Core77 Design Awards

Commercial Equipment Student Runner Up

Autoloader_Haultec

Rebecca Daum

Umeå Institute Of Design

Overview
Team Credits
Images
Details
Jury Commentary

2015 Core77 Design Awards

Commercial Equipment Winners

2015 Core77 Design Awards

All Categories

Project Overview

The Autoloader and the Haultec wagons are a smart team to innovate today's load-haul-dump cycle in the process of underground mining. As working in an underground mine is one of the worlds most dangerous jobs, automation is the first goal to keep people out of the danger zone.

The Autoloader is an autonomous working loading machine, that is able to split rocks that are to big to be transported.
In addition to the loader a set of cognitive haul-dump wagons, the Haultec wagons, are responsible for the transportation of the ore. By dividing the workload into smaller units and using the flexibility and intelligence of a swarm of of wagons, an interruption free flow of ore is provided and the efficiency of the mine will be increased significantly.

The Autoloader – Haultec system is in comparison to nowadays Load-Haul-Dumpers nearly three times more efficent.

Project Team

Individual project (Rebecca Daum)

Project Images

Project Details

The Autoloader and the Haultec wagons are a smart team to innovate today's load-haul-dump cycle in the process of underground mining.

After the blasting of a tunnel, the ore has to be loaded, hauled and dumped at its destination. The shorter that load-haul-dump cycle is, the lower the cost per ton gets. There is is a lot of potential in reducing the haul and return times to increase the overall efficiency of an underground mine.

A common strategy nowadays to increase the efficiency of the LHD cycle is to use bigger and bigger vehicles. But there are limitations for these gigantic machines in underground mines. The biggest issue is the lack of space in the narrow tunnels.

The better solution to increase the efficiency in underground mines, and the core of the Autoloader // Haultec concept, is to separate the loading from hauling and dumping.

As working in an underground mine is one of the worlds most dangerous jobs, automation is the first goal to keep people out of the danger zone.

The Autoloader is an autonomous working loading machine, that is able to split rocks that are to big to be transported.In addition to the loader a set of cognitive haul-dump wagons, the Haultec wagons, are responsible for the transportation of the ore.

By dividing the workload into smaller units and using the flexibility and intelligence of a swarm of of wagons, an interruption free flow of ore is provided and the efficiency of the mine will be increased significantly.

The Autoloader – Haultec system is in comparison to nowadays Load-Haul-Dumpers nearly three times more efficent.

Performance comparison
Regular Load-Haul-Dumper: 8 tonnes of ore / min
Autolaoder – Haultec System: 21,3 tonnes of ore / min

The automated wagons can be used all over the mine and can adapt to different situations and mine layouts (Fe. the wagons can hook up to a train and replace nowadays expensive and static underground trains).

The Autoloader is able to shrink to a minimum length to have a low turning radius when it is driving. For narrow tunnel that is a crucial factor.

Size comparison
Regular Load-Haul-Dumper: 11.9 meter
Autolaoder: 4,9 meter
Haultec: 2,5 meter