Komatsu believes technology of PC7000 as important as its size

The Komatsu PC7000 mining shovel has been a showstopper at bauma, with thousands of visitors stopping to snap photos in front of the enormous machine. Yet it’s the technology inside the shovel, as well as the ease of operation, that will fuel the lasting memories, said Mas Morishita, managing director and CEO of Komatsu Europe.
April 13, 2016 Read time: 2 mins
Mas Morishita: PC7000 technology is important

The 2300 Komatsu PC7000 mining shovel has been a showstopper at bauma, with thousands of visitors stopping to snap photos in front of the enormous machine.

Yet it’s the technology inside the shovel, as well as the ease of operation, that will fuel the lasting memories, said Mas Morishita, managing director and CEO of Komatsu Europe.

“The technology that we are building into all our machines is in the PC7000 as well,” Morishita said. “The size, of course, is enormous – and our customers care about that. But the technology inside and how easy it is to operate are very important too.”

The shovel is the largest ever displayed at bauma, Morishita said.

Two of the shovels are already in operation – one in Canada, the other in Australia – and are being used in open pit mining applications.

The 677tonne machine is powered by two 1250 kW diesel engines and can lift a 36m3 front shovel bucket. The shovel perfectly matches trucks in the 240- to 290-short-tonne range.

Both the bucket design and hydraulic layout have been improved to enable easier digging for operators. A new open circuit helps the hydraulic system swing the shovel faster and penetrate the material easier.

The technology Morishita referenced includes Komtrax Plus, the latest generation Komatsu machine monitoring system. Operators can check the operating status of their machine, and when requested data can be transferred via satellite directly to maintenance specialists. That data includes hydraulic pressures and engine performance.

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