Designed to support the future of unmanned mines, Chinese manufacturer XCMG Machinery has released three new products: the XDR80TE-AT autonomous electric dump truck, the XE690DK mining excavator and the XDE240 mining dump truck.
XDR80TE-AT Autonomous Electric Dump Truck
The cab-less XDR80TE-AT has two modes of operation – remote control and fully autonomous artificial intelligence control. (Check out a rendering of the truck in action in the video below.)
The truck is decked out with visual and acoustic sensors, laser radar, millimeter-wave radar and cameras to scan the operating environment and draw the virtual topographic map.
In remote control mode, the truck uses the sensor to send information back to the remote cockpit through 5G technology for an immersive driving experience for the operator.
By switching to full autonomous mode, AI technology will take over the vehicle, setting the destination and planning the routes following the mine’s production schedule. The truck will coordinate its operation with other equipment regardless of automation.
When an obstacle is encountered, the AI will conduct a safety assessment and automatically decide where to reroute the vehicle.
Once the vehicle reaches its destination, it communicates with the field equipment to determine the best parking location for loading. Once loaded, the truck resets its navigation target and proceeds to the next point.
The XDR80TE-AT’s large-capacity 500 kW/h battery can be traditionally charged or swapped out at a power station in less than 6 minutes for uninterrupted operation.
"The mining sites have highly challenging working conditions that pose greater risks to people, the idea of building 'unmanned mines' aims to tackle the pain point. Leveraging the advanced technologies including 5G and a digital twin which are more developed now, our mining machinery equipment are catching up quickly to deliver unmanned solutions in the era of intelligent technologies," said Cui Jisheng, Assistant President of XCMG and General Manager of XCMG Mining Machinery.
XDE240 Mining Dump Truck
XCMG says its new XDE240 mining dump truck has also completed fully unmanned mining work through a series of benchmarking tests in China.
It features an advanced environment sensor, navigation, and positioning capabilities.
XE690DK Mining Excavator
The XE690DK mining excavator is one of XCMG's best-selling models, and is equipped with an efficient power system delivering safe, environmentally friendly and energy-saving designs for demanding construction applications.
The company says it received orders for 100 units of the XE690DK at its February product launch event in Indonesia.
Partners in Sustainability
XCMG says its comprehensive mining product portfolio now covers the whole process from drilling to logistics. Its flagship products include a 700-ton excavator, 440-ton dump truck, 35-ton loader and 550-horsepower grader.
The company recently signed a memorandum of understanding with mine operator Vale for the co-development of the world’s first zero-emission motor grader for mining. The machine will be tested at mines in the states of Minas Gerais and Pará, in Brazil. If it is approved after testing, Vale will purchase several models over the next few years. Vale currently has 90 motor graders in its fleet.
The mine operator is also testing two 72-ton capacity electric off-highway trucks manufactured by XCMG. Vale says the replacement of fuel-powered equipment with electric or low-emission models is fundamental to achieving its goal of reducing its scope 1 and 2 emissions by 33% by 2030.
