Modular Interface Capabilities Expand and Deliver
Tucson, Arizona – March 26, 2007
Modular Mining Systems, the market leader in providing powerful information management solutions to mining operations worldwide, continues to expand and deliver customized, state-of-the-art ModularReady™ interfaces, helping customers attain significant maintenance savings and overcome the unique challenges of their fleet.
In 2006, a ModularReady™ interface to the General Electric Statex™ III drive system was implemented, providing savings of over $1 million in fleet maintenance costs for a long-standing Modular customer, Iron Ore Company of Canada (IOC). When IOC, a Rio Tinto operation, identified an opportunity to reduce costs by monitoring and managing the use of service brakes on Komatsu trucks, they requested implementation of a Statex™ system configuration to monitor haul truck operator brake activity in real time. The interface records all instances where the operator applied the service brakes at speeds over eight miles per hour. Due to collaboration between the Modular product development team, Komatsu America, Federal Equipment, and General Electric, the interface successfully allows the Statex™ Service Brake event notification to be detected in real time by the DISPATCH® system and alert the dispatcher immediately. Concurrently, operators are re-trained in the correct use of the service brake.
The ModularReady™ VIMS interface has increased the capabilities of MineCare® customers operating Caterpillar® equipment. Customers who implemented the VIMS interface have reported increased interactivity with their fleet, including the ability to remotely troubleshoot problems, capture alarms, and create trends to monitor for site specific issues. ModularReady™ versions of the VIMS interface exist for many equipment models, with the most recent being developed for Caterpillar® loaders, which was initiated by a Latin American customer operating a large fleet of Cat 994D loaders.
Other notable ModularReady™ interfaces engineered in 2006 include the ModularReady™ interface for DPI Sandvik drills in Ghana, and the ModularReady™ interface for Liebherr 994 and 996 hydraulic excavators. The interface for DPI automatically captures and stores hole counts and depths into the DISPATCH® system. The interface for Liebherr excavators provides robust communication between the mine operators and equipment. Through the IntelliMine® system, the mine operator can access real-time excavator health information such as alarm codes, operating parameters, and abnormal events, ultimately improving operating efficiency.
A current ModularReady™ project in development is a Rimex TyreSense™ System interface, allowing mine operators real-time access to tire data so they can make quick and informed decisions, maximizing tire life. With the shortage of large truck tires, Modular has completed interfaces to Michelin® and Bridgestone®, with TyreSense™ next in line.
Another ModularReady interface on the horizon for 2007 will allow customers operating with Lubrizol oil technologies access to real-time, onboard oil analysis through the IntelliMine® system, maximizing oil life and catching potential catastrophic failures before they occur.
About Komatsu America Corp.
Komatsu America Corp. is a U.S. subsidiary of Komatsu Ltd. which is the world’s second largest manufacturer and supplier of construction, mining and compact construction equipment. Through its
distributor network, Komatsu offers state-of-the-art parts and service programs to support the equipment. Komatsu has proudly been providing high-quality reliable products for nearly a century. Visit the website at
www.komatsuamerica.com for more information.
