“Sound innovative engineering are behind our new tippers”
The multi-axle tipper trucks launched by Volvo for mining applications, claim to feature highest level of innovative engineering, to deliver total lifecycle costs dovetailed with high levels of productivity. Mr. Pierre Jean Verge Salamon, President, Volvo Group Truck Sales, India, spoke recently to P.P. Basistha explaining the worthiness of the product and how the products will go on to reinforce Volvo truck's brand image in coal mining sector.
Brief us about the new range of tipper trucks and their application areas?
Making debut in high capacity multi axle mining trucks in India, we introduced our two new trucks FMX 520, 10x4 dump truck with 26.1 cum rock body, powered by 520 hp engine and FMX 480, 10x4, 24 cum rock body powered by 480 hp Volvo engines. Both the products have been introduced for hauling coal from mine pit to the coal washeries and railway sidings. Also in the display within our FMX series, was existing FMX 440, 8x4, with 33 cum coal body for hauling washed coal with manual transmission and FMX 440, 8x4 19.5 cum body, for over burden clearance with new intelligent-shift transmission. The entire range of the new and existing products, have been engineered taking into consideration the emerging big mining contracts running over 5-7 years in India with guaranteed throughput from the contractors. The offering will go on to strengthen our position as major transportation solution provider in the Indian coal mining and related overburden haulage sector.
The coal mining industry is highly cyclic in India, much at par with global counterparts. In this case, how will you ensure, the prospective buyers of these new tippers will be able to justify the large capital investments they make on these premium products, spanning across their total lifecycle?
I fully agree that coal mining is highly cyclic business in India. Studying the market closely, in first place, we have designed products for individual coal and overburden transportation needs. Given the wide offering, customer can exactly choose products based on their requirements. Dovetailed with this, the new tippers feature advanced and refined engineering to deliver total lifecycle costs and optimized operation while working with higher loads, both at shorter and longer leads. This will allow the customers derive best productivity out of the 10x4 and 8x4 tippers and redeploy them at other mining jobs, immediately after completion of their ongoing contracts.
What are the innovative engineering attributes that have gone in your 10x4 tippers and how would they be able to deliver higher productivity and extended performance?
In FMX 520, the front two axles with three more rear axle with dual tire configuration are steerable. The rearmost axle which is the fifth axle with dual tire is steerable as well with a hydraulic system. The system automatically lifts the axle itself up when the tipper is in unloaded condition. FMX 480 with similar axle configuration comes with steerable mode. Multiple axles allow the trucks to have large load bearing capacity. This also allows rational distribution of load. Since many mining sites from pit head to the washeries have short turning circles and confined loading areas with tightly turning haul roads, the steerable feature will be extremely beneficial for the truck operators in safely maneuvering the trucks both at shorter and longer leads. The hydraulic system to automatically lift up the rearmost axle in FMX 520 and 480 will deliver added benefits. This will cut down fuel consumption as with the axle lifted, the truck will move without creating tire rolling resistance. The lifting up will also minimize tire wear, resultantly delivering total operating costs.
How efficiently the new tippers would be able to tip and haul the loads without compromising stability?
The new FM 520 and 480 have been designed to provide both dynamic and tipping stability, while moving and tipping the loads. The design has been done while precisely calculating the centre of gravity during movement with loads and tipping to ensure the right stability when the trucks are moving at undulated areas. The 'Cross Stage' design of the sub frame in the tippers will provide stability while the vehicle is on the move, and the stabilizer bar below the chassis will ensure stability while tipping.
What will be onsite product support for the new tipper trucks?
Volvo has best in class onsite support at remote mining locations with containerized workshops, fully supported with our highly skilled trained engineers. Timely parts support is provided through adequate inventory maintained at the sites. With the introduction of the new products, we will further strengthen the same.
NBM&CW February 2016
