The PC9000 is Komatsu’s largest hydraulic mining excavator
Last May, Komatsu Germany Mining Division (KGM) and Canada’s SMS Equipment jointly announced the Komatsu PC9000, the largest hydraulic mining excavator to be released in the manufacturer’s portfolio.
Now, the first machine of its kind heads to Canada, leaving KGM in Düsseldorf, Germany, in January enroute to Alberta’s oil sands region.
The 900-ton excavator started its journey across the world on a single barge before moving to a cross-Atlantic ship. The final leg of the massive logistics challenge will see the components loaded onto trucks after the PC9000 reaches the Canadian shore.
The shipment includes eight containers, 11 unpacked components, six cases and 14 skids. The PC9000’s tracks weigh 131 tons alone, with each trackpad weighing as much as a car. The bucket weighs nearly the same as a blue whale.
“The PC9000 marks a groundbreaking evolution in our surface mining lineup, delivering higher productivity, greater efficiency, lower production costs while enhancing operator comfort,” said Peter Buhles, Vice President Sales and Service at KGM.
“At Komatsu, we are committed to creating value together through collaboration. Driven by a strong partnership with SMS Equipment, the PC9000 is built to transform our customer’s modern global mining operations.”
PC9000 collaboration
In developing the PC9000, Komatsu gathered input from its global mining customers and distributors to create a machine that responds to the industry’s emerging needs and is suitable for any type of surface mining application.
The PC9000 is designed to increase productivity, performance and efficiency on the mine site. It is optimized to work with Komatsu’s 830E through 980E mining trucks, improving cycle times and lowering the overall cost-per-ton of material moved.
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“The PC9000 was sparked by the powerful collaboration between SMS Equipment, Komatsu Germany Mining Division and our shared customer,” said Dennis Chmielewski, Executive Vice President, Mining, SMS Equipment.
“Through ongoing communication between all three parties, we ensured operators’ needs in the field were conveyed back to the manufacturer as they developed this new class of excavator. While the PC9000 will have broad global application, it’s very well suited to Canada’s oil sands region, where it will have a major impact on efficiency and productivity.”
Additional features of the PC9000 include a larger bucket, higher digging forces and other features to improve cycle time. The PC9000 also includes a redesigned cab to enhance operator comfort.
Its extended reach is aimed at supporting customers’ growing Autonomous Haulage Systems (AHS) while a redesigned hydraulic system leads to lower emissions.
With more than a century of expertise in mining technology, KGM is a pioneer in the development of hydraulic mining excavators for the global surface mining market, defining standards for ultra-large hydraulic mining excavators worldwide.
Since the early 1980s, KGM has been a trusted partner and manufacturer of machine technology for Canada’s oil sands. Ever since, many machine models have been inaugurated with Canada’s oil sands producers.
You can see the latest video of the PC9000’s journey here.
