CAT Vital Information Management System (VIMS)

The Vital Information Management System (VIMS) is a state-of-the-art onboard system with the following features:

• Machine systems are monitored for the operator.
  
• Payload productivity information is measured by the system and stored in onboard memory.

This information can be downloaded later for analysis.
Abnormal machine conditions and/or incorrect operation of the machine are identified. The diagnosis of these abnormal conditions will allow the operator to modify the operation of the machine in order to correct the problem. The service technician is able to schedule maintenance for the machine if the condition is not related to the operation of the machine.

Prognostic information that can help predict potential problems before failures can occur. This allows the maintenance of the machine to be scheduled during the preventive maintenance servicing interval.

The components of the typical VIMS are listed below:

• VIMS electronic control module


• VIMS keypad module


• Display components


• Switches


• Sensors


• Solenoids


• Payload lamps


• Warning lamps


• Warning alarm

Source: Product Training Module (Personally Owned)

Caterpillar History

1890. Benjamin Holt and Daniel Best experimented with various forms of steam tractors for use in farming. They did so separately, with separate companies.

1904. Holt's first steam track-type tractor.

1906. Holt's first gas track-type tractor.

1915. Holt "Caterpillar®" track-type tractors are used by the Allies in World War I.

1925. The Holt Manufacturing Company and the C. L. Best Tractor Co. merge to form Caterpillar Tractor Co.

1931. The first Diesel Sixty Tractor rolled off the assembly line in East Peoria, Illinois, with a new efficient source of power for track-type tractors.

1940. The Caterpillar product line now included motor graders, blade graders, elevating graders, terracers and electrical generating sets.

1942. Caterpillar track-type tractors, motor graders, generators sets and a special engine for the M4 tank are used by the United States in its war effort.

1950. Caterpillar Tractor Co. Ltd. in Great Britain is established, the first of many overseas operations created to help manage foreign exchange shortages, tariffs, import controls and better serve customers around the world.

1953. In 1931, the company created a separate engine sales group to market diesel engines to other equipment manufacturers. This group was replaced in 1953 with a separate sales and marketing division to better serve the needs of a broad range of engine customers. Engine sales now account for approximately one-third of the company's total sales and revenues.

1963. Caterpillar and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. form one of the first joint ventures in Japan to include partial U.S. ownership. Caterpillar Mitsubishi Ltd. started production in 1965, has been renamed Shin Caterpillar Mitsubishi Ltd., and is now the No. 2 maker of construction and mining equipment in Japan.

1981-83. The worldwide recession took its toll on Caterpillar, costing the company the equivalent of $1 million a day and forcing it to dramatically reduce employment.

1983. Caterpillar Leasing Company is expanded to offer equipment financing options to its customers worldwide and is renamed Caterpillar Financial Services Corporation.

1985-present. The product line continued to diversify to meet a variety of customer needs. More than 300 products are now offered, more than double the figure in 1981.

1986. The Caterpillar Tractor Co. changes its name to Caterpillar Inc. - a more accurate reflection of the enterprise's growing diversity.

1987. A $1.8 billion plant modernization program was launched to streamline the manufacturing process.

1990. The company decentralized its structure, reorganizing into business units responsible for return on assets and customer satisfaction.

1997. The company continued to expand, acquiring the U.K.-based Perkins Engines. With the addition of Germany's MaK Motoren the previous year, Caterpillar becomes the world leader in diesel engine manufacturing.

1998. The world's largest off-highway truck - the 797 - makes its debut at the Cat Proving Ground in Arizona.

1999. Caterpillar unveils new line of compact construction equipment at CONEXPO, world's largest construction show, in response to changing customer needs for smaller, more versatile construction equipment.

2000. Caterpillar celebrates its 75th anniversary.

2001. Caterpillar is the first company to globally launch 6 Sigma and deliver first-year benefits in excess of implementation costs.

2003. Caterpillar becomes the first engine manufacturer to offer a complete line of 2004 model year clean diesel engines fully compliant and certified by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Caterpillar's breakthrough emissions control technology, known as ACERT^®, is designed to comply with EPA standards without sacrificing performance, reliability or fuel efficiency.

