Truck & Off-Highway Engineering - December 2024 - 21

ORIGINAL
EQUIPMENT
Komatsu employs 'slick' battery swapping for underground LHD machine
ground infrastructure, the WX04B's battery
swap can be performed at ground
level without the need for cranes or rigging.
The streamlined process is said to
reduce costs and complexity, making it
more efficient and user-friendly for underground
mining operations.
" In the industry [battery swapping] is
fairly common, " Brian Fox, senior VP of
strategy and innovation for Komatsu
Mining, told Truck & Off-Highway
Engineering at MINExpo. " But we've got a
pretty slick system we've come up with. "
" One of the large differences [comKomatsu
claims its
battery-electric WX04B is
the " first and only " LHD in
its class to have ground-level
battery change capabilities.
Komatsu introduced its first batteryelectric
load-haul-dump (LHD) machine,
the WX04B, at the MINExpo tradeshow
in September. The WX04B is designed
specifically for narrow vein mines in
underground hard rock mining operations.
Komatsu is pairing the electric
LHD with its new OEM-agnostic 150-kW
battery charger that was also revealed
in Las Vegas.
The 4-tonne WX04B LHD features
what Komatsu claims is best-in-class
energy density, offering up to four
hours of runtime on a single charge.
The Li-ion NMC (nickel-manganesecobalt)
battery from Proterra has a
capacity of 165 kWh and nominal voltage
of 660 V. Fewer charge cycles are
needed compared to competitors, the
company claims, which helps to maximize
operational efficiency and minimize
downtime. Proterra and Komatsu
began their collaboration on the LHD's
H Series battery system in 2021, long
before Komatsu's acquisition of
American Battery Solutions (ABS) in
December 2023.
Engineers focused on zero-harm, reliability
and durability when designing
the new WX04B, which features a proven
reinforced boom, optimized Z-link
geometry and Komatsu's ROPS/FOPScertified
operator cab. An optional fully
TRUCK & OFF-HIGHWAY ENGINEERING
enclosed cab with environmental controls
enhances operator comfort and
safety. Interlocks automatically engage
brakes and turn off all functions when
the cab door is open or the seatbelt is
disengaged.
Komatsu considers its first battery
swap system a " standout feature " of the
WX04B. Unlike many traditional systems
that require extensive underpared
to other battery swap systems] is
the fact that this has got no impact on
mine infrastructure, " Brad Zimmerman,
director of battery-electric technology
for Komatsu Mining, told TOHE at
MINExpo. " Our battery swapping system
allows for a high degree of misalignment,
which isn't the case for competitors
that have got a similar system
- the battery has to be very level, on
concrete or a fixture or something to
support the battery to keep it level.
With this, it literally doesn't matter - it
can be below grade, above grade, misalignment
this [side to side] way, and
it'll pick the battery up. "
Brad Zimmerman, director of battery-electric technology for Komatsu Mining, spoke with TOHE
at MINExpo 2024.
December 2024 21
BOTH IMAGES: SAE/RYAN GEHM

Truck & Off-Highway Engineering - December 2024

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