultra-class battery-electric equipment may be
restricted to short-haul cycles with reduced flexi-
bility. To address these limitations and regain some
operational flexibility, mines are exploring the use
of smaller battery-electric equipment.
THE CURRENT STATE OF OPEN
AUTONOMY
Open Autonomy is no longer a vision, it is the present and
it’s continuously growing. Wenco is currently involved in
two significant Open Autonomy projects, each with its
unique goals and partnerships.
Roy Hill Iron Ore, an established customer of Wenco,
is embarking on a journey toward automation. Their aim
is clear: equip more than 75 mixed-fleet haul trucks with
autonomous capabilities. To achieve this, they are collabo-
rating with ASI, the creators of the Mobius command and
control solution. This project focuses on Australia’s Pilbara
region, where a seamless integration of AHS-FMS messages
between Wenco Mine and Mobius is vital. Mobius is tasked
not only with managing the autonomous haul trucks but
also with controlling all spotting and manned equipment.
The end goal is to automate a production fleet that includes
haul trucks ranging from 230 to 320 tons.
In another corner of Western Australia, Rio Tinto,
in partnership with Scania, aims to automate a swarm of
80-ton Scania trucks. The integration is achieved by merg-
ing Wenco’s fleet management system and high precision
machine guidance application on the staffed loading equip-
ment with Scania’s autonomous haulage solution. The
innovation here is evident in Scania’s smart truck approach,
allowing for greater autonomy with less reliance on real-
time connectivity.
CONCLUSION
Openness is the key to innovation.