2005. Demonstrating a pledge to sustainable development, Caterpillar responded to a number of tragedies around the world, including the Asian Tsunami disaster, hurricanes along the U.S. Gulf Coast and earthquakes in South Asia. In the face of each of these challenges, employees, dealers and corporate leaders alike joined together to build a promise of hope and growth for all those affected by donating machinery, money and resources for relief and recovery efforts.

2006. Benjamin Holt, one of Caterpillar Inc.'s founding fathers and designer of the first track-type tractor was recognized for his ingenuity and entrepreneurial spirit with an induction into the National Inventors Hall of Fame.

2006. Caterpillar Inc. subsidiary Caterpillar Logistics Services, Inc. (Cat Logistics) opens a new parts distribution center in the Lingang Industrial Area in Shanghai.

2006. Caterpillar launched a revised and updated Worldwide Code of Conduct and Enterprise Strategy. Serving new markets and new customers in new ways, Caterpillar welcomed the opportunity to experience unchartered growth across all business ventures.

Source: www.cat.com

Liebherr T282

Once again, Liebherr Mining Equipment Co. is in first place as the first OEM to provide the Mining Industry with a two axle, diesel electric, AC drive haul truck with a payload capacity of 360 tons/327 metric tons. This is the haul truck that the industry has been waiting to receive. Not only does the T282 have an increase in payload capacity, but the AC Drive system has been designed to allow for easy configuration as a trolley system with minimal additional equipment required bringing new economics to trolley operation.The T282 360 ton/327 metric ton hauler will provide fuel savings, reduce maintenance requirements, reduce downtime, and maintenance costs providing the mine owner with beneficial increases in productivity.

The range of Liebherr electric drive mining trucks are designed and built in Virginia, USA. The use of high horsepower diesel engines combined with an electric drive system contribute to the hauling efficiency required by large open pit mines around the world in order to lower their cost of production.

Payload class		360 t
Maximum Operating Weight		592 t
Max. travel speed		64 km/h

AC DRIVE SYSTEM
The Siemens AC Drive system utilized on the Liebherr T282 is based on technology used by Siemens Energy and Automation, Inc. in applications including shovel drives, locomotive and mass transit system applications.The AC control system provides an additional margin of braking allowing total dynamic retarding capacity up to 6,032 hp and down to.5 miles per hour at which time the service brakes are activated to achieve the final stop. The AC control system also advises the operator of the vehicles operation outside the retarding capability.

The new T282 diesel electric AC drive Liebherr hauler, follows the precedent established by the Liebherr 240 ton truck design team in 1982 when the company was the first OEM to take the giant step up in payload capacity. Now Liebherr takes another giant step up in payload capacity to 360 ton /327 metric tons - the first OEM to respond to the Mining Industry's request for a large capacity AC drive haul truck that can be used in both standard operational mines and in trolley applications.

source: Wyoming Coal, liebherr.com

Euclid Hitachi EH4500 Electric Drive Truck

Here is another tough huge mining haul truck - "Hitachi EH4500". The Siemens AC Driven giant can carry up to 280 tons.

Specifications

Model Code	EH4500-2
Engine	Detroit Diesel 16V-4000Rated Power 2014 kW (2700 HP)Cummins QSK60-L is available as an option.
Maximum GMW with Standard Tires	480 362 kg (1 059 000 lb)
Nominal Payload with Standard Equipment	254 tonnes (280 tons)

Engineered for Performance, Designed for Comfort, and Built to Last.
Hitachi EH4500-2 is designed with the same reliability as Hitachi's world leading Hydraulic Excavators.

AC Drive Proven Performance & Economic Advantages
Hitachi adopted Siemens AC drives make your hauler a more valuable asset in your mining operation.
Better performance, higher availability, and significant reductions in maintenance and operating costs -result in a lower cost per tonne and a higher return on your investment.

High-Powered Engine
You can choose the Detroit Diesel w/DDEC IV engine, model 16V-4000 with 2 014 kW and 10 930 N.m torque or the Cummins QSK60-L engine with 2 014 kW and 10 630 N.m torque as an option.

