Minetruck with electric drivetrain combines power and innovation

Fourth Quarter 2024 Electrical switching & drive systems & components

The new Minetruck MT66 S eDrive is the first of Epiroc’s large-capacity mine trucks to feature the latest generation electric drivetrain. Along with an upgraded and powerful diesel engine, the hauler combines the cost-effectiveness of a traditional mine truck with the productivity of an electric one, without requiring changes to a mine’s infrastructure. It has been completely redesigned to feature an electric drivetrain, powered by the strongest engine yet in Epiroc’s line-up of underground mine trucks. With weight reduction and better utilisation of the engine’s sweet spot, the truck can reach 11% higher ramp speed compared to current models.

While the Minetruck MT66 S eDrive enables both higher maximum payload and increased speed compared to other high-capacity mine trucks, it also reduces fuel consumption by up to 7% thanks to the electric drivetrain. The removal of mechanical parts also lowers maintenance costs, promising reduced total cost of ownership. With all these improvements on board, it offers an easy step to improve productivity quickly. “In a typical mining application, the increased payload capacity means that the Minetruck MT66 S eDrive can add an additional cycle each day compared to a 65-ton mine truck. That means well over 23 000 additional tons annually for our customers’ productivity,” says global portfolio manager, Martin Wallman.

Further reading:

Magma X100 delivers AMB systems for wide range of industrial machinery
Electrical switching & drive systems & components
SpinDrive launches Magma X100 controller, bringing active magnetic bearing technology to a new generation of industrial applications. The Magma X100 expands SpinDrive’s oil-free, frictionless AMB technology to applications below 150 kW, unlocking new addressable markets.

Read more...

---

Mammoet completes major bridge replacement at Amsterdam Centraal Station
Electrical switching & drive systems & components
Mammoet completes the second of five major bridge replacements at Amsterdam Centraal Station, transporting steel deck sections by water to keep the station open throughout the works.

Read more...

---

Compressorless hydrogen turbine generates electricity using detonation waves
Electrical switching & drive systems & components
Researchers at the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) have demonstrated a hydrogen gas turbine that generates electricity without a mechanical compressor.

Read more...

---

Why lubrication fails in mining and what to do about it
Editor's Choice Electrical switching & drive systems & components
Lubrication Engineers explains the recurring failure points behind mining lubrication problems and how the right product, storage and application practices can improve equipment reliability.

Read more...

---

Echain protects cables in cleanrooms
igus Electrical switching & drive systems & components
Advanced polymer manufacturer igus has developed a new cleanroom energy chain with an innovative guide system that allows for abrasion-resistant travel over distances of up to 30 metres.

Read more...

---

PowerFlex drives cut energy use by up to 30% amid rising costs
Electrical switching & drive systems & components
Rockwell Automation’s PowerFlex 755TS variable frequency drives are delivering energy reductions of 10 to 30% in Africa’s industrial operations, with adaptive control and predictive maintenance features that cut downtime by up to 50%.

Read more...

---

Next-generation oil-free motor systems with active magnetic bearings
Electrical switching & drive systems & components
WEG and SpinDrive are collaborating to integrate SpinDrive’s AMBs and built-in IoT condition monitoring into WEG’s market-leading electric motor offering, creating an oil-free, maintenance-free drive solution.

Read more...

---

Direct drive with integrated control
Vepac Electronics Electrical switching & drive systems & components
The PSD 40 direct drive is a mechatronic system with integrated control, bus interface and absolute measuring system, with no battery required.

Read more...

---

AI-powered on-premises analytics for industrial drives
Siemens South Africa Electrical switching & drive systems & components
Siemens is introducing a new on-premises analytics solution for industrial drive systems. The software enables users to evaluate drive data entirely within their own infrastructure and meet stringent data-sovereignty requirements.

Read more...

---

Hydrostatic machine base for ultra-precision grinding centre
Electrical switching & drive systems & components
Hyprostatik Schönfeld has developed a high-precision hydrostatic machine base for a new ultra-precision grinding centre for Optotech. The machine platform enables a previously unattainable combination of dimensional accuracy, dynamics and surface quality in the ultra-precision grinding of optical surfaces.

Read more...

---