Posted by Paul Moore on seventh November 2024
Caterpillar Inc says it has efficiently demonstrated the absolutely autonomous operation of its Cat® 777 off-highway truck. The debut of this newest mannequin of Cat® MineStar™ Command for hauling at Luck Stone’s Bull Run plant in Chantilly, Virginia, it says marks a major milestone in Caterpillar’s goal to ship an autonomous hauling resolution for the quarry and aggregates sector.
This profitable deployment of equipment and know-how highlights the progress being made between Caterpillar and Luck Stone, the biggest family-owned and operated producer of crushed stone, sand, and gravel in the USA. In December 2022, Luck Stone and Caterpillar introduced an settlement to speed up the event of Caterpillar’s autonomous options for quarry and combination functions.
This marks Caterpillar’s first deployment of autonomous know-how within the aggregates trade and can develop the corporate’s autonomous truck fleet to incorporate the 100-ton-class (90 t class) Cat® 777.
Caterpillar has lengthy been recognised as an trade chief in autonomy, with autonomous vans on three continents having travelled greater than 325 million kilometres and autonomously shifting greater than 8.62 billion tonnes. The present fleet of Caterpillar’s autonomous vans with Command for hauling strikes extra tons per yr worldwide than the whole annual US crushed stone manufacturing.
Among the world’s largest mines are utilizing Cat Command know-how to attain efficiency enhancements. For 2 years, Caterpillar has been embedded with Luck Stone to construct experience in quarry operations, aiming to develop a system that’s scalable and economically viable for patrons throughout the quarry trade whereas additionally serving to them to attain a step change in security and productiveness.
“Congratulations to each the Luck Stone and Caterpillar groups for this excellent achievement. It’s significant not only for Bull Run operations, however for our prospects of all sizes as we develop new applied sciences to serve the quarry and aggregates in addition to building industries,” stated Denise Johnson, Group President of Caterpillar’s Useful resource Industries. “This hands-on collaboration has accelerated our means to scale our confirmed mining resolution for this sector.”
The success of autonomous hauling at Bull Run plant marks the preliminary milestone within the collaboration between Caterpillar and Luck Stone. This achievement lays the inspiration for ongoing testing and validation of assumptions and know-how earlier than making autonomous know-how commercially out there within the aggregates trade.
“The profitable implementation of an autonomous hauling resolution at our Bull Run Plant is a serious accomplishment for Luck Stone associates, for Caterpillar, and for our trade. Our mission is to ignite human potential and positively affect the lives of others, and this challenge does simply that by offering alternatives and experiences for our associates to develop and study. Caterpillar’s progressive know-how can even enhance security and be a device for attracting the subsequent technology of mining professionals. We’re excited for the long run and what’s subsequent for autonomy, and grateful for our continued, collaborative relationship with Caterpillar,” stated Charlie Luck, Chairman and CEO, Luck Corporations.