Long Frame Life
A fabricated box section and rectangular frame rail construction provides superior resistance to bending and torsional loads. One-piece top and bottom flanges eliminate cross tie member tie-in joints and provide a larger exposed center area for access to major components. There are no castings in the frame assembly.

Tough Body
The Hitachi horizontal stiffener design minimizes stress concentrations, by dissipating load shocks over the entire body length. Closely spaced stiffeners provide additional protection by minimizing distances between unsupported areas.

Source: Hitachi Construction Machinery

Changing the name of Euclid-Hitachi Heavy Equipment Ltd.

Hitachi Construction Machinery Co. Ltd. of Tokyo, Japan and Euclid-Hitachi Heavy Equipment, Ltd., of Guelph, Ontario Canada, announce today to change the name of Euclid-Hitachi Heavy Equipment Ltd., to Hitachi Construction Truck Manufacturing Ltd.,effective January 1, 2004.
Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd., further strengthens their commitment to providing quality products to the Mining, Construction and Quarry business community by changing the name.
Hitachi Construction Truck Manufacturing Ltd. facility in Guelph, Ontario will produce rigid haul trucks with a load capacity of less than 140T. Rigid haul trucks of greater than 140T will be produced by Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd. in their production facilities in Japan.
This name change solidifies the full integration of rigid haul trucks into the Hitachi Construction Machinery Co. Ltd. product line. This change will further communicate Hitachi's ongoing commitment of quality to our customers and potential customers in the mining, construction and quarry industries.
In addition to this name change, announcing a new born Hitachi Construction Truck Manufacturing Ltd., we also have developed the world's largest AC drive rigid haul truck ( 500m kg. GMW). User testing is coming to an end after one year of favorable results and customer reception. We anticipate a Spring 2004 launch following our production preparations.
The merging of trucks and excavators into a consolidated product offering will further strengthen Hitachi Construction Machinery's presence in the marketplace. This strategic change reinforces Hitachi's ongoing commitment to the rigid haul truck business. This commitment by Hitachi is supported by the efforts of the staff at Hitachi Construction Truck Manufacturing Ltd. through their dedication to ongoing productivity and quality improvement initiatives.
For further information regarding this announcement, please contact Walter Fox, Chief Operating Officer, at 519-826-5549.

Source: Hitachi Construction Machinery Press Release

How To Choose The Proper Tires For Your New Hybrid Car

You've decided to defy convention and get yourself a hybrid car. But don't think that the only advantage associated with such a decision is the ability to help keep the environment clean. While it is true hybrid cars are excellent for such things, they also provide another benefit; low-rolling resistance tires. What are low-rolling resistance tires? This is a type of tire that refers to the manner in which the tire rolls. In comparison to traditional tires, low-rolling tires roll with greater ease. This allows the tire to function with minimal amounts of energy. The result is greater overall tire life as well as better traction, especially for drivers that tend to be slower and more cautious on the road. How do manufacturers go about designing the perfect low-rolling resistance tire? Well, first they look into the best methods of designing the general tread. This process not only helps in maximizing the potential of this type of tire, but it can also help establish the company's brand, since each manufacturer will use a different tread. After that, manufacturers look into what materials they are going to use. Usually, the best ones will be those that are light yet strong. This combination allows the tire to run without one worrying too much about the air pressure from within them. In fact, low-rolling resistance tires can go for up to 50 miles without a change in their initial air pressure. When you have these high performance tires, you can forget having to deal with jacks or other tire-changing tools, since these types of tires don't get flat as easily. Additionally, low-rolling resistance tires can help you save on your gas bill. This is because they increase the overall efficiency of your vehicle, including how it runs. And when there's a smoother run, less fuel is needed to keep the vehicle operating. In fact, low-rolling resistance tires are so useful in helping to conserve gas most consumers will save as much as 6 percent in gas-related expenses. Indeed, any extra money that may have to be spent to obtain these tires will be gotten back ten-fold when it's time to refuel the car. Yet, despite all of these tremendous advantages, low-rolling resistance tires won't be for everyone. For example, although there are many that prefer the feel they offer, there are some that think it hinders them from being able to drive faster. So, drivers that like to speed up at every opportunity may want to consider either changing their driving style or investing in another type of tires. However, it should be noted where there might come a time where all tires work in the same manner as low-rolling resistance ones. For example, consider recent legislation in California, where replacement tires must work in a manner that is as efficient as tires on newer vehicles. And, at least for that state, many of these new tires are of the variety we are speaking of here. So, there's an unspoken yet clearly communicated incentive to try and slowly but surely get people more used to low-rolling resistance tire technology.

Source: Gregg Hall

CAT Goes Electric

Cat goes electric; Caterpillar expands mine haul truck range to include AC electric drive developed with Mitsubishi Electric; two 200+ ton models to be unveiled at MINExpo 2008

by Dawn M. Geske

Caterpillar Inc. has announced that it will add ac electric drive mine haul trucks to its off-highway truck line through a partnership it has developed with Mitsubishi Electric Corp. While this is a departure from the mechanical drives Cat uses throughout its mining truck lineup, the ac electric drive technology is intended to complement the company's mechanical powertrain offering, adding an additional drivetrain option, which Cat said builds on its focus to produce products that are productive to its customers' bottom lines.

"This is the largest investment we've made in mining trucks in Caterpillar history and certainly demonstrates our commitment to maintaining a leadership position in the mining sector and serving the mining customer better than anyone in the industry," said Gerry Shaheen, Caterpillar group president.

To date, Cat has installed the electric drive system on its 380 ton payload 797 haul truck for testing. Cat said it anticipates initially releasing the electric drivetrain in two truck models above the 200 ton range, which it said will be unveiled at MINExpo International 2008.

Cat introduced its first electric drive truck in the 1960s with the dc-driven 779 truck, a 240 ton coal hauler. Today, its mine haul trucks are produced at its Decatur, Ill., facility where Cat said it supplies more than half of the mine haul trucks used in the global mining industry. Since introducing its 150 ton payload 785 truck in 1985, Cat said it has shipped 6000 units worldwide.

Today, Cat's lineup consists of nine 40 to 400 ton haul trucks, all with mechanical drive systems. "Caterpillar's mechanical drive trucks are the standard in the industry," said Shaheen. "Some customers, however, prefer the electric drive truck for specific applications and situations.

"Adding an electric drive to our lineup will enable Caterpillar to offer an additional solution to match customer needs."

With the ac electric drive, Cat said it is moving closer to its goal of providing a truck for every application targeting high-speed coal hauling, extreme downhill load hauling and some trolley operations.

The ac electric drive for the trucks was developed through a strategic partnership formed between Cat and Mitsubishi Electric. Mitsubishi, which has experience producing ac drives for the rail industry, will provide the power conversion for the assembly by supplying the semiconductors and other inverter components.

"This alliance combines Mitsubishi Electric Corp.'s high power semiconductor technology with Caterpillar's large mining truck design and production," said Chris Schena, vice president of Caterpillar's Motion and Power Control Division.

Cat said it will produce the alternator, planetaries, ac wheel motors, voltage regulators, controls and hardware for the drivetrain, which will make the truck "a Cat product through and through," said Ed McCord, product manager for Caterpillar Global Mining.

The trucks will also be equipped with Caterpillar's new C175 engine family (see April Diesel Progress), replacing the 3500 series engine previously used. The C175 engine comes in 64, 85 and 106 L displacements, 12-, 16- and 20-cylinders and is rated 2000 to 4000 hp for mining applications.

"We recognize that there are unique applications that would make the addition of ac electric drive an important and attractive complement to our current truck line," said Chris Curfman, president of Caterpillar's Global Mining division and Caterpillar Inc. vice president. According to Curfman, Caterpillar considered a variety of alternatives for adding electric drive mining trucks to the product offering. "In the end, it was clear that developing our own lineup is the best path to providing customers with a complete range of hauling equipment," he said.

Electric drives are just one element of the mining program that Cat is heavily investing in, as it has also announced that it will also make significant upgrades to its 785C, 789C, 793D and 797B mechanical trucks and plans to introduce a new model to the lineup between the 793D and 797B.

www.cat.com

